First time since 2002 that Tornadoes, Quakers aren’t meeting with a playoff spot on the line
Mike Brown
| Special to The Times-Reporter
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One of the oldest and greatest high school football rivalries in Ohio will take center stage again Oct. 24 when Dover and New Philadelphia clash at Crater Stadium at 7 p.m.
The Dover vs. New Philadelphia game is a season unto itself.
“(Dover-New Philadelphia week) is phenomenal for the entire community,” said New Philadelphia’s fifth-year head coach Mike Johnson, who like Dover head coach Matt Rees, has played and coached in the game. “It’s a special part of growing up here.”
“As a player, I was able to play in the (Dover-New Philadelphia) varsity game for three years,” said Rees. “It’s one of those things where you’re going to get emotional competitiveness out of players on both sides of the ball. You know each other and you’re familiar with each other. It’s that crosstown rival. It’s a neat experience.”
New Philadelphia vs Dover is third oldest rivalry in Ohio
Friday marks the 122nd all-time meeting between the Crimson Tornadoes and Quakers in a series that dates back to 1896. For perspective, Grover Cleveland was in his final months as President in 1896 and was about to be replaced by William McKinley, who had become president-elect after the Nov. 3 election that year.
The Dover-New Philadelphia football series is the third oldest football rivalry in Ohio behind only Massillon and McKinley (which began in 1894) and Fremont Ross and Sandusky (which started in 1895). Dover leads the series, 59-53-9, but New Philadelphia won last year’s game 42-24 at Woody Hayes Quaker Stadium.
Bragging rights mean everything
For the first time in 23 years — the 2002 season to be exact — the Crimson Tornadoes and Quakers won’t be clashing with a playoff spot on the line. But ask any Dover or New Philadelphia fan and they’ll tell you bragging rights over their archrival for the next year trumps everything.
“This is (game) 122 (in the series) coming up, which is remarkable,” Johnson said. “The pageantry that goes with it. Everybody has a spirit week, but a lot of times people don’t have a spirit week where you’ve been playing for the last 120-plus years, so I think there’s a little extra in it because of that.”
“We used to bring some of our buddies from college (at Mount Union) home for this game and they couldn’t believe the atmosphere that we were able to play in,” said Dover’s Rees. “I try to emphasize to our seniors that you have something that many other schools do not have and that’s not just in Ohio, but many states.”
The series is deadlocked at 5-5 over the past decade
For a good indication of just how competitive this series has been of late, all one has to do is take a look at their games for the past decade. In the last 10 meetings, the Crimson Tornadoes have won five games and the Quakers have captured five. The home team has won the past six straight meetings.
“When you come into this game it’s played with emotion,” said Rees. “Looking at the last 10 years, really what it came down to is the execution piece, and both teams need to execute, play with passion and play aggressively.”
“It (the series) has been back and forth and truly a game of inches,” said Johnson.
A leadup to the game
Dover (3-6) has been banged up all season and has had to make multiple personnel adjustments on the fly. The Tornadoes are coming off a 35-27 loss to Linsly (Wva.) last Friday in a road game played at Fairmont State.
The Tornadoes enter Week 10 scoring 21.7 points-per-game and giving up 26.5 ppg.
Meanwhile, New Philadelphia (5-4), which has won three of its past four games, recorded one of its best wins of the season last Friday when the Quakers upended West Holmes 26-21 at Woody Hayes Quaker Stadium.
“It’s great to get that momentum (from the win over West Holmes),” said Johnson. “Our kids played tremendously.”
The Quakers’ 5-4 record is somewhat deceiving, as their losses have come to four teams in Louisville (5-4), West Branch (8-1), Ashland (9-0) and Lexington (8-1) with a combined record of 30-6.
The Quakers are averaging 26.3 points-per-game on offense and allowing 22.7 ppg.
Coaches break down their opponent
Dover’s offense is led by sophomore signal-caller Dieter Weber, who has thrown for 1,300 yards in six starts with 12 touchdown passes. Senior Robbie Copple has been one of his top receiving targets with 618 yards and three scores, and senior receiver Liam Mast has six scoring receptions. Dover’s leading rusher is sophomore Cohen Murray.
Johnson is impressed with talented sophomore slotback/receiver Dante Clark.
“Clark has been very impressive,” said the Quakers’ boss. “He played for them last year as a freshman and he’s gotten better. He’s fast and he’s aggressive and he makes you look silly sometimes with the way he attacks things, whether it’s him running the ball or catching the ball. He’s one of those guys you watch on film and say, man, we’ve got to do something with him, and I think the quarterback (Weber) has done a really nice job in delivering the ball. He spreads it out to a lot of different people, so we’re going to have to be on our best against him.”
The Tornadoes’ defense is led by linebacker Carson McGarry with a team-high 86 tackles.
Meanwhile, the Quakers are led offensively by junior quarterback Parker Rieger, who has passed for 1,259 yards and 13 touchdowns, and lightning-fast senior receiver CJ Carlisle, his top receiving target, who has 41 receptions for 587 yards and seven touchdowns. Carlisle, who is also a dangerous kick returner, scored several touchdowns in last year’s Dover-New Philadelphia game.
“He’s a special player,” said Rees of Carlisle. “I think he’s probably the fastest kid in the county. He’s one if he gets open grass, he’s going to create separation.”
The Quakers’ top rusher is junior Kolston Fox with 495 yards and seven touchdowns.
New Philadelphia’s defense is paced by linebackers Vincent Migoni (a senior with 128 tackles) and Caleb Crowthers (a junior with 100 stops).
Final thoughts
Both coaches can’t wait for Friday’s game in which another standing room only crowd is expected at the Brick House. Temporary extra bleachers from Dover and New Philadelphia were put in place Monday at 5,043-seat Crater Stadium.
“We’re lucky to be a part of it and our kids are excited to finish out this year and have a great game,” Johnson said.
“This will be my 11th year coaching in this game,” Rees said. “It’s an exciting experience for everyone. The staff and players are looking forward to it.”