Bermejo, Rangers too much for Flyers

9/4/2010
BY DONALD EMMONS
BLADE SPORTS WRITER
  • Bermejo-Rangers-too-much-for-Flyers

    Northwood's Zach Bermejo powers his way through Lake's defense. He finished the game with 158 yards rushing and scored four touchdowns for the Rangers.<br> <img src=http://www.toledoblade.com/graphics/icons/photo.gif> <font color=red><b>VIEW GALLERY:</b></font> <a href="/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=TO&Dato=20100904&Kategori=SPORTS12&Lopenr=904009997&Ref=PH"> <b> Football: Lake Field Dedication, Northwood Game</b></a> Sept. 3, 2010

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    • Northwood's Zach Bermejo powers his way through Lake's defense. He finished the game with 158 yards rushing and scored four touchdowns for the Rangers.<br> <img src=http://www.toledoblade.com/graphics/icons/photo.gif> <font color=red><b>VIEW GALLERY:</b></font> <a href= Football: Lake Field Dedication, Northwood Game Sept. 3, 2010" rel="storyimage1" title="Bermejo-Rangers-too-much-for-Flyers.jpg"/>
    Northwood's Zach Bermejo powers his way through Lake's defense. He finished the game with 158 yards rushing and scored four touchdowns for the Rangers.&lt;br&gt; &lt;img src=http://www.toledoblade.com/graphics/icons/photo.gif&gt; &lt;font color=red&gt;&lt;b&gt;VIEW GALLERY:&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/font&gt; &lt;a href=&quot;/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=TO&Dato=20100904&Kategori=SPORTS12&Lopenr=904009997&Ref=PH&quot;&gt; &lt;b&gt; Football: Lake Field Dedication, Northwood Game&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt; Sept. 3, 2010

    MILLBURY - A standing-room only crowd arrived early for Lake's home opener Friday night against Northwood at the refurbished and newly named Lake Community Stadium.

    The first official school event on the grounds since a tornado whipped through the area earlier this summer was a cause for celebration for many of the local residents seeking some normalcy after the devastation.

    Pregame festivities included the naming of the stadium and plenty of thanks offered to area individuals and businesses for their assistance with the community's recovery.

    But it was Northwood which won the "Battle of Lemoyne Road" as it rolled to a commanding 29-2 triumph.

    Northwood's Mike Prothero pushes away from Lake's DylanHirzel in last night's game. The Rangers improved to 2-0.
    Northwood's Mike Prothero pushes away from Lake's DylanHirzel in last night's game. The Rangers improved to 2-0.

    "We're bigger than they are and we eventually wore them down," Northwood coach Ken James said.

    The Rangers' Zach Bermejo rushed for 158 yards on 18 carries, including touchdown runs of 24, 9, 11, and 50 yards.

    Lake coach Bob Abbey admitted his team was emotionally fatigued after the highly anticipated game. However, he also understood the contest still offered a moment to remember.

    "To see the crowd and the emotion that was invested and all the gifts given from the people, you can't thank them enough for the opportunity," Abbey said. "It had a feeling of a college atmosphere. To think about where we were three months ago up to now is unbelievable."

    The Flyers (1-1) failed to get anything going against the Rangers' stout defense led by Jacob Pressley and Nick Russell, who came through with an interception apiece.

    The Rangers (2-0) held Lake quarterback Nathan Pennington to 99 yards passing while completing 8 of 18 pass attempts. Ben Swartz finished with 27 yards rushing on 18 carries to lead a near non-existent Flyers ground game.

    Abbey credited the Rangers for a solid defensive showing, but also thought his team didn't help its own cause by committing a number of miscues.

    "The game is pretty simple, you block and tackle and cut down on mistakes," Abbey said. "We didn't do that tonight."

    Pressley set up Northwood's first scoring possession when he intercepted a deflected pass thrown by Pennington near midfield and returned it 26 yards before he was tackled at the Flyers' 24-yard line.

    Bermejo turned the possession into a 1-play scoring drive when he broke several tackles running through the interior of the Flyers defense on his way to a 24-yard touchdown scamper to give Northwood a 6-0 lead with 5:30 left in the opening quarter.

    The Rangers maintained the slim lead until late in the half when they capitalized on another Flyers miscue.

    Northwood's Corey Jones fell on a loose football at the Flyers' 26 after Lake's Kurt McKee muffed a punt with just under two minutes remaining in the second quarter.

    Bermejo capped a 5-play, 26-yard scoring drive with a 9-yard touchdown run to make it 12-0 with 29 seconds left in the half.

    Lake's lone points came during the third quarter when Dylan Hirzel and McKee tackled Northwood's Mike Prothero in the end zone to make it 12-2.

    The Rangers added 17 more points in the fourth quarter to clinch the decisive win.

    Contact Donald Emmons at:

    demmons@theblade.com

    or 419-724-6302.