Michael Taylor and the Panthers were simply outstanding against the Rocks on Friday. (Press Pros Feature Photos by Logan Gapen)
Michael Taylor racked up 188 yards and scored five touchdowns — giving him 13 on the season — as Pickerington North withstood a magnificent performance from Coffman quarterback Amari Valerio-Hudson, who totaled 231 yards on the ground with four TDs.
Pickerington, OH – Coach Nate Hillerich and his Pickerington North staff invest a lot of time drawing up creative plays to showcase the talents of their Division I-bound skill position players.
Bubble screens, slant patterns, jet screens and run-pass options are among the plays one may typically see quarterback Jarin Mock, running back Michael Taylor and receivers Preston Bowman and receiver Emy Louis, Jr. thrive in as coaches hunt for ways to get them in space.
But when push come to shove, it was the Panthers’ ability to revert to basic, ground-oriented power football that allowed them to hold off Dublin Coffman 43-27 in a weirdly but wildly entertaining Friday The 13th matchup at Panther Stadium.
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Veteran central Ohio columnist Steve Blackledge writes the OCC and sports at large for Press Pros.
“Really, if you look at that last drive where we didn’t throw it one time … where we just ran it down their throat and leaned on our offense, that’s probably what won us the game,” Hillerich said. “People look at the skilled kids we have, but our physicality up front and our ability to run the ball is where we’ve had our most success this year.”
A big reason for that it is Taylor, a senior Ohio University commit, who has made the most of his first big opportunity to shine as the featured back. Just a week after rushing for a program record 289 yards in a win over Pickerington Central, Taylor was back at it again Friday, amassing 188 yards on 23 carries with five – count ‘em five – touchdowns. That ran his total to 13 scores through just four games.
“I got to play a little varsity as freshman, I was a backup to DaWuan Green my sophomore and last year we had three backs in that room kind of sharing the load,” the powerful yet shifty 5-foot-10, 198-pounder said. “Every week, we feel like we want to try to new stuff to test defenses with, but, yes, I think sometimes people that our offensive line is a big reason we’re able to do so much. That unit is just getting better every week. They really locked down with the game on the line tonight.”
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Anchoring that impressive front is 6-3, 280-pound Miami-University commit Ayden Annarino.
With North taking a 29-7 lead just three plays into the third quarter, some observers began to sense this might turn into a running clock blowout.
Coffman quarterback Amari Valerio-Hudson strikes a Heisman-like pose during a scramble around the edge.
But led by its dazzling first-year quarterback Amari Valerio-Hudson, a converted receiver who has committed to play at Army, Coffman (1-3) waged a stirring rally.
His cut-on-a-dime open field running on read option plays, coupled with two North fumbles, got the Shamrocks to a 29-27 with on the first play of the fourth quarter. A two-point conversion pass play, however, was unsuccessful.
The Panthers (3-1) responded with a 10-play, 80-yard scoring drive that featured seven runs and was capped by a 23-yard TD scamper by Taylor. Actually, a 55-yard TD run by Mock on a brilliant play fake around end was disallowed due to an inadvertent whistle blown when the officials through Taylor had been stopped in the pack. Ultimately, the miscue may have benefitted North as it allowed the drive to chew more clock.
After a Malachi Ervin sack of Valerio-Hudson thwarted Coffman’s next series, North took over near midfield and put the nail in the coffin with the final TD drive.
Panther QB Jarin Mock tosses the ball out into the flat during the game against Dublin Coffman.
In addition to Taylor’s effective running, Mock, a junior who has committed to Wisconsin, was able to connect with Bowman, a senior bound for Kentucky on a spectacular 70-yard catch and run on a sublimely executed slant over the middle.
North has played a rugged schedule, losing to three-time defending state champion Lakewood St. Edward in its opener, before beating Michigan power Grandville, Pickerington Central and now Coffman. Many believe this team is capable of a deep playoff, but there is plenty to clean up.
“We turned the ball over and made way too many mistakes,” Hillerich said.
Junior defensive end Elijah Durham Smith, who made three tackles for losses, was even more blunt.
“We had a hard time getting their quarterback down tonight,” he said. “He’s very talented and killed us on those counter plays up the middle. The last three weeks, we haven’t stopped the run very well for some reason. Sure, we’re playing tough teams, but that’s no excuse. That’s our biggest challenge going forward, stopping the run.”
Coffman defenders wrap up and take down Pickerington North’s Emy Louis, Jr.
Valerio-Hudson finished with 231 yards and four TDs on 29 carries in a breakout performance. While his recruiting profile still lists him as a receiver, Coffman coach Geron Stokes thinks he might be better suited as a running quarterback.
“Valerio-Hudson is a great player who had a nice game, but he’s got to teach his teammates to have some courage,” he said. “Sure, we made a nice comeback against a team with like 14 DI kids, but the bottom line is we have to be able to finish things. Sometimes it looked like we were scared to death. We can’t play that way and beat all the good teams on our schedule.”
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