Home Care In Olmsted Falls, OH

OLMSTED TOWNSHIP, Ohio -- Olmsted Township is happy to once again provide Thanksgiving meals for the Township’s seniors ages 65 and older.

“We started this program in 2020 during COVID as a way to stay connected and support our senior community,” Olmsted Township Trustee Riley A. Alton said.

“Since then, we’ve provided anywhere between 230 and 362 Thanksgiving meals each year.”

The meal pick up is from 3 to 4 p.m. Nov. 25 at the Township Community Room, 7900 Fitch Road.

Meals must be reserved before Nov. 15 by emailing or calling 440-782-5239.

There’s a maximum of three meals per household.

Delivery is available if seniors are unable to leave their homes.

“The response from residents has been overwhelmingly positive,” he said. “Many call to express how much they appreciate it and how thankful they are that the township continues to offer this program.

“We’ve heard from families who say it means a lot knowing their loved ones are cared for and remembered during the holidays. It’s especially meaningful for residents who may be going through tough times or facing financial challenges. It’s one less worry and a reminder that their community cares.”

Pet food drive in Lakewood: The Lakewood Animal Safety and Welfare Advisory Board (LASWAB) is holding a pet food drive for the Lakewood Community Service Center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday (Nov. 15) in the pocket park in front of Marc’s Plaza.

The center has a need of 12,000 lb. permonth so animals get the food they need and people aren’t sharing their own food with pets.

Also, the city reports the newly opened animal shelter has roughly a dozen cats available for adoption.

Hometown Hero Banners in Olmsted Falls: Roughly a month after introducing the new Hometown Hero Banner Program in Olmsted Falls, the city recently hung up the new displays just in time for Veterans Day.

The city is splitting the $190 cost of each display with the Cuyahoga County Veterans Service Commission.

Any current or former resident who has served in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard or National Guard is eligible.

The double-sided banners, which will annually hang from Memorial Day to Veterans Day, feature a picture, name, branch and years of service.

The city will store the displays over the winter.

An application must be filled out and submitted along with a high-resolution photo of the veteran.

Information, please: Readers are invited to share information about themselves, their families and friends, organizations, church events, etc. in Fairview Park, Lakewood, North Olmsted, Olmsted Falls, Olmsted Township and West Park for the A Place in the Sun column, which I write on a freelance basis. Awards, honors, milestone birthdays or anniversaries and other items are welcome. Submit information at least 10 days before the requested publication date to [email protected].

AVON, Ohio – Avon wasted no time establishing dominance Friday night, scoring touchdowns on its first four offensive possessions to defeat Olmsted Falls 46-13 in a Division II, Region 6 quarterfinal playoff game.

The Eagles won the coin toss and elected to receive, then used three explosive plays to build a 26-0 first-quarter lead they never relinquished. Quarterback Blake Elder connected with Grant Barr on a 63-yard touchdown pass, receiver Fin Jerdonek broke loose on a 64-yard reverse, and Elder found Barr again on a 33-yard scoring strike with 31 seconds remaining in the opening quarter.

“I think it’s awesome to set the tone,” Blake Elder said. “We know that team’s really good, so we knew that we could jump on them early, their offense is meant to chew clock and limit possessions. So if we can score first and have them play from behind, it works well for us.”

Elder finished 15-for-19 for 256 yards and two touchdowns. Barr hauled in three catches for 111 yards and both scoring passes, while Jerdonek added eight receptions for 77 yards to complement his rushing touchdown.

Running back Quiante’ Smith returned from an injury that sidelined him since Week 5, carrying seven times for 47 yards and two touchdowns. Michael Colburn added four carries for 18 yards and a touchdown, while Cam Wendell contributed six carries for 17 yards.

Avon coach Mike Elder said the bye week before the game proved beneficial in preparing for Olmsted Falls’ triple-option offense.

“Historically speaking, you try to prepare for the triple option and it was awesome that we had an extra week to do that,” Mike Elder said. “I hated the bye week in a lot of ways, but not when you’re playing the triple option. I felt like we were as well prepared for that as we’ve ever been. We wanted the ball to start because we practice at the speed they do it and I didn’t want to fall behind.”

The strategy worked as Avon’s defense limited Olmsted Falls throughout the contest. Cameron Pesch completed 14 of 23 passes for 148 yards and an interception for the Bulldogs. Owen Singleton carried 14 times for 34 yards and a touchdown, while Keagan Smith led receivers with seven catches for 77 yards.

Avon improves to 10-1 and advances to play at No. 2 Wadsworth next Friday at 7 p.m. Wadsworth defeated No. 7 Toledo St. Francis DeSales 31-6 to advance.

The victory marks the fifth consecutive postseason meeting between Avon and Olmsted Falls, with the Eagles winning all five games. Olmsted Falls ends its season at 7-5 and hasn’t defeated Avon since 2013.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Olmsted Falls’ hopes of an upset and chance at a Southwestern Conference title unraveled midway through the football season when Jakob Weatherspoon raced around the edge to block an early field-goal attempt in their clash at Avon.

The defending OHSAA Division II state champions went on to a 28-0 win in late September and eventually their 10^th straight SWC championship.

Avon coach Mike Elder expected a potential rematch.

“Olmsted Falls is a really, really good football team who we’ll probably see again,” he said after their Week 5 game. “They’re not just SWC good, they’re one of the best teams in Ohio.”

The Bulldogs (7-4) struggled at times after that showdown, losing on a goal-line stand the next week at Amherst and again in Week 10 during a shootout loss to North Ridgeville, which jumped them for the fourth seed in Region 6. Falls’ offense has remained potent, putting up at least 34 points in the last four weeks, including another high-scoring affair with its 69-38 win vs. Fremont Ross in the first round.

Senior Owen Singleton rushed for 148 yards and three touchdowns in that one, while slotback Logan Connelly totaled 215 yards from scrimmage with two TDs. They have been two of coach Tom DeLuca’s leaders, and Singleton leads the ’Dogs with 1,379 yards and 18 TDs on the year. They had success moving the football the last time they traveled the Avon Early Learning Center, where the Eagles’ home field resides. Falls rushed for 219 yards, led by junior Cam Pesch with 99 yards. Singleton rushed for 69 yards, but three trips deep into Avon territory produced only a turnover on downs, a fumble and that blocked kick by Weatherspoon.

A third-year starter and North Carolina recruit, who flipped earlier this year from Ohio State, Weatherspoon is one of the state’s X-factors in Division II. He not only blocked that field goal against Falls, but did the same thing in last year’s state championship game against Cincinnati Anderson.

He leads a defense that includes Miami (Ohio) recruit Ryan Stolarski, another third-year starter, at linebacker. Meanwhile, senior linebacker Cam Sexton sparked their Week 5 performance by running back Weatherspoon’s block for a touchdown. It was a statement performance for Avon, which seeks a return to Canton to defend its state crown.

Northeast Ohio is full of contenders in Division II. Here is a look at Friday’s games, which kick off at 7 p.m., in Regions 5 and 6:

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Boardman (6-5) at Archbishop Hoban (8-1)

The top seed in Region 5 has won seven straight games, including a late-season gauntlet of second-seeded Walsh Jesuit, Glenville, Central York (Pa.) and St. Edward. Four-star junior Brayton Feister has led them on both sides of the ball, returning to running back as this season has progressed while growing into the linebacker he is projected to be at the next level.

Hoban needed a week off after limping through that late-season series of tests. Senior quarterback Nick Kinsey, an Eastern Michigan commit, went down with an injury. The Knights’ second and third options at quarterback, including sophomore Major Cribbs, have been hurt. It forced coach Tim Tyrrell to go with his running backs behind center until turning to Louisville receiver commit Payton Cook for the last two weeks of the regular season. Cook grew up playing quarterback, but Tyrrell said he was hopeful Kinsey could return for the playoffs.

They welcome ninth-seeded Boardman to Dowed Field, as the Spartans have enjoyed two big weeks. They closed the regular season by handing Division III frontrunner Canfield its first loss in overtime, then eliminated Riverside in Painesville. Quarterback Vince Butto paced them last week with 154 yards rushing on 23 carries. They gained 313 yards as a team in the first round.

Hudson (9-2) at Uniontown Lake (7-3)

Junior quarterback Hayden Lipinski threw for two TD passes, including one to Reno Ferri, and rushed for another in Hudson’s 27-0 shutout of Willoughby South to advance for this trip to Uniontown. Ferri ran for 112 yards on 13 carries, plus two receptions with his score from Lipinski (141 yards passing).

As the fifth seed, the Explorers visit the No. 4 seed in Lake, which earned a first-round bye despite dropping three of its last four games. All three of those loses were close ones, including two by three points and a Week 10 setback in overtime at Green. All three of those opponents are in this week’s regional quarterfinals.

The winner will play Hoban or Boardman next week.

Nordonia (8-3) at Walsh Jesuit (8-1)

Riley Edgehouse helped Nordonia edge Twinsburg for a second time this season. The Knights reward is a trip to Walsh Jesuit, where the Warriors have won 22 straight home games.

Walsh closed the regular season with a 31-14 win against Trotwood-Madison and has won three straight games since its lone loss at Hoban. Senior receiver Milan Parris recently flipped to Miami (Fla.) from Iowa State and is one of the top players in this region with more than 500 yards and eight TDs, while seniors Marty Tobin and Carlos Smith have paced the run game.

Nordonia will look to slow them with junior linebacker Karsen Fisher leading a defense that has capable defensive backs, too. The Knights got 200 yards rushing with a touchdown last week from Connor Whapham in their 27-24 win against the Tigers.

Green (6-5) at Austintown Fitch (8-1)

Green took down sixth-seeded Garfield Heights, 21-6, to earn its trip to third-seeded Austintown. Coach T.J. Parker’s Falcons have not lost since Week 1, while Green reeled off four straight wins to make the playoffs.

The Bulldogs look for their sixth straight victory with an upset on Friday. Fitch has its sights set on getting to the regional semifinals against Walsh or Nordonia.

Brecksville-Broadview Heights (7-4) at Highland (10-0)

Peter Chermonte’s 180-yard game with two TDs sparked Brecksville to its first-round win at home vs. Oregon Clay. Soon, the Bees will be regular opponents for Highland, the two-time Suburban League champions in the American Conference. The Hornets are slated to move over to the National Conference next year with Brecksville, which seeks to upset the No. 1 seed in Region 1.

Coach Mike Gibbons’ squad at Highland has made it to the regional finals each of the last two seasons. The Hornets have not given up more than 10 points in any game this season.

Whitehouse Anthony Wayne (7-4) at North Ridgeville (9-1)

North Ridgeville reeled off six straight wins to earn the fourth and final bye in Region 6, setting up for this quarterfinal with the fifth-seeded Generals. It’s a spot where the Rangers fell last year to Wadsworth.

They look to get over that barrier with senior quarterback Cole Miller, who has thrown for 1,271 yards and rushed for another 1,057 yards with four-year starting running back Zack Barnhart out for the year because of injury.

The winner will play top-seeded Highland or Brecksville.

Toledo St. Francis de Sales (7-4) at Wadsworth (10-0)

The Suburban League National Conference champions begin their playoff push at home vs. seventh-seeded St. Francis, which eliminated Valley Forge, 33-7, in the first round. This Wadsworth team is built to compete regardless of conditions. Sophomore quarterback Brysen Hall can air it out with standout receiver Calix Lemp. Or, the Grizzlies can turn to their two 1,000-yard seniors in Army commit Gavin Madigan and Cooper Gray.

The winner of this game will play defending state champion Avon or Olmsted Falls.

OLMSTED FALLS, Ohio — The best North Ridgeville football team in 40 years walked off the field at Charles A. Harding Memorial Stadium in Olmsted Falls after defeating the Bulldogs, 36-34, to finish the regular season with a 9-1.

They also finished with a lot of smiles, earning a first-round bye in Division II, Region 6 of the OHSAA playoffs along the way.

“We have 13 guys that are not finishing the season because of injury, and this team didn’t make excuses for it, they just worked hard, and they keep winning,” North Ridgeville head coach Bryan Morgan said. “We had guys playing tonight that were role guys at the beginning of the year. It was very special to see those guys perform so that we could beat one of Northeast Ohio’s best.”

In a game that would have been on replay on the old ESPN Classic network every Friday during football season, North Ridgeville had all three facets of its game playing up to its potential. From big defensive goal-line stands to electrifying plays on offense and two special teams scores, the Rangers lived up to the moment in week 10 from the very beginning.

Perhaps the defining moment in a game of so many big plays for scores came in the third quarter with the Rangers leading 29-27.

Bulldogs junior quarterback Cameron Pesch connected with senior running back Logan Connelly for a 60-yard pass that took it to the Rangers’ 1-yard line.

Standing up strong on four straight plays, the Rangers’ defense denied the Bulldogs to force a turnover on downs that fed the offense with another opportunity.

North Ridgeville senior quarterback Cole Miller and the offense proceeded to march 98-yards down the field for a short score by Miller to push the lead to 36-27 with all of the fourth quarter left to be played.

Despite surrendering one more score to pull the lead to just two points, the Rangers’ defense fended off the Bulldogs with a late fourth-quarter stop on fourth down to finish the game off with the offense in victory formation.

“This is amazing, we’ve been working for this for the past four years I’ve been here,” Miller said. “It’s amazing to see the hard work paying off for our senior class and just finally getting it done as the best team in Ridgeville history.

“It’s just great seeing our guys make plays. I can’t wait to see it keep going in the playoffs.”

The first quarter was a scoring frenzy.

Senior Carter Clark took a punt return 60-yards with his speed for an early 7-0 Rangers advantage before his offense even took the field.

“Carter Clark with the first touchdown, he’s been a returner for three years, and we joke around with him all the time about not scoring a touchdown,” Morgan said with a smile. “He finally got one tonight, so I was really proud to see that for him. Our special teams guys take pride in it and I think that’s the key.”

Olmsted Falls (6-4 and headed for a first-round home playoff game in Region 6) set the tone for the evening with an immediate response on the next offensive snap. Pesch finessed his way through the heart of the Rangers’ defense on a 59-yard score to bring the teams back to even at 7-7.

Miller took that one personally, so he got in on the mobile play-caller fun with a 53-yard score to answer back to put his Rangers back in front 13-7.

Both defenses looked for answers to slow the opposing offense, but neither side came up with an answer. Next time the Bulldogs’ offense took the field, Connelly hit the edge for a 28-yard score.

With just under four minutes to play in the first quarter, the Rangers still weren’t finding pay dirt. Senior Dylan DeShazo took a snap from Miller out of the shotgun and turned the ball upfield for a 59-yard score to cap off a 33-point first quarter combined.

As it turned out, DeShazo was just getting warmed up for big plays in a game that would give his team 14 days off between games, with a critical day off next Friday.

“We wanted to go trick-or-treating and have Halloween off,” DeShazo joked. “It’s just great, it’s really fun. We spread the ball out all the time, and our coaches give us good opportunities down the field to keep scoring.”

Eventually taking a 22-21 lead into half, the Rangers planned for big things taking the second half kick, but instead were tested with a moment that could have gotten away from them.

On a mishandled exchange to the running back, the Rangers fumbled the ball away on the first snap of the second half to set the Bulldogs up at the North Ridgeville 18. Connelly was again called on by the Bulldogs for another score to put Olmsted Falls in front 27-22 with a lot of time left on the clock.

Just as the Bulldogs had an answer for a Rangers score in the first half, the North Ridgeville special teams unit had another big moment. On the ensuing kickoff, DeShazo collected the ball inside his own 10 with defenders closing in on him, but some quick footwork got the speedster through the first wave and 91-yards later was celebrating another touchdown for his team.

“When you can pick up two scores off of not even running an offensive play, that’s pretty special,” Morgan said. “We all know when Dylan DeShazo gets the ball, he’s electric.”

OHSAA football pairings will be announced Sunday.