#PACtion™ 2024

cuyahogacuse said:
PAC Game of the Year - 2003 | CVCA (7-0, 4-0 PAC) at Manchester (4-3, 3-0 PAC) | Week 8 | October 10, 2003
This is the fifth in an ongoing series, highlighting the PAC Game of the Year in each season, from 1999 through 2023, which will lead up to the start of the 2024 high school football season. For a look back at prior summaries, click here for 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002
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What is the saying? Tradition Never Graduates.

At a school like Manchester, that's true. The problem? Players do. And as the 2003 season progressed, it was looking like a rare down year in New Franklin as Week 8 dawned. Coming into the 2003 campaign, Manchester brought a gaudy 130-9 regular season record dating back 14 years to the inaugural PAC season in 1989.

But this year was different. The Panthers stumbled through the first seven weeks of the season to a 4-3 record, winning just one of four nonconference matchups. That vaunted Manchester defense? It gave up five touchdowns in a season opening 35-7 loss at Copley. A shutout at home (26-0) against Streetsboro in Week 2 seemed like a return to normal. But two more non-conferences losses - a 7-3 defeat at Smithville in Week 3 and an unheard of 14-7 setback at home against Buckeye in Week 7 - gave the locals cause for concern heading into Week 8.

Still, the Panthers were undefeated in conference. But so was CVCA. A high-stakes Panthers-Royals matchup would be no surprise nowadays. But in 2003? Some longtime Panthers supporters could be forgiven if they had to pause to figure out, "Who are these guys?" Sure, CVCA had a couple of conference championships in something called the East Suburban Conference in the late 90's. But this was a football program that played its first varsity game in 1997. The Royals joined the PAC in 2001, but after a pair of nondescript seasons - 3-7 in '01 and 4-6 in '02. it's safe to say no one outside of the small group on the east side of Wyoga Lake Road envisioned the undefeated 7-0 start in the fall of 2003. But undefeated they were, dispatching their first seven opponents by an average score of 36-7. The offense was clicking and the defense was smothering opponents, holding five of the first seven opponents to single scores or less (one shutout).

The stage was set. The longtime behemoth falling on hard times against the upstarts looking to make their mark in the biggest football game in school history. The venue? James R. France Stadium. As if the outcome was ever in doubt?

Seasons have moments. So do programs. And this moment belonged to Manchester - again. Were the Panthers down? Relatively speaking, yes. But remember, there was still a streak at stake. Forty-four consecutive PAC victories. That tradition? It would not let the Panthers let down their faithful supporters. The Royals - their first-ever big game? They didn't play poorly. But they weren't winning on this night. Senior Brody Jackson told The Akron Beacon Journal afterward, "All week long, we knew what we had to do, so when the game started, we were just ready to play."

Jackson recorded an interception in the game, and sophomore Panthers' running back Greg Hooper staked Manchester to an early 6-0 lead. When Justin McCraney (113 yards on 16 carriers) rumbled in from 2-yards out, the Panthers extended the lead to 12-0 late in the first half. CVCA responded with a 30-yard David McMullen field goal for the Royals just before the end of the second quarter, and the home team went to the locker room with a 12-3 edge at the break.

Hooper gained 101 of his 146 yards (on 29 carries) in the second half. Oh, and remember that vaunted Manchester defense? It showed back up again. CVCA was held to just 16 total yards in the second half - and just 81 yards for the entire game. Neither team scored in the second half and the Panthers recorded a much-needed 12-3 victory.

No. Manchester was not losing on this night. CVCA coach Ray Corroscia said, "Manchester won the game up front. They ran Manchester football."

The moment? It ended just like so many others over the years at James R. France Stadium - with Manchester celebrating and asserting their dominance. And for CVCA, sometimes a moment arrives early - or even before you expect it. The Royals didn't win. But they surely arrived.

The Postscript

CVCA won close games against Tusky Vally and Vermillion to round out the regular season and earned its first-ever playoff berth in Division IV Region 13 as the 7-seed, with a 9-1 regular season record. But that early season undefeated run turned out to be against a soft schedule. Only three of the seven regular season opponents finished with winning records, and the Royals bowed out of the playoffs in the first round against 2-seed Waynedale, 42-19, to finish 9-2. Still it was the best season in program history - albeit a very short history at that.

Manchester used the CVCA victory to turn the season around. They recorded a 14-6 win at home against Fairless and then trounced winless Coventry 42-0 on the road in Week 10 to propel themselves all the way up to the 5-seed in Division IV Region 13, despite the 7-3 regular season finish. Their reward? A road trip to Triway for their first meeting with the Titans since 1990, where the season ended in a 21-14 loss, as the Panthers finished 7-4. Not a normal Manchester season - but conference champions once again.

There is something to be said about that Manchester tradition.

Here's the ABJ story on the game:


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Another great read! What you are doing actually takes a lot of time....you have bequeathed us minions the ability to grow and make one's self better for the greater good!...lol....now you are just killing me with the dates you pick...I was at Blue Streak Stadium that night..we were 4 and 3 and controlled our own destiny to make the playoffs ....we go and lose to Perry 26 to 7, lose the next week to Hoover 14 to 7 in double OT...in the OT the refs were blind, and then week 10 lose to Columbus Watterson 30 to 20. After the Watterson game Durbs is in the locker room saying how we are going to turn the equipment in...when I heard GlenOak had beaten Perry....I told Ron Viscounte to bring Jeff in to the office....I said we only need the West Branch vs Marlington score...with West Branch winning and we are in the playoffs...Durbs said like 12 times are you sure...I said yes...we made the playoffs with a record of 4-6...lol
 
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youre GIF

garaway
riverview
still fuzzy tho

got no legs
PACtion™ tuff like old school Krazee glue first time you glued fingers together
 
Bluestreakoffice said:
Another great read! What you are doing actually takes a lot of time....you have bequeathed us minions the ability to grow and make one's self better for the greater good!...lol....now you are just killing me with the dates you pick...I was at Blue Streak Stadium that night..we were 4 and 3 and controlled our own destiny to make the playoffs ....we go and lose to Perry 26 to 7, lose the next week to Hoover 14 to 7 in double OT...in the OT the refs were blind, and then week 10 lose to Columbus Watterson 30 to 20. After the Watterson game Durbs is in the locker room saying how we are going to turn the equipment in...when I heard GlenOak had beaten Perry....I told Ron Viscounte to bring Jeff in to the office....I said we only need the West Branch vs Marlington score...with West Branch winning and we are in the playoffs...Durbs said like 12 times are you sure...I said yes...we made the playoffs with a record of 4-6...lol
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This is tuffness.

I feel tuffer reading this. The tuffest of the tuff. As tuff as Keith Wakefield walking through the old Mellett Mall.
 
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Rich Kotite said:
Are you sure your Karnac doesn't have his wires crossed with the IVC? I could see Riverview in the IVC. PACtion - no way.
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I was referring to the stir Shootnation alluded.
Let's just say somebody tried to spitball a new league and that dog won't hunt.
Trying to make a splash like signing Neil O'Donnell after he sold out at the super bowl.
 
bootleg said:
I was referring to the stir Shootnation alluded.
Let's just say somebody tried to spitball a new league and that dog won't hunt.
Trying to make a splash like signing Neil O'Donnell after he sold out at the super bowl.
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Not so fast my friend, that new league proposal is real!! Just wait and see!
 
ShootNation said:
Dick Wolf GIF by Wolf Entertainment
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I'm waiting for Part Deux of @ShootNation's Carrollton surprise on April Fools Day. Getting the Nate Held Fairless news out there was hot. What could Part Deux possibly be?

Is Carrollton getting a BellStores? Are PACtion members looking to join the EBC? Is there some silly league idea floating around? Is someone else of big name status leaving the conference? A coach, an AD? Is Matt Dennison getting out after the graduation of Poochie?

I'm hoping for the revisiting of Rootstown and Ravenna Southeast on the Mustangs schedule as league opponents. Trips to Palmyra in the winter are super hot.
 
Rich Kotite said:
I'm waiting for Part Deux of @ShootNation's Carrollton surprise on April Fools Day. Getting the Nate Held Fairless news out there was hot. What could Part Deux possibly be?

Is Carrollton getting a BellStores? Are PACtion members looking to join the EBC? Is there some silly league idea floating around? Is someone else of big name status leaving the conference? A coach, an AD? Is Matt Dennison getting out after the graduation of Poochie?

I'm hoping for the revisiting of Rootstown and Ravenna Southeast on the Mustangs schedule as league opponents. Trips to Palmyra in the winter are super hot.
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1712011525337.jpeg

Are you talking the same Palmyra where it is even slower then Justus?
 
Tuslaw's opening 3 games has them set up to be 3 and 0. Dial has coached against Smithville numerous times...even thou Tuslaw will be learning a new system...It is his first game with the Mustangs...and if he is smart he will grab his work on Smithville and how they broke the game down...before and after. Doylestown will be a fun game...going up against one of his former assistants..does the one year head start help Doylestown...River View..long ride may be an issue...but they were an 0 and 10 team last year...3 and 0 is very doable...then lets see what happens after CVCA
 
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