GRAFTON, Ohio -- A string of eight consecutive Rocky River victories in season openers came to an end at Midview High School Friday night. The host Middies controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball in dealing the Pirates their first shutout loss since Sept. 18, 2020 (34-0 loss to Holy Name).

Midview (1-0) scored touchdowns in the second, third, and fourth quarters of the lid-lifting, non-conference battle at Adelsberg Stadium. All three scores were on rushing plays; all three would remain unanswered by a Pirate offense frustrated on every one of its possessions on the night.

The closest Rocky River (0-1) came to a score was late in the third quarter, when Julian Patti, Mack Massad, and Stan Heuler keyed a drive down to the Midview 1-yard line. But the Pirates came up empty after a fumble, and the Middies iced their win by marching 99 yards to paydirt on their ensuing possession. On the 21st play of that drive, Marc Reed ran in a 3-yarder to run the Middies' lead from 14-0 to 21-0. Reed scored two of Midview's three touchdowns on the evening.

The home side dominated possession time in an injury-riddled second half. And the Middies' domination of the scoreboard was a flip of the script from the 2021 season opener, a game at Rocky River Stadium that saw the Pirates defeat Midview 56-24.

Thirteen Double-R starters and 17 lettermen return this year. They return from a team that finished 8-5 a year ago, winning a Great Lakes Conference championship and earning a berth in the Buckeye State playoffs.

Prior to River's setback at Midview, the last time the Buccaneers had lost a season opener was Aug. 30, 2013 (38-26 loss to Fairview).

Friday's contest in Grafton marked the front half of back-to-back road games in Rocky River's start to the 2022 season, the 106th in program history. The Pirates will be at Firelands next Friday.


by Skip Snow

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