Kirtland at Lakeside football: Preview capsule for Oct. 7 game
Oct. 6—Kirtland at Lakeside
What: CVC Chagrin Division game
When: 7 p.m., Oct. 7
Where: Lakeside Stadium
Records: Kirtland 7-0 (4-0 CVC), Lakeside 5-2 (2-2 CVC)
Last week: Kirtland def. Perry, 36-16, Lakeside def. Chagrin Falls, 26-7
For the record: The Hornets haven't lost a regular-season game since 2016. So by that standard, the deck is stacked against Lakeside. While the CVC title is probably out of the question — that would require Kirtland losing two of its final three games — this game is worth a lot of playoff points for both teams. ... Kirtland piled up 390 yards last week against Perry, with Rocco Alfieri running for 117 and Jake LaVerde passing for 136. Defensively, the Hornets haven't give up 1,000 yards for the season through seven weeks. Philip LaVerde and Daven Patel lead the team in tackles for loss and sacks. ... Health has been Lakeside's biggest obstacle this year. If their line is back to 100 percent and J'Shon Sanders (496 yards, six TDs through three games) is back from an injury, the Dragons can run the ball with the best of them. Receiver Jimmy Timonere is a sure-handed receiver, and QB Alex DiSalvatore thrown for 695 and run for 293. ... Biggest question here: Can Lakeside hang with Kirtland's physicality?
