Front Page News

Loaded Southview team takes opener 

Huge 4th quarter lifts Cougars past Knights

By J. Patrick Eaken

Herald Writer

The Southview Cougars are already on the fast track to another championship season.

Southview came from behind Friday night at the University of Toledo’s Glass Bowl to defeat the St. Francis de Sales Knights, 36-26.

After trailing 26-14, Southview scored three touchdowns in the fourth quarter to avenge a loss to St. Francis in last season’s opener, also played at the Glass Bowl.

Last year, Southview was the host team, and this year St. Francis was the host team. Maybe it doesn’t pay to be the host team at the Glass Bowl unless, of course, you are the Toledo Rockets.

Southview’s comeback began with a one-yard touchdown run by senior quarterback De’Nard Pinckney. That score followed a 87-yard pass from David Vandercook to Allen Gant, putting the Cougars at the 1-yard line. The next score came on an 81-yard run by Ja’Darian Bowers, and the final score on a 23-yard pass from senior quarterback David Vandercook, a transfer from Florida during the 2009-10 school year, who made his connection with David Renner.

Southview’s first two touchdowns, both in the second quarter, were on a 13-yard pass from Vandercook to Bowers, and the second came on a 14-yard pass from Vandercook to junior wide receiver Allen Gant. 

Last year in the first edition of this same season opener, it took a Knight from Sylvania to help bring the Cougars down.

St. Francis wide receiver and defensive back Scott Loy, a Sylvania resident, had four catches for 85 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception to help the Knights put Southview behind the eight ball in wins and losses at this time last year. St. Francis rolled in the rain, 27-8. 

This year the weather was better, and so were the Cougars, who were enjoying a much larger crowd as a result. Plus, Loy was a senior last year and nowhere to be found — at least not on the playing field.

This is the kind of start that Coach Jim Mayzes wanted his Cougars to have as they will ultimately seek their fourth straight Northern Lakes League championship. Southview has won six titles in the last seven seasons, but last year missed the Division I playoffs after winning a D-II state championship two years ago.

Southview was 7-3 last year, and at 6-1 shared the NLL title with Maumee. Mayzes, an Onsted, MI, native who as a high school athlete was reportedly better at basketball than football, is entering his 17th season as a gridiron coach.

What happened in the season opening win over St. Francis reflects Mayzes’ plan — have Vandercook and Pinckney share the quarterbacking duties. We’ve seen it before during Southview football games, and now we are going to see it again.

“Right now they are just sharing time. They are running plays in,” Mayzes said.

Pinckney is one of 32 letter winners returning, including 15 seniors, but when Mayzes says “letter winners,” sometimes the numbers don’t match up with other schools. There is a reason for that.

“It’s in inflated number because we give letters to kids who survive the season, so it’s not like they have to play so many quarters,” Mayzes said.

Don’t include Vandercook in that number, because he was not on the football team last year. He was enjoying the sun in Florida last fall and winter.

Getting more realistic, the Cougars are returning five players on offense and six on defense.

That includes Pinckney, who has seen some action at quarterback since his freshman season. His sophomore season he was part of the team that won a state championship, and he’s not the only player on this year’s team that still remains from that perfect 15-0 season. 

Pinckney threw for 855 yards and nine touchdowns, while adding 555 yards on the ground as a starting QB his junior year.

Don’t let Southview’s offense confuse you if you don’t always know what is going on any given night, either. If you see different personnel in different positions, it may depend on who the Cougars are playing.

“We do lots of things on our offense. It’s nothing real (solid in stone),” Mayzes said of his multiple sets, which could show anything on any night.

In the offensive backfield, Southview has Ja’Darian Bowers (5-9, 165) and Jay Fisher (5-10, 195) returning. J.Q. Bowers (5-9, 165) also returns at running back and corner back.

“Big” Ray Okdie (6-foot-4, 331 pounds) returns at center and defensive line.

“He does a great job. He is just a big horse,” Mayzes said. “We have also Bryan Desmond (6-0, 180) returning, and he’s a senior captain, and we also have David George, a junior, who started a lot last year, too.”

Konnor Chuba (6-4, 222) returns at tight end and in the defensive backfield. Junior safety Allen Gant (6-1, 205) returns — another name that brings back memories from the state championship season. He has been a starter since his freshman year.

“He’s an Ohio State kind of guy. He hasn’t committed to any school, but he has offers from a lot of places,” Mayzes said. “Absolutely, he will be playing (Division I NCAA football).”

Pinckney (6-2, 193) will take the other safety position.

“He’s a fine defensive back and he’s a great receiver, too. He is just a good high school athlete (6-2, 193 pounds).  They both (Pinckney, Gant) can run a 4.6 40, so they’re good,” Mayzes said.

David Vandercook’s twin brother, senior Todd Vandercook, will be at cornerback, plus you will see Todd line up at wide receiver and doing the kicking duties.

While the Cougars are expected to compete for a title, Mayzes sees some solid competition out there. 

Maumee, who shared the title last year, returns one of the league’s top running backs in Eric Long, and there are at least three other teams that Mayzes believes could be trouble. It was the Panthers who defeated Southview, 19-0, last year in league play.

“It all depends on who is healthy. I’d say Perrysburg will be good, I think Anthony Wayne will be good, and I think Springfield will be good,” Mayzes said. “I’ve got St. Francis, Rogers, and Start before I get into the NLL. I have a lot of respect for everybody in our league and they all do a good job.”

In scrimmages this year, Southview faced off with Whitmer and Defiance, plus Mayzes already has a notch in the win column after the St. Francis game. He began liking what he saw during the Whitmer scrimmage.

“I think we’re pleased with we got a lot of experience in that scrimmage and they (Whitmer) have a couple Division I defensive lineman and being the first scrimmage and having a lot of inexperience I think we did pretty well,” Mayzes said. “They (Whitmer) should be real good. I think they will be a little better than usual this year, but that’s only my opinion.”