By Bill Bray
FREMONT– After taking a 14-6 lead in the first quarter, The Little Giant’s inexperience showed the rest of the way as Tiffin handed Fremont a 41-14 loss Friday night at Don Paul Stadium.
Fremont returned five starters on each side of the ball. Gone were All-Ohioans Mason Villarreal, Anthony Vann, Bryson Hammer and Kaden Holmes. The quartet were all four-year starters for Ross. “”The kids don’t know the expectations,” Ross coach Chad Long said of the 2023 squad. “The last three or four years, we could come back. These kids are getting their first experience. They have to believe in themselves and their teammates. The new kids starting, have to believe.”Good programs do that.”
The Little Giants gave it their best effort as they are still learning a new offense implemented by Jalen Slick. Slick is the new offensive coordinator for the Giants and a 2015 graduate from Fremont Ross. “When you bring an entire new way of running offense, you know it’s going to be a process,” Slick said. “After a loss like this one, it’s easy to simply say nothing is working. Understanding and believing that process is very important to the success of the offense. You can’t have success without facing tremendous adversity. It’s safe to safe our team is facing that adversity, it’s up to us to decide what we do with it.”
Karson Kayden found Tykell Patterson for a 6-yard touchdown pass for the Giants first score of the year. Kayden looked good on the drive running and passing Fremont right down the field.
Tiffin answered on their next drive that ended with a Brayden Roggow two yard pass to his brother Bryce. The Ross defense managed to block the extra point attempt and clung to a 7-6 early lead.
The next Tiffin drive was highlighted with an interception by corner back Jadrian Brown who returned the ball to the Tornadoes one yard line. It took just one offensive play that included running back JD Moncrief who bowled over from the one to put the Giants up 13-6. Stephen Reiter, a soccer transplant, added his second extra point and score was 14-6.
Unfortunately for Fremont, it would be their final score as Tiffin went on the rest of the way to score 35 unanswered points. “Tonight was about turnovers, four turnovers,” Long said. “Five when a snap goes over the punter’s head. Giving up big plays, we can’t do that to beat Tiffin Columbian. Being young, we can’t make mistakes.”
Kayden was 10 of 19 passing for 85 yards and the Patterson touchdown. “It wasn’t his best start,” Long said. “He has to lead this team. Our leader can’t make mistakes. We’ve got to keep him positive. He’s a student of the game. He studies and he’ll learn.”
The Little Giants are on the road to another rival, maybe their biggest, the Sandusky Blue Streaks. The Streaks lost a heartbreaker to Oregon Clay Friday night.