'This is the biggest one until the next one'

FINDLAY – Findlay High's five game win streak has done some noticeable things for the program, like:--- Matched the school's best start since the 2016 team started 6-0.--- Gotten the Trojans state ranked (14th in Division I).--- And, boosted them to No. 2 in the Division I, Region 2 rankings that determine playoffs pairings.FHS coach Stefan Adams sees other positives as well."Here's the cool thing, we've put ourselves in a position to compete in games that mean a lot," Adams said at Wednesday's practice."Being able to do what we did, we made enough noise and built some confidence. Our defense is loud and our offense has played catch-up to where now we're doing some really good things on that side of the ball."So, I think we're primed and ready and excited for this opportunity. I think this is why you play here at Findlay, because you are going to be playing in some big games."And right now, this is the biggest one until the next one."That big game will be in Perrysburg today when the Yellow Jackets and Findlay, both 5-1 overall and 1-0 in the league square off in a Northern Lakes League Buckeye Division matchup. Toledo Whitmer, also 5-1 and 1-0 in the league, is at Sylvania Northview (1-5, 0-1 NLL) today and hosts Findlay next week.Despite graduating six offensive and 10 defensive starters from a 10-3 team, Perrysburg was picked to finish second – behind Anthony Wayne and ahead of Toledo Whitmer – in a preseason poll of NLL coaches. Well rounded on both sides of the ball, the Yellow Jackets, who have scored 45 or more points in three straight games, have averaged 42.3 points and allowed just 53 in six games."Dirk (Conner, Perrysburg head coach) has done a good job of developing their next guys," Adams said."They lost a lot, but they haven't missed a beat. That's a sign of a good program."One of Perrysburg's returning starters in 6-foot-2, 190-pound junior Brady Maxwell, though he's at a new position. A starting cornerback on defense in 2024, Maxwell is now the Yellow Jackets quarterback. A dual threat via the run or the pass, Maxwell has completed 70-of-101 passes for 899 yards and nine touchdowns, and is also the team's leading rusher with 492 yards and 11 TDs on the ground.Preparing for a dual threat quarterback creates an added dimension to defensive schemes."Depending on what the game plan is and how we want to put it all together, we want to make sure he is accounted for," Adams said."I always say (a quarterback) is a plus-one, because quarterbacks are typically not accounted for in the running game. We have to make sure we have hats in the right spots, at the right place."He's their engine, so we want to make sure that engine doesn't get started."Two other members of Perrysburg's big 34-man junior class – Liam Nowakowski and Ethan Devries – are also offensive threats. Nowakowski has rushed for 311 yards, Devries has 27 receptions for 423 yards, and both have scored five TDs.Opposite Perrysburg's potent offense will be a Findlay defense that has shut out its last two opponents and not allowed a touchdown since the first half of a Sept. 12 game with Sylvania Southview.Junior defensive ends Trace'son Hyde and Jack Young have combined for 43 tackles, 10 sacks and 16 tackles for loss. Sebastian Brankamp leads a swarming all-in defense with 30 tackles, Will Hammer has 23, Caleb Kanney 22, Hudson Yeager and Miles Bailey 20 each, Lance Miller and Xavian Garcia both 16, Alex Gonzalez 15, Chase Harris 14 and Maysen Hetrick 13.Gonzalez, Hetrick and Jacob Gebhardt all have two interceptions. Findlay has picked off 10 passes in six games, recovered eight fumbles and is plus-8 (18-10) in take-aways.Findlay's offensive line has allowed just four sacks all season, and only three during the Trojans' five-game winning streak. The line has also been creating the lanes and alleys for a running attack that has averaged 217 yards a game during the streak, with Bailey (290 yards, 10 TDs), Sonny Hines (234, 1 TD), Ramier Williams (182, 3 TDs) and Miller (153, 1 TD) leading the way.Carter Imke (22 receptions, 304 yards, 4 TDs), Greyson Geiser (12, 134) and Jed Scott (9, 103, 1 TD) head up Findlay's receiving corps."You just want to be able to give yourself the best chance possible,' Adams said of Findlay's preparation for Perrysburg and the stretch run to the 2025 regular season. "You want to keep putting yourself in a good position."That's why we keep telling the guys all of our goals, all of the things we want to go after are right here in front of us."We just have to keep taking it one day at a time."