ONTARIO — Aaron Eckert stepped into the postgame team huddle Friday night and delivered the words his football players have waited 363 days to hear.
“It’s Shelby Week,” the Ontario head coach said after the Warriors hammered Marion Harding, 45-14, on Copeland Field inside Niss Stadium.
Suddenly, the-game-that-could-not-be-talked-about was all anyone wanted to talk about.
Ontario vs. Shelby.
8-0 vs. 8-0.
Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference title on the line.
A higher seed in the post-season that is looming for both teams.
Deja vu all over again.
It was Oct. 13, 2023, when Shelby came to Ontario and spoiled the Warriors’ perfect season, 37-31, scoring the game-winning TD on a hook-and-ladder pass play with 57 seconds left. That Whippets’ victory avenged a 35-28 loss to the Warriors in the final week of the 2022 season.
Eckert, like 99.9 percent of high school football coaches, has declined all season to publicly look ahead to Week Nine. But the smile on his face after the game Friday night spoke volumes.
Eckert said he won’t have to tell his team much to get them ready for the battle of Richland County at the Whippet Athletic Complex.
“They remember. They were out here … a lot of guys that are playing right now played in that game last year,” he said. “They understand how that game went.
“They’re the next team at hand and obviously it’s a big one, it’s for the league (title),” he said.
“The last two years, this game has been pretty insane,” Eckert said.
Ontario senior QB Bodpegn Miller — who wracked up 451 yards of offense (265 passing and 186 rushing) and four touchdowns against Harding — doesn’t need to be reminded.
“It’s going to be a big game. It’s got to be the game of the week,” the Ohio State recruit said, pausing during the interview to fist bump a pair of young fans.
“All the anticipation. But at the end of the day, we have got to do our job, just like every week. We have got to stay focused … do the things. We have got to do in the weight room, (watch) film and just do what we got to do.
“As long as we do our job, we will get it done,” Miller said.
The 6-foot-4, 190-pound senior said Ontario coaches have done a good job of avoiding the Shelby talk — until now. He admitted the players have had it on their minds.
“We definitely talked about it, but we’ve done a good job, the seniors, of saying, ‘Hey, stop talking about it. That’s not there yet. We have got to focus on right now.’
“But yeah, we definitely talked about it. The hook-and-ladder play is in my mind every day … every night. This whole week, I’ll watch that play … (it will) motivate me,” said Miller, who will use his 4.43 speed in the 40-yard dash as a receiver for the Buckeyes.
Senior wide receiver Noah Poole, who had six catches for 150 yards against Harding, also needs no reminding what is at stake against Shelby.
“We’re all focused this week. We want to put a good week of practices in and then go play at our best. We wanted to go one week at a time this season … but it’s Shelby week. They got us last year, but we’ll see this year,” Poole said.
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With senior running back Mason Vantilburg (14 carries, 63 yards and two TDs) helping Miller with the ground game, Poole and junior WR Jon Mahon (111 yards on three catches, including a 70-yard bomb) have become meshed with their quarterback.
“Bodpegn is putting it on the money,” Poole said. “If he throws a catchable ball, it is perfect in my eyes, and it’s my job to go catch it. We throw it up a lot, and we came down with them tonight.”
Eckert also knows his star QB gets many headlines and accolades. But that’s not been the only reason his team is again perfect going into Shelby week.
“As we grew into this team and started to figure out who we are, we knew Bodpegn is very special, but we also knew our offensive line is pretty darn good,” Eckert said.
“That mixture has allowed our receivers to take their time getting going and they are starting to see the fruits of their labors. Noah Poole had a great game and Jon Mahon had an amazing night.
“With our offensive line giving BP enough time to throw the ball down the field, we started to become multidimensional instead of trying to pound out 300 yards a night,” Eckert said.
Now it’s just a matter of traveling 9.5 miles north on Ohio 314 in a week.
Eckert said he knows both teams will be ready after 2022 and 2023.
“I think what you learn is how to play in pressure. The guys that played in those games, they’ve been there, they’ve done it. The same with Shelby. (They have) been there and done it too.
“Every year is a new team. Even though we got a lot of the same guys (and) they got a lot of the same guys, it’s a new team, it’s a new feel, it’s a new game. You still got to prepare and then put your your cleats on and play.
“But it’s going to be a good one.”
Up next:
— Ontario travels to Shelby (8-0, 5-0) next Friday for the MOAC championship game. The Whippets knocked off Clear Fork in week eight, 34-7, at the Colt Corral.
— Marion Harding hosts Marion Pleasant (4-4, 2-3) next Friday night. The Spartans lost to Galion in week eight, 31-10.
Ontario 45, Marion Harding 14
Scoring summary
1st quarter
Marion Harding — Josiah Gooden 2-yard run (PAT Jackson Shipley kick), 7-0
Ontario — Mason Vantilburg 33-yard run (PAT Kooper Kilgore kick), 7-7
2nd quarter
Ontario — Jon Mahon 70-yard pass from Bodpegn Miller (PAT Kilgore kick), 7-14
Ontario — Kilgore 30-yard field goal, 7-17
Ontario — Vantilburg 1-yard run (PAT Kilgore kick), 7-24
3rd quarter
Ontario — Miller 52-yard run (PAT Kilgore kick), 7-31
Marion Harding — Gooden 78-yard run (PAT Shipley kick), 14-31
Ontario — Landon Foltz 6-yard pass from Miller (PAT Kilgore kick), 14-38
4th quarter
Ontario — Miller 37-yard run (PAT Kilgore kick), 14-45
