Firestone Falcons pursue first winning season in football in over a decade

A winning season is within reach for the Firestone football team in 2023.

The Falcons (3-3, 1-0) have endured their fair share of losing seasons over the past 30 years, but this year's team is focused on the present, which includes a City Series game at 2 p.m. Saturday against East (5-1, 1-0) at Ellet.

East and Buchtel have been the class of the City Series in football since 2014, with Buchtel winning outright league titles in 2014, 2015, 2018, 2020 and 2022 and East winning outright crowns in 2016, 2019 and 2021. The teams were co-champs in 2017.

Firestone, Garfield, Ellet and North are trying to get into that upper tier. The Falcons are 3-3 for the first time since 2010, which is also their most recent winning season.

"Our players don't quit and they play for each other," Firestone coach Eric Mitchell said Sept. 23 after the Falcons won 20-14 over Garfield in triple overtime at Buchtel.

"The bottom line is they know that they can be a team that can get a winning record at Firestone, and we haven't had a winning record in a long time. That is one of our goals. We want to get a winning record, we want to win the City Series championship and we want to qualify for the state playoffs. All of that is intact today, but we have to do a heck of a lot better in all aspects offensively, defensively and on special teams to make these goals come true."

Mitchell knows about playoff football. He led Firestone to the Division II playoffs in 2020 and 2021, and played as a senior defensive back and running back on Garfield's Division I state runner-up team in 1983. He helped Garfield win City Series championships in 1982 and 1983.

Buchtel and East also have OHSAA playoff pedigrees, with the Griffins winning 31 games in 16 playoff appearances and the Dragons winning two games in five playoff appearances.

Buchtel won two Division II state championships (1987 and 1988) and finished as state runner-up three times (Division II in 1995 and 1996, and Division III in 2010).

Firestone does not have an OHSAA playoff win in football.

Daniel Peterson, Daylyn Taylor, Dionte Younger lead Firestone

Firestone opened the season with wins over Cuyahoga Falls and Copley to match last season's win total. Losses to Norton, Lorain and Walsh Jesuit followed before the win over Garfield.

Junior Daniel Peterson ran for 198 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries to lead Firestone over Garfield. Junior Dionte Younger contributed 72 yards on 16 carries, and continues to be an impact linebacker.

"We need to stay strong and stay together," Peterson said. "We need to keep practicing hard and playing hard in the games."

Firestone junior quarterback Daylyn Taylor threw a TD pass to sophomore Gucci Stephens against Garfield, seniors Kahlil Hayden and Matthew White grabbed interceptions and junior Rachelle Athey kicked two extra points.

"We have to keep coming out to practice every single day and work hard so that it can show in the game," White said. "A lot of stuff that we do in practice translates to the game. ... This group stays together as brothers."

Hayden added: "I am really proud of my team for keeping each other accountable and keeping each other up."

Firestone's last five winning seasons were in 2010, 2007, 1997, 1996 and 1995. Tim Flossie was Firestone's coach for a 6-4 team in 2010 and a 7-4 Division II playoff team in 2007. Bob Black guided the Falcons to a 7-3 season in 1997, 7-4 in 1996 and 9-2 in 1995 when the City Series had a postseason final.

Firestone's most recent 5-5 seasons were in 2012 and 2011 under Flossie and in 2001 under Robert Proctor.

Firestone produced winning teams in the 1980s as coach Dave Marshall went 33-25-2 in six seasons from 1980-1985 and Dale Fortner went 28-14 in four seasons from 1986-1989.

Mitchell played against some of those Firestone teams in the 1980s and said he would love to see the program sustain success again. The Falcons have won at least a share of five City Series titles.

Mitchell lauded Peterson, Taylor, Hayden, White, Younger, senior nose guard William Calhoun and junior defensive back-wide receiver Isaiah Ramer for their "work ethic" and how "they lead by example."

"We had guys step up [against Garfield] who normally don't get to play along the offensive line, but we had several injuries," Mitchell said. "Shout out to freshman Nathan Milliner, who jumped in and played tackle. Junior Hunter Lawrence had to move to center. ... We played eight linemen — Alex Tyler, Blake Harris, Brandon Tilley, Brandon Carter, James Boyer, Cupid Atkins, Nathan Milliner and Hunter Lawrence. Carter and Atkins are the only seniors."

East features Ziaire Stevens, Ibraheem Kamara, Jamere Garrett

East also relies on the run with juniors Ziaire Stevens and Jamere Garrett.

Stevens ran for 212 yards and three touchdowns on 21 carries in East's 42-6 win over North at Ellet last Saturday. Garrett ran for 96 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries and threw a TD pass to junior Darshaun Sales.

"Cochise Griffin and Ibraheem Kamara are playing very well defensively, and cornerbacks Terrell Wharton and Garland Toney had interceptions last week," East coach Marques Hayes said.

Michael Beaven can be reached at mbeaven@thebeaconjournal and is on Twitter at @MBeavenABJ.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Firestone pursues first winning season in football in over a decade