Perry's Bob Gecewich named winner of News-Herald's Bob Ritley Award
Nov. 20—The Perry football team will play in a Division V state semifinal football game on Nov. 24 against Harvest Prep.
The Pirates will do so under the direction of the 2023 Bob Ritley Award winner.
Bob Gecewich was announced as the Bob Ritley Award winner on Nov. 20 as The News-Herald's football coach of the year. The award is named after the legendary coach from Perry who guided the Pirates' program to greatness, with 189 career victories, before dying of cancer in 2003. Members of Ritley's family were on hand for the trophy presentation.
In his third year at the helm, Gecewich has led the Pirates to a perfect 14-0 record heading into this week's state semifinal game at Shelby's WAC Stadium.
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Under Gecewich's direction, the Pirates have not only run the table with 14 straight wins, but along the way they handed Kirtland — another state semifinalist — its first regular-season loss since 2016. Additionally, the Pirates won the outright CVC Chagrin Division title with a 5-0 league mark.
Through 14 games, Perry has outscored the opposition by an average score of 38.5 to 6.1. The Pirates have had a running-clock situation in 13 of the 14 games in which they've played this year.
"I think the pride level at this level starts with the kids," Gecewich said. "We're only as good as our kids are. The more fast kids I have to give the ball to, the better coach I am."
A Euclid graduate, Gecewich credited his staff and roster for winning the Ritley Award, presented to him by Bob Ritley's son, Tim. Bob Ritley's grandson, Owen McKoon, is the leading tackler on the Perry team.
"We talked after the Garfield game, from the bottom of the roster to the top of our roster, our freshmen are still out there practicing every day," Gecewich said. "We've got seven seniors and three don't get on the field (for games), and they show up to practice every day. So when you ask about a pride factor ... anytime you get one of these awards, it's a reflection of the kids in the program. That is what I'm most proud of."
Gecewich was one of three finalists for the Ritley Award, the others being:
—Lake Catholic's Marty Gibbons, who led the Cougars to a 10-3 record and into the third round of the Division IV playoffs. The Cougars had won only four games in the previous two seasons.
—Madison's Mike Gilligan, who led the Blue Streaks to an 8-3 record and a berth in the Division III playoffs. Madison had only won three total games the previous two seasons.
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