Lake County Sentinel
Perry completes undefeated regular season with 42-7 win over West Geauga
BY JOEY SCHNEIDER
STAFF
(PERRY, OH) - There was nothing but pure joy on the field of Alumni Stadium in Perry on Friday night as the clock struck double zeroes and the Perry Pirates defeated the West Geauga Wolverines 42-7, completing the perfect regular season and claiming the Chagrin Division championship of the Chagrin Valley Conference. The students rushed to the field to celebrate with the team. The players’ parents made their way down to hug and congratulate them on a big win and all you could see was a sea of smiles.
The Perry Pirates have been one of the best teams in Ohio all year. They were ranked preseason as the number one team in all of Division V. They held up their end of such lofty expectations all year, beating the perennial powerhouse Kirtland Hornets in week three, 31-10. Then they defeated the always tough Chardon Hilltoppers in week eight, 21-14. Their last hurdle came on Friday as West Geauga came into the game 8-1 and looked to try and make a statement of their own.
"We are a very young team, but the players are hungry. They want to win. We are a little banged up, but it's week ten, every team will have some issues. Last year we made the playoffs, and it was a great feeling, but there now a bit of a culture shock here and no one is happy with just making the playoffs, we want to make a deep run" said West Geauga's head coach Rossi Santo before the game.
Perry's Bob Gecewich said, "We have been loose all week and had some great practices. We're not really thinking about the playoffs or an undefeated regular season. We are just ready for this game right now. We have some great players, we have had a good year, but we have a lot more to do."
Perry started with the ball and drove down the field, but West Geauga's Mikey Gideon intercepted the ball in the end zone and took a knee for a touchback. The Wolverine's would then shock the stadium as they had a 21 play drive that lasted 13 minutes and 13 seconds and was capped off by junior running back Anthony Dzurilla who found a hole up the middle for a nine-yard score. The drive started with 8:13 left in the first quarter and ended with just 6:58 in the second quarter.
Perry would take over and not back. Less than a minute after West Geauga scored the Pirates senior quarterback Nate Trefzger would sprint into the endzone on a 37-yard touchdown run. The Pirates defense played like they took offense to West G's first score. Perry's Nate Trefzger would score again just before half an a one-yard run to give the Pirates a 14-7 lead going into halftime.
The Pirates came out looking as if they were not satisfied with the first half. West Geauga received the ball and on the first drive Perry's Traxton Richards punched the ball out for a fumble and it was jumped on by the Pirates two way starting lineman Mason Bilicic.
From that point on it was Perry's game as Nate Trefzger scored his third and fourth rushing touchdowns of the game in the third quarter on runs of eight and 25 yards. Pirates senior Carter Hopkins would end the third quarter with a 29-yard scramble for, yet another Perry touchdown and the Pirates led 35-7 going into the final quarter.
Perry would add one more rushing touchdown, another by Carter Hopkins, this time a 35-yard dash up the middle for their final score extending their lead to 42-7 and starting the running clock with 9:06 left in the game. The Wolverines never gave up and fought hard, but neither did Perry's defense and Perry would have the ball last taking a knee and the victory.
Nate Trefzger had this to say after the game. "It was a lot of fun. When your O-line is blocking great, all my job to do is follow them. I can't make them wrong. They were blocking great, so I just had to follow them." Trefzger finished the game 3/5 for 64 yards passing with one interception and rushing seven times for 92 yards and four touchdowns. Carter Hopkins had eight rushes for 107 yards and two touchdowns.
Next week Perry will have a bye week as they are the number one seed in Division V, Region 17. The West Geauga Wolverines will have to wait to see who their opponent will be but will have a home game to start their playoff journey in Division IV, Region 13.
POSTED 10/23/2026 23:59
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