BEVERLY - Fort Frye High held a pep rally for the Cadet football team and boys' cross country squad on the school's gridiron Friday night.
It promises to be a busy weekend for the FFHS athletes.
At 11 a.m. Saturday, the Alana Cunningham-coached harriers will be competing in the Ohio Division III State Cross Country Championships at the National Trail Raceway in Hebron.
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Photo courtesy of Pam Brooker
Fort Frye High cheerleader Harmony Martin cheers on the Cadet football and boys’ cross country teams at a pep rally in Beverly Friday night.
The featured Cadet cross country runners will be Jordan Anderson, Jon Anderson, Matt Cheeseman, Ford McElroy, Matt Roush, and Quentin Webb.
The Fort boys qualified for state by virtue of their runner-up finish in the regional.
"This is the first time a boys' cross country team has ever qualified for state," Cunningham said.
To earn All-Ohio status in cross country, a runner needs to finish in the top 25.
Later Saturday evening at 7 p.m., the Eric Huck-coached Fort Frye football team (8-2) will play Region 17 top-ranked and undefeated Kirtland (10-0) in an opening-round Ohio Division V game in Kirtland, located east of Cleveland.
Fort Frye has not competed in a postseason football game since falling to Johnstwon Northridge, 20-6, in 2000.
Kirtland on the other hand is the defending D5 champion.
Fort Frye got to the 2012 playoffs, thanks to last Saturday night's dramatic 34-28 triumph over Bishop Rosecrans at John D. Sulsberger Memorial Stadium in Zanesville.
In the second half, the Cadets erased a two-touchdown deficit and score 20 unanswered points, 14 in the final period, to seal the win and clinch a berth in the postseason.
"These guys made it happen," Huck said. "They wanted to make the playoffs, and they battled back."
The Cadets were led by junior quarterback Chandler Lang, who rushed for two touchdowns and passed for two more to older brother Spencer Lang.
Senior Max Alsbach scored the game-winner from one-yard out with 1:48 left in the contest.
Fort Frye's other football seniors are Tyser Shilling, Spencer Lang, Dylan Bowman, Tyson Riggs, and Justin Massey.
