One last go at the Pups for Hoover QB Connor Ashby

NORTH CANTON There is a farewell-tour feeling to this season for senior Connor Ashby.

Every week brings a familiar opponent — whether it be a Federal League team or longtime rival Louisville — that Ashby is in his third year battling as Hoover’s starting quarterback (and fourth year as a varsity letterman).

This week features the only opponent he hasn’t beaten.

Hoover travels to Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium on Friday to face McKinley.

It’s a juicy matchup pitting Hoover’s potent offense, led by Ashby and 6-foot-5 receiver Brock Henne, against a McKinley defense brimming with big-time playmakers. The game also is a showcase of the top two quarterbacks in the league and two of the best in Northeast Ohio: Ashby and McKinley’s Elijah Wesley.

It should be pointed out that Hoover’s troubles with McKinley don’t lay at the feet of just Ashby or these current Vikings. The Bulldogs have beaten Hoover 11 straight times.

That makes for a major mental hurdle in North Canton.

“It would sure boost the confidence of a lot of guys on our team, their vision of our team,” Ashby said about beating McKinley. “I feel like there are some (young) guys on our team that feel like we can’t beat McKinley, and that really upsets us seniors.

“If we change that this year, that’s going to change their view for the program and that’s what we want to do.”

The task is a tall one.

McKinley, the three-time defending league champion, is coming off a shutout of Jackson last week. Senior safety Brian Pinkney and senior cornerback Jonah Lytle are Old Dominion and Toledo recruits, respectively. Junior linebacker Mani Powell and junior safety Harold Fannin each have multiple Division I scholarship offers.

“It’s their speed,” Hoover head coach Brian Baum said. “They have good size, but a lot of teams in the Federal League do. They just have an abundance of speed.”

Ashby has thrown seven interceptions in 413 career passing attempts. Three of them have come against McKinley, including two by Lytle in last season’s 50-31 win against Hoover.

Asked about the challenge of the Bulldogs, Ashby started talking about their secondary, then stopped himself.

“Their defense as a whole, honestly,” he continued. “They’re all around pretty good. Everywhere.”

There definitely is a mutual respect between Ashby and the McKinley players.

The dismissive tone used by high school kids for some opponents isn’t there. The Bulldogs players know Ashby — a first team All-Ohioan last year and a Kent State baseball recruit — is a major problem, with some nice weapons around him.

In his two career starts against McKinley, Ashby has completed 64.8% of his passes for 520 yards, four touchdowns and the three picks, while giving the Bulldogs major headaches with his scrambling ability.

Said McKinley head coach Marcus Wattley, “Connor Ashby can throw from the pocket. He can throw from out of the pocket. He can hurt you with his arm. He can hurt you with his feet. And they have a great system built for his skillset.”

Baum doesn’t need any questions answered about Ashby.

He’s more interested in how his new-look offensive line holds up against McKinley.

It had a nice debut against GlenOak last week in a 35-7 win, but the challenge increases quite a bit with the Pups.

Junior left tackle Alec Lehman is the only returning starter up front for Hoover. Senior Jordan Shilling is at left guard, junior Zach Ohler is at center, junior Brock Ziarko is at right guard and junior TJ Pullen is at right tackle.

“How that unit gels is important,” Baum said. “When you’re bringing in four new starters, that’s always going to be a big question. But I thought they did a nice job last week, especially in pass protection, and that’s obviously very important for us.”

On the other side of the ball, the Vikings have the challenge of trying to contain Wesley, the multi-talented Toledo recruit who accounted for 374 yards of offense and three TDs last week in McKinley’s 30-0 win against Jackson.

Wesley completed 8 of 12 passes for 179 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions against Hoover in the 2019 matchup.

“Last year, I questioned his accuracy until he played us. Then he answered that question,” Baum said with a laugh. “He’s pretty darn accurate.”

Wesley also broke off a 65-yard TD run against the Vikings late in the second half that turned a two-score game into a three-score contest.

“I think he is progressing as a passer and the dynamic he brings with his legs can be scary,” Baum said. “You’ve got to be sure you’re gap sound and you know where he is.”

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