Kauffman comes alive in Smithies' playoff victory


After running for a Wayne County Athletic League record 1,900 yards a year ago, Smithville's Kyle Kauffman was a hands-down choice to be named All-Ohio.

While Kauffman's numbers don't stick out this season as being All-Ohio-like, he was still an intricate part to the Smithies' 10-0 regular season and will need more games like his 21-carry, 139-yard performance in Saturday's 21-20 win over Newton Falls if Smithville is going to advance deep into the Div. V playoffs.

It was Kauffman who carried the team in the first half of the playoff game to a 21-0 lead that the Smithies were able to hold on to. A big chunk of those yards (114) came in the first 24 minutes along with two touchdowns.

"The coaches said during the week that this was going to be the week I had to pick it up," Kauffman said. "I didn't expect I was going to have this many yards."

Smithville coach Keith Schrock said the game plan wasn't originally built around Kauffman, but after the senior broke off runs of 20 and 17 yards to start the Smithies' first offensive possession, Schrock knew who the ball had to go to.

"When he's running like that you don't want anyone else to handle the ball," Schrock said. "That's vintage Kyle Kauffman there, going through holes in a hurry, breaking tackles. That's why he had about 2,000 yards rushing (last year). That looked like Kyle Kauffman."

If this year's Kauffman hasn't looked like last year's version, its not because he has regressed as a player. Instead, it's mostly due to the Smithies opening things up on offense this year and going with a more balanced attack rather than a one-man show.

Quarterback Andy Foster has thrown for 649 yards, while Kauffman's fellow running back, Eric Beichler, has been used on numerous running plays grinding out 739 yards. Kauffman, meanwhile, still leads the Smithies in rushing yardage through Saturday's game with 816.

"He (Kauffman) hasn't had maybe the year that he wanted to have," Schrock said, "but I think our whole team overall is better off with a balanced attack."

Kauffman was unable to match his first-half numbers in the second half Saturday, but that was mostly due to defensive adjustments the Tigers made at intermission.

"We did a couple minor things on defense," Newton Falls coach Marc Bjelac said. "We shifted some people, slanting, moving our front a little bit, creating some penetration. They were flat-out beating us on the front line (in the first half)."

Although Newton Falls was able to slow Kauffman down in the second half, the damage he inflicted on the Tigers over the first two quarters was enough to guide his team to victory.

He refused to take full credit for his strong running performance, however.

"It's the (offensive) line," he said. "The line did an awesome job tonight. I don't get those yards without them."

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He plays defense, too: Adding to the strong offensive output Kauffman put up was his performance on defense out of the inside linebacker position. Kauffman had a fumble recovery and a key interception in the closing minutes of the game.

We don't get all the credit: While Kauffman credited his offensive line for giving him holes to run through, senior offensive tackle Seth Hostetler said it was still up to the running back to find the openings.

"He ran awesome tonight," Hostetler said. "When we needed him, he plowed it through the holes."

Hostetler did say the line played better than it had all year in the first half of the playoff matchup.

Super fans: Many Smithville fans braved the below-freezing temperatures Saturday night to pack the stands. However, four Smithville juniors took that bravery to another level.

Erik Drabenstott, Russell Alkime, Chris Kree and Steve Franks cheered on their team bare-chested with painted letters spelling out skin, each wearing a letter.

"It's school spirit all the way," Drabenstott said. "We're the No. 1 fans."

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