Tornadoes bounce back, blow by Tygers 45-12

It was exactly what Columbian needed. A bounce-back win after a tough Week 1. Plus, with back-to-back road trips to top programs Medina Buckeye and defending state champion Bishop Watterson on the horizon, TC needed a win. A convincing win to build confidence. That's exactly what the Tornadoes got in a 45-12 rout of Mansfield Senior.After his first career start last week, TC quarterback Logan Gooding responded with four touchdowns Friday – two TDs apiece to Johnny Bremyer and DaShawn Russell – as the Tornadoes' offense was humming.TC (1-1) played excellent complimentary football in all three phases, which has always been an emphasis for coach Judd Lutz."I thought we played great complimentary football. Kickoffs into the end zone, pinning them back, getting great punt returns setting us up with short fields," Lutz said. "We had a couple penalties … questionable. It was guys playing with some edge, and I will always encourage that."I thought we were really explosive on offense, showed that with some big plays, we grinded things out as well with short passes, so overall pretty good."Special teams were big Friday, especially starting out as Conner Reese drilled a 28-yard field goal to start the scoring in the first quarter for TC. Mansfield Senior (0-2) did respond – in the way of a 71-yard halfback pass from Ryan Au to Tai Pickett for a score to give the Tygers a 6-3 edge early.TC couldn't seem to get out of its own way early, but once it cleaned up some penalties and mental mistakes, the floodgates opened offensively.On a fourth-and-3 at Mansfield Senior's 21, Gooding dropped back and found Bremyer on a slant for a 21-yard TD. On the next drive, Masen Seitz plunged into the end zone with a 1-yard score to give TC a 17-6 advantage midway through the second quarter.The Tygers did respond with their last scoring drive of the game as QB Sean Tanner found Xavier Taylor all alone in the corner of the end zone for a 29-yard TD. The two-point conversion failed, so TC still led 17-12. The biggest sequence of the game was right before the half. Gooding hit Russell in stride on a deep post for a 34-yard score with 1:38 left in the half. The Tygers tried to respond, but instead a pass was tipped and Jayce Arias caught an interception, setting up the Tornadoes at their own 49 with 42 ticks left.After four plays, Gooding hit Bremyer for a 17-yard TD with just seven seconds left to make the score 31-12 heading into the break."Coach (Ryan) Ottney along with Daniel Cole the co-offensive coordinator … the message all week was finish. Finish when we get into the red area," Lutz said. "That was the Achilles heel last week and it will be a key for the rest of the season when good defenses make you drive the length of the field. When you get down there you have to score, you have to find a way to punch it in."Seitz tacked on his second rushing TD of the game to begin the second half – this time from 5 yards out – and Gooding tossed his fourth TD of the contest to cap the scoring on a 31-yard strike to Russell.After that score late in the third, the game was played with a running clock.The offense bounced back and put up points, but the defense really got after the quarterback, causing havoc as the defense recorded a ton of sacks and negative plays in the win."That's who we are. We have to strategically bring pressure," Lutz said. "It may look like we're bringing the house, but that's who we are. We have a bunch of guys that can fly around, tackle in space, but get after it and put pressure on a high school quarterback."TC's quarterback stayed upright most of the game was efficient – going 12 of 14 passing for 176 yards and the four scores."He's a good player. He's a really good player," Lutz said of Gooding. "He answered the bell. He answered the cry, played pretty dang well … he didn't miss much tonight. Four (TD's) in the air, that's a pretty good day at the office. Gotta build on it. He's hungry, we're hungry. It's one … we're 1-1."