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RICHMOND -- The Edison football team did its part this season.
Edison scored a touchdown early in the fourth quarter and held on to defeat Jefferson County and Buckeye 8 North Division foe Indian Creek, 12-7, Friday night on senior night at the Edison Unified Sports Complex.
The Wildcats' win against the Redskins (1-8) was their first win against them since 2008.
"This is a rivalry, but we have not done our part," first-year Edison (7-3) head coach Mike Collopy said.
The Wildcats certainly did their part Friday night as the Edison defense shut down the Indian Creek offense. The Redskins only points came on a 40-yard interception return right before halftime.
"Defensively, we played really well," Collopy said Tuesday. "The kids were getting off the ball. They were aggressive."
The last time the Wildcats shut down an opponent's offense was back on Oct. 19, 2018. In that Week 9 game, Edison blanked Buckeye Local, 42-0, at home.
The win in the Route 43 Bowl also did Edison's part in the playoff race as it secured the Wildcats a spot in the Ohio Division V Region 17 playoffs.
Edison earned the No. 9 seed, and the team will play No. 8 seed Manchester at 7 p.m. Friday night at James R. France Stadium in New Franklin.
"We were excited Friday night because we won our last game, our last home game on senior night," Collopy said. "It was also Indian Creek, so that meant a lot. The coaching staff worked today, and the team will start to get ready for Manchester Monday."
The Panthers enter the game with a record of 6-4. Manchester lost back-to-back games twice the season, while also going on a five-game winning streak.
This season, Manchester has defeated Mogadore (7-3), 28-14, Orrville (2-8), 41-13, Loudonville (1-9), 35-7, Tuslaw (1-9), 42-3, Triway (7-1), 42-12, and Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy (5-5), 41-21.
"They are very-old school," Collopy said. "Offensively, they use a couple different formations. They run a double tight end with a full house, and they run a double tight end with a wing with an offset fullback. They are very good. They are efficient. They control the ball. They are well coached. Their lineman get off the ball. They move their feet. They are skilled. Their running backs are quick. We have a lot to prepare for."
This season Manchester has lost to Black River (7-3), 21-14, Indian Valley (6-2), 31-13, Fairless (9-1), 41-40, and Northwest (6-4), 21-6.
"Weight-wise, we match up with them," Collopy said. "They have a couple of linemen over 6-feet. We are going to have to stay low. The low man wins in football. Our offensive line is going to have to stay low. We are going to have to stay on our blocks. We are going to have to move our feet. Our backs are going to have to keep doing what they have been doing and not go down on first contact. They are a physical team. We are going to have to be up for the challenge."
The Panthers started 0-2 with losses to the Pirates and Braves before winning their next five games before losing to the Falcons and the Indians to drop to 5-4.
"Defensively, they run a four-man front," Collopy said. "They like to mix it up. They mix up their coverages. They like to bring a lot of pressure. They are aggressive. They are good tacklers. They are well coached.
"Their coach (Jay Brophy) has been at a couple different schools. He played for the Miami Hurricanes on their 1983 national championship team. He played in the pros. They are fundamentally sound. They are well coached. A coach knows the strength of their team, and they are definitely a running team. They like to play physical."
Edison has wins this season against Tuscarawas Central Catholic, Catholic Central, Mathews, Toronto, East Liverpool, Buckeye Local and Indian Creek with losses coming against Southern Local, Beaver Local and Harrison Central.
The wildcats had some issues this season when it comes to special teams, and Edison is going to have to be sound in that area when they take on the Panthers.
"They have a really-good punt returner," Collopy said. "In the games we saw, he took on to the house. They also blocked a punt. I think our special teams improved as the year went on. We were coaching the scheme we wanted, and the kids started to understand what we were doing. We are going to have to continue do a good job of getting ready when it comes to special teams."
The Wildcats and Panthers are familiar with each other as the two teams met in the playoffs last season with Manchester coming away with a 35-7 victory at Cartwright Memorial Field. The Wildcats were the No. 11 seed, while the Panthers were the No. 12 seed.
"Last year is last year," Collopy said. "I know they are a completely different team this season than they were last season. I know they are a big, strong, physical team on both sides of the ball."
Saturday night's game will be Edison's first playoff game on the road.
"It means you get an extra day to prepare," Collopy said. "It is just an extra day. It would be different if you played Saturday and then you played Friday. In that case, you would lose a day. You get to put in what you want to put in at a slower rate."
Edison is making its third trip to the playoffs in school history.
"Looking at last year, everybody made it unless you opted out," Collopy said. "The kids were excited. It was similar to all the other sports where everybody makes the playoffs.
"This season, we definitely earned it. We have won seven games. We started preparing for the season in January, and we were able to go through 10 weeks of the season. This season has had its ups-and-downs. We have had to deal with different circumstances, obstacles and adversity. I am proud of the way our kids have managed to handle everything this season. We have had some disappointments in the past where we have not won games. These kids have a lot of trust in each other. They have trust in what the coaching staff is telling them. We are going to work hard and get ready for Saturday night."
The Wildcats made it for the first time back in 2002 when Edison was the No. 3 seed in the Division III Region 9 playoffs. Edison defeated Beaver Local, 41-12, in a driving rain storm in Week 10, however, the sixth-seed Beavers got their revenge the next week with a 23-12 victory in the opening round of the playoffs.
"The kids are excited for Saturday," Collopy said. "Last year, everybody made it unless you opted out. This year, they expanded the playoffs. We earned it. We're getting ready for Saturday. I told the kids we have an opportunity to continue to play. We just have to make the most of that opportunity."
The last time the Wildcats made a long trip like they will Saturday was all the way back on Sept. 17, 2010. That night, Edison traveled south to take on Tyler Consolidated in a Week 4 match up. The Wildcats won that game, 37-6. Edison ended up going 8-2 that season, but a loss to Indian Creek on the road in Week 10 left the Wildcats on the outside looking in when it came to the postseason.
"We made it to the postseason," Collopy said. "We get the chance to play again. It doesn't matter if the game was on the other side of the state, in Columbus or in Akron. We have the opportunity to play another game. We want to make the most of that opportunity."
Manchester's stadium is named after their former head coach, who currently holds the state record with 401 wins, which is one ahead of current Big Red head coach Reno Saccoccia. Saccoccia holds the record for most wins at one school as France won 398 games at Manchester. He won his first three at Akron Coventry. France began his head coaching career at Coventry back in 1971 before moving to Manchester the following season. He retired following the 2019 season.