In the early days of Lorain High School, the idea of the football team playing into November was virtually unheard of and there was never much to be excited about during the final weeks of the season.
The Titans’ first playoff appearance came in 2014 – four years after the consolidation of Lorain City Schools – but the celebration ended soon after when they were bounced in the first round by eventual regional finalist and perennial state power Mentor.
It turns out a taste of the postseason was all Lorain needed and the Titans advanced two of the next three seasons, including a run to the Division I regional finals in 2016 that ended in a heart breaking 24-20 loss to Olentangy Liberty.
So last season when losses to Lake Erie League rivals Cleveland Heights and Maple Heights effectively eliminated Lorain from the playoffs for the first time since 2015, there was nothing short of anger and disappointment felt throughout the program.
“Those two games hurt,” senior Savon Chavis said. “It didn’t feel right not being in the playoffs.”
And he and the rest of the seniors don’t plan on letting it happen again.
Chavis, a running back, is one of a handful of returners on arguably one of the most dynamic offenses in Northeast Ohio, including quarterback Jordan Jackson, running back Daylin Dower and wide receiver Tyshawn Lighty.
They’ve all used that year of real varsity experience and the pain of losing what they feel is rightfully theirs to fuel them this offseason as they chase what would be the program’s third conference title and playoff berth in four years.
“One of our main goals is to make sure we all have chemistry because last year at the end of the season we lost all our chemistry, which is why we were playing bad,” Lighty said. “This year we told all our younger guys we got to have chemistry, and since we’re the senior leaders we told all them we have to come together.”
Lighty finished tied for second-most touchdown receptions (8) in Lorain County during last year’s regular season and 10th in total yards (582).
Meanwhile, Jackson was among the top 10 quarterbacks with 1,572 yards and 19 touchdowns, Dower was a top-10 running back with 1,204 yards and 11 touchdowns and Chavis added six rushing touchdowns of his own.
And to think they’re back for another go-round.
“We’ve been working all summer long on the offense, watching film, and they help me a lot,” Jackson said of his fellow seniors. “If they see something I don’t, we’ll run it.”
“We know last year was a letdown, especially those hard fought games against Maple Heights and Cleveland Heights, but this year it’s different,” Chavis added. “We’re not gonna fall short. We’re not gonna not finish. Our goal is to finish this year.”
The Titans certainly have the talent of a playoff team, but know they need the defensive energy to match that of the offense if they want to avoid last year’s disappointment.
In a scrimmage with D-II state champion Akron Hoban on Aug. 9, Lorain finally got a glimpse of what kind of potential lies within its defense when they laid big hit after big hit on a team full of D-I college recruits. It only served to motivate the Titans even more as opening night draws near.
“We might not have the biggest D-line but we’ve got some players,” Chavis said. “It’s all about having heart. You don’t got to be the biggest person.”
But as is true with virtually every Lorain team, playing for pride is just as important as playing to win, and this football team is all about pride – in themselves, in each other and in Lorain.
“We’ve worked too hard, spent too much time together working not to be all-state, all-whatever,” Dower said. “This year we want to win the LEL and bring it back to The Steel and just going out every game and playing hard for each other.”
“We’re gonna carry the team,” Chavis added. “We’re gonna do whatever we’ve got to do to make this senior season what we’ve been waiting for. It’s gonna be special.”
Lorain opens the season Aug. 30 on the road against Brunswick.
