There isn’t much mystery surrounding what the Eastlake North Football team wants to do offensively.
The Rangers are going to run the football.
Then they are going to run it again.
Knowing it is coming, however, and stopping it have proven to be two very different things.
North has ridden a physical, downhill offense and an increasingly dominant defense to a 4-0 start, its best opening to a season in 15 years. The Rangers have scored 141 points while allowing only 25 and head into Friday night’s road game at Chardon with an identity head coach Shawn Dodd believes has taken firm hold throughout his program.
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“The kids bought in pretty fast last year in trying to establish it as our identity and create that identity,” Dodd said. “It just carried over into this season. It actually carried over into the offseason in the weight room, the kids knowing what we want to do and that type of thing. So, yeah, we absolutely see that.”
North opened the season with a 51-17 win at North Olmsted, followed with a 42-0 victory at Valley Forge, then defeated University School, 27-8.
Last Friday, the Rangers improved to 4-0 with perhaps their best defensive performance yet, shutting out Harvey, 21-0.
The start is significant.
The last North team to win its first four games was the 2011 squad, which opened with victories over Brush, Cuyahoga Falls and Midpark before traveling to Chardon and beating the Hilltoppers, 39-21, to reach 4-0.
That team went on to defeat Riverside, 13-11, to reach 5-0.
Fifteen years later, North again takes an undefeated record into Chardon.
This time, however, the Rangers already have established exactly how they intend to get there.
Different runners, same problem
North’s offense isn’t built around one featured back.
That is part of what makes the Rangers difficult to defend.
Dodd has multiple options in the backfield, and while the basic premise remains the same — run the football — those runs can attack a defense in dramatically different ways.
“It’s nice because we can hit you different ways,” Dodd said. “We can run it in different ways. It’s kind of like run fast, run slow, run powerful, run quick. It’s nice to have that changeup.”
The variety allows North to stay true to its identity without becoming one-dimensional.
“We literally saw it play out this week, how dynamic it can be,” Dodd said. “Even though it’s still running the ball, it can look different and hit differently.”
The Rangers have plenty of options at the skill positions, including Josh Fenick, who typically lines up at quarterback, King Mattice, Logan Scott, and Kaydn Young, who were listed as the starting backs on North’s depth chart.
But Dodd makes no secret of where the offense starts.
Up front.
Built from the inside out
North’s starting offensive line features Evan Meyer at left tackle, Jeremy Jesri at left guard, Ricky Szabo at center, Dylan Albert at right guard and Nikko Penn at right tackle.
It is an imposing group.
Meyer is a 6-foot-3, 245-pound senior. Jesri checks in around 300 pounds, Albert is a 6-foot-4, 310-pound junior, and Penn is a 6-foot-2 senior listed between 250 and 265 pounds.
More important to Dodd than the size is how much further along the group is in its second season operating North’s system.
“We’re definitely further ahead than what we were last year with the second year in the system,” Dodd said. “They’re much more comfortable. They’re able to communicate, make adjustments a lot easier and a lot faster, which helps us. They’re able to identify things.”
A year ago, many of North’s linemen were making the transition from a scheme that called for considerably more pass protection.
Now their assignment fits the personality Dodd has worked to establish: move forward and impose themselves.
“They’re completely bought in,” Dodd said. “The whole program’s bought in to what we’re doing. The backs have been totally unselfish. The line guys know they’re never going to get the credit, but they’re the reason that we do what we do.”
That belief also shows up in Dodd’s willingness to keep the offense on the field in situations when other teams might punt.
“We go for it on fourth down a lot,” he said. “The whole program knows it’s because of the linemen. I tell those guys all the time, I don’t care who we put in the backfield. We’re running it because of the guys up front.”
Defense matching the physicality
The offense has attracted attention with its big plays and rushing attack, but North’s defense may be developing an even more intimidating identity.
Through four games, opponents are averaging only 6.25 points per game.
North has already posted two shutouts, blanking Valley Forge and Harvey, and has allowed only eight points over the last two weeks combined.
Dodd sees speed.
He also sees a defense becoming increasingly comfortable playing with an edge.
“Those guys continue to impress the heck out of me,” Dodd said. “As a defense, we’re fast, and right now we’re playing very physical.”
Like the offense, the defense has benefited from players accepting individual roles rather than chasing individual recognition.
“They’re working hard to limit mistakes,” Dodd said. “They’re kind of buying into just doing your job and being unselfish.”
Then comes the part Dodd especially enjoys.
“Man, they’ll hit you,” he said. “That part’s fun to watch.”
A familiar measuring stick
North now takes its perfect record to Chardon for its most significant test of the young season.
The Hilltoppers have historically controlled the series. North enters the matchup with a 5-24 record against Chardon.
That history is part of what makes North’s current start noteworthy.
Fifteen years ago, Chardon stood between the Rangers and a 5-0 record.
North went there and won.
Now the Rangers arrive in Chardon already 4-0, carrying an offense comfortable announcing exactly what it intends to do and a defense increasingly capable of dictating games itself.
Four weeks have demonstrated that North has an identity.
Friday night will provide the strongest indication yet of just how far that identity can take the Rangers.
By the Numbers
4-0 — North’s record through four games
2011 — Last season North opened 4-0
141 — Points scored by the Rangers
25 — Points allowed
35.3 — North’s scoring average
6.3 — Opponents’ scoring average
2 — Shutouts in four games
5-24 — North’s all-time record against Chardon
39-21 — North’s win at Chardon in 2011 that improved the Rangers to 4-0
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* Historical series data: Records shown are based on the OV Sports Engine historical football database beginning with the 1972 season. Earlier meetings may not be included.
#15NORTH RANGERS Football
2026-2027 North Rangers Football Schedule
Date Opponent Series* Result Time Location Aug. 21, 2026
Friday9-3 W 51-17 7:00 PM North Olmsted Aug. 28, 2026
Friday1-0-1 W 42-0 7:00 PM Valley Forge Sep. 4, 2026
Friday4-2 W 27-6 7:00 PM North Watch Sep. 11, 2026
Friday2-0 W 21-0 7:00 PM North Watch Sep. 18, 2026
Friday6-24 W 22-21 7:00 PM Chardon Sep. 25, 2026
Friday1-0 W 35-0 7:00 PM Lutheran West Watch Oct. 2, 2026
Friday11-5 W 56-24 7:00 PM North Watch Oct. 8, 2026
Thursday11-27 W 37-7 7:00 PM Memorial Stadium Oct. 16, 2026
Friday19-35-1 L 14-21 7:00 PM North Watch Oct. 23, 2026
Friday1-0 W 49-28 7:00 PM Hawken Watch Oct. 30, 2026
Friday
Brush ArcsPOSTSEASON32-16-1 W 41-0 7:00 PM North Watch Nov. 6, 2026
Friday
NordoniaPOSTSEASON1-3 L 21-37 7:00 PM Nordonia Watch
North Olmsted
Valley Forge
University Preppers
Harvey Red Raiders
Chardon Hilltoppers
Lutheran West Longhorns
Lakeside Dragons
Madison Blue Streaks
Willoughby South Rebels
Hawken Hawks
