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MINERVA -- Salem, which owns one of the Eastern Buckeye Conference's longest winning streaks over a fellow league opponent, continued its mastery of Minerva, rolling to a 12th straight win over the determined Lions in a 38-14 triumph at Dr. Robert Hines Stadium Friday night
"We're 1-0 this week and that's the only thing I'm worried about," said Salem hcoach Ron Johnson.
The win upped the Quakers' record to 6-0 overall and 2-0 in EBC play. Salem's 12-game winning streak against the Lions is the second longest in NBC turned EBC history. It is second only to West Branch's current 15-game winning streak vs. Carrollton.
"You can ask these kids, Salem's a really good football team," said Minerva coach Zach Slates. "They're well coached and they do all the things right and Ron's got it going down there."
Salem leads the all-time series with Minerva, 17-5.
The Quakers were led by senior quarterback Aidan Gelonese, who completed seven of 10 passes for 141 yards and a touchdown. He also had a rushing touchdown.
"Any win is hard to come by, so it feels great to get one for the team," said Gelonese. "It feels amazing (to get the scores) but we've got to get better and improve and move on to next week -- be 1-0 next week."
"We threw the ball well," said Johnson.
The Quakers' one-two rushing punch of Brandon Kana and Zander Kinsey also played a big role in the Salem win. Kana rushed for 62 yards on eight carries in the first half and Kinsey piled up 142 yards and two touchdowns in the game.
Minerva -- which only trailed Salem 24-14 early in the fourth quarter before the Quakers' 14-point offensive explosion in the final 9:36 of the game -- is 2-4 overall and 0-3 in EBC play.
"Our kids played hard, they improved this week and they did what we were coaching them to do and they fought the entire game," said Slates. "I'm proud of our kids, I'm proud of the way they played tonight, they played physical and they flew to the ball, so I'm happy with what we did."
Because Minerva was successful eating clock with its ball-control offense in the first half, the Quakers' explosive offense only had three first-half possessions but scored on two of them and had a third six-pointer negated by a fumble in the Minerva end zone.
The Quakers scored on their second offensive possession, marching 70 yards to find the end zone on the first play of the second quarter on a 47-yard scoring aerial from Gelonese to a wide open Bairon Exline. Kicker Ronin Sutter added the PAT boot and Salem led 7-0 at the 11:52 mark of the second quarter.
Minerva's run-dominated offense churned out 120 yards on the ground in the first half but the Quakers' defense stiffened and turned the Lions away twice inside the 30.
The Quakers drove from their own 30 to find the end zone again just before half when Gelonese scored on a one-yard quarterback sneak up the middle with just 38 seconds showing before the break. Sutter added the PAT and the Quakers took a 14-0 lead into the locker room at halftime.
"Games like this frustrate you offensively because you never get the ball," said Johnson. "They (the Lions) just controlled the ball, but I think we maximized our opportunities because every time we had it we scored."
Salem led in total offense at intermission, 161-135 as Gelonese was a perfect six-for-six though the air for 91 yards and a touchdown and running back Brandon Kana had eight carries for 62 yards in the first half. Minerva running back Ethan Weaver led the Lions in the opening half with 70 yards on 15 carries.