BEREA, OHIO • Van Vanatta has told the story often, and after leaving Hazelwood Central High for a new coaching job this season, he’s already told it to his players at Columbia Rock Bridge.
Big left tackle Roderick Johnson was making his first varsity start for Hazelwood Central as a sophomore in 2011. Well, De Smet’s defensive end was doing a number on Johnson in the early going, so much so that Vanatta found it necessary to deliver a ... let’s call it a pep talk on the sideline.
“It was kind of like, ‘Hey Rod, what’s going on?