Irish clinch home playoff game

By John Bassetti

YOUNGSTOWN — Was it the frustration from a heartbreaking loss to Mooney in week 9 or the uncertainty of its postseason chances that motivated Ursuline to victory over Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary on Friday night at Stambaugh Stadium?

After a 27-22 loss to Mooney a week ago, Ursuline was sixth in Region 17 of Division V.

A loss may have put the Irish in danger of missing the postseason.

But a 17-point second quarter and Allen Jones’ electrifying 85-yard kickoff return to start the third quarter helped push the Irish enough (6-3) past SVSM, 38-24.

“Our backs were against the wall, so we had to play,” said Ursuline coach Dan Reardon.

Akise Teague scored two long touchdowns on passes from Paul Kempe and the junior finished with four catches for 198 yards. With senior David Rossi centering, Kempe, also a junior and a southpaw, was 6 of 11 for 207.

Jones also had two short touchdowns from scrimmage in Ursuline’s 14-point final quarter.

A big factor was turnovers: Ursuline zero and St. Vincent-St. Mary’s five, including two interceptions by Jeff Podolsky. Teague and Aaron Edwards each picked off Oliver Hildebrandt once and Podolsky kicked five extra points and a 22-yard field goal.

Sophomore Trevor Smith recovered a muffed punt in the final two minutes to seal the win.

Jordan Markota and Craig Ulicny also played well defensively.

Defensive end DeAndre Harris had three sacks, including one that helped force a St. Vincent-St. Mary’s punt in the last seven minutes.

“We [defensive line] all just came together and said that we were going to play hard. With [down lineman] Dawalyn Harper being double teamed I was free and I came off the end strong.”

Harris shared Ursuline’s defensive line with Harper, Keil’n Thurston, Tony Brown and Davon Jefferson.

SVSM got off to a 10-0 lead.

“Although they moved down on their first possession and scored [on a short-yardage situation that they popped through], we were confident we could move the ball,” Reardon said.

“They came out throwing a lot more than we expected, so we made some defensive adjustments. Once we adjusted to that we were OK.”

Hildebrandt was 19 of 28 for 237 yards, but threw three interceptions. Mark Murphy, who scored the game’s first TD from 59 yards out in the first three minutes, threw an interception via a halfback pass that Edwards picked off late in the game.

“I think we played pretty good pass defense when all was said and done,” said Reardon.

St. Vincent-St. Mary coach Dan Boarman said that the game shouldn’t have been tied, 17-17, at halftime.

“If we catch that pass in the end zone, it should have been 24-10, instead,” the coach said of Dominique Mitchell’s inability to catch a Hildebrandt pass after Mitchell reached for the ball and then rolled in the end zone in the final minutes of the first half.

“The biggest problem we’ve had all year has been turnovers,” said Boarman. “It’s been the thing we’ve fought all year,” Boarman said, noting that SVSM had 33 turnovers through 10 games.

In the end, big plays doomed the visitors.

“We’re pretty physical, but we gave them three big plays. Even Mooney didn’t have a lot of big plays against us.”

A victory would have ensured that SVSM (6-4) would have a home playoff game next week, but it didn’t materialize.

“I hate riding buses,” Boarman said, “but now we have to ride a bus next week.”

St. Vincent-St. Mary entered the game third-ranked in Region 9 of Div. III.

bassetti@vindy.com