EAST PALESTINE Bulldogs top United to stay in TCL hunt

East Palestine used some trickery to get off to a fast start in the 23-0 win.
By JOHN BUTERA
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
EAST PALESTINE -- Staying on the heels of Crestview, East Palestine scored a big Tri-County League victory Friday night using the passing and running of Smitty Kendrew to come away with a 23-0 victory over United.
Crestview remained perfect in the league with a 4-0 record.
Wasting little time, the Bulldogs (5-2, 3-1) got on the scoreboard on the contest's fourth play when Kendrew fooled United (5-2, 2-2) by faking into the line and then sprinting 70 yards down the right sideline for a touchdown.
The Bulldogs used a little trickery when, from a kicking formation they worked in a passing play, which had Tanner Libert find Pat Brennan for a two-point conversion and a 8-0 lead at 10:56.
Showing that he is becoming one of the league's top quarterbacks, Kendrew finished with 168 yards on 20 rushes while completing 8-of-12 passes for another 144.
Brennan was on the receiving end of five of those passes, good for 104 yards.
Missed opportunity: United's best chance to score came late in the second quarter when the Eagles had a first-and-goal from the 3-yard line. Two plays later, with a third-and-goal from the 1 for United, the East Palestine defense came up big, stopping running back Nick Johnson.
With a fourth-and-goal from the 1, United suffered back-to-back penalties, which stymied its 8 minute, 46 second drive.
In the first quarter, United advanced the ball to the Bulldogs' 15, when again it was stopped just short of a first down.
"You get on the inch line and can't get it in," said United coach D.J. Ogilvie. "That just kills you.
"For some reason we didn't come ready to play football tonight, and East Palestine was on the other end of the spectrum."
Still in it: Still, it was anyone's game late in the third period. When the Eagles converted a third-and-13 from their own 36 and picked up another 10 on the very next play, they had a first down at the Bulldog 28.
East Palestine's defense then rose to the occasion, thwarting the drive when Chandler Trosky came up with a sack, followed by an interception by Chris Clark.
The Bulldogs then went in for the game's second touchdown when Kendrew connected with Clark from 15 yards out. Kendrew then pitched to Tyler Mackall to put East Palestine ahead 16-0.
The loss not only seriously damaged United's chance for a TCL crown, but it also overshadowed an outstanding effort from Johnson, who gained 147 yards on 29 carries.