By JOE SCALZO

By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- Ursuline senior tight end Louis Irizarry slumped off the field after the Irish defeated Rayen on Oct. 24 in the last game of his high school football career.
Or so he thought.
Two days later, Irizarry was in Columbus watching Ohio State beat Penn State when he got the best news he's heard all season -- the Irish were in the playoffs.
After a season of heartache and unfulfilled expectations, the Irish had a second chance. And Irizarry was going to make the most of it.
"I just started tearing up and yelling and crying," Irizarry, an Ohio State recruit, said. "After the Rayen game, we knew we weren't in. There wasn't any doubt.
"Then we found out that we were in and I wanted to make the most of it. I just told myself, 'I'm going to be the best player who ever lived.' "
When he heard the news, Irizarry picked up his cell phone and called his teammate, junior tailback Delbert Ferguson.
"I was at home when he called and I just thought, 'Oh man, we get another chance,' " Ferguson said, smiling. "We were definitely worried, but God worked things out for us."
High expectations
The Irish were a popular preseason pick to win the Div. IV state championship, but a brutal schedule, outsized expectations and poor performances threatened to ruin the season. The low point came in Week 9 when Ursuline lost to rival Mooney to fall to 4-5.
"Everyone thought the season was over," junior quarterback Daryll Clark said. "We had some losses in big games and we started to realize that this schedule isn't as easy as we thought it would be.
"When I found out we were in, I knew we had to come together and play better as a team or we were going to lose in the first round."
The Irish didn't play perfectly in the first round, but overcame five first half turnovers to beat top-seeded and undefeated Akron Manchester. Then followed with victories over East Palestine and beat Girard to set up Friday's state semifinal against Portsmouth West at Sulsberger Memorial Stadium in Zanesville.
"We're just happy for the opportunity," coach Dan Murphy said. "We've been saying all along that this is a new season and anything can happen. We're just going to keep doing what we're doing."
Ups and downs
The state tournament isn't new to the Irish. Ferguson set three state records -- most touchdowns, most rushing touchdowns and most rushing yards -- in Ursuline's state championship win over Coldwater two years ago. He combined with running back Terrence Graves to set the state rushing record. Irizarry was a starting wideout on that team.
All were underclassmen, and it looked like the beginning of a dynasty.
Then last year the Irish were forced to forfeit four games for using an ineligible player and missed the playoffs. Coach Jim Vivo left to take a job at Westerville North and Murphy was named his replacement despite having no previous head coaching experience.
The beginning was bumpy, but now things are right again. And the Irish are savoring the moment.
"This is when you love the game the most; this is when it's the most fun," Irizarry said. "You have to sacrifice and work hard and that's when the experience two years ago helps us. We've been here before and we know what has to be done."
scalzo@vindy.com