Lisbon jolts Clippers for fourth triumph

The Blue Devils enjoyed a well-balanced offensive attack to deal Columbiana its second loss.
By GARY HOUSTEAU
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
COLUMBIANA -- Lisbon took advantage of several mental mistakes by Columbiana and used an efficient and methodical ground attack to hand the host Clippers a 32-13 loss in Tri-County League action Friday night.
Junior tailback Jeremaine Lewis led the Blue Devils with 82 yards on 13 carries, Kevin West had 11 carries for 70 yards and Frank Gallo added 15 carries for 58 yards.
All three backs ran for touchdowns, while junior quarterback Jay Yorty added a 5-yard touchdown run and hit Nick Schnade for a 23-yard touchdown pass. Yorty finished just 1-for-8 passing.
Lisbon (4-1, 2-0) has won four straight games.
"A lot of people pass the ball but we're going to run the football until somebody takes it away from us," Lisbon coach Jim Tsilimos said. "If I don't [keep running], I need my head examined."
Clippers score first
Columbiana scored on its opening drive, going 54 yards in eight plays capped by a 5-yard touchdown run by junior quarterback Adam Fast to give the Clippers a 7-0 lead.
But Lisbon responded with a four-play, 45-yard drive capped by Yorty's touchdown pass to Schnader that made it 7-6.
After that, Lisbon stayed on the ground.
Gallo culminated a six-play, 44-yard drive with a one-yard score and Lewis added a 5-yard score to give Lisbon an 18-7 halftime lead.
"When we play Columbiana it's always a hard-fought battle," Tsilimos said. "Usually the team that controls the line of scrimmage wins it."
Fast scores again
Columbiana (3-2, 0-2) marched 83 yards in 12 plays as Fast scored from 1-yard out, but the Clippers came up short on a two-point conversion attempt and trailed 18-13 with 48 seconds left in the third quarter.
Lewis returned the ensuing kickoff to the Lisbon 47 and a Columbiana defender was hit for a personal foul on the next play to stop the Clippers' momentum.
Yorty scored eight plays later on a five-yard sneak up the middle to give Lisbon a commanding 25-13 lead.
West finished the scoring for the Blue Devils when he ran for a 20-yard touchdown, which was set up by a Lewis interception.
Columbiana shot itself in the foot with the personal foul and a pair of illegal participation penalties.
"I love playing these guys," Spaite said. "Neither side ask for any favors or gives any quarter. We hit them and they hit us. We're very similar teams."
Columbiana junior Chris Harman gained 43 yards on eight carries and made numerous stops from his linebacker position. Fast added 31 yards on 15 carries and was 9-of-16 passing for 75 yards.