HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL Ursuline tops Rayen, awaits fate

The Irish still have a slim chance at making the playoffs.
By BOB ROTH
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
YOUNGSTOWN -- Behind the arm of quarterback Daryll Clark and the speed of receiver Derrick Stewart, Ursuline High defeated The Rayen School 39-13 in the second game of a football doubleheader Thursday at Stambaugh Stadium.
The Irish (5-5) led 14-0 at halftime, then used a 25-point third quarter to put the game out of reach.
"Rayen did an excellent job defensively on us in the first half, but in the second half we got our ground game going and had good performances on both sides of the ball," said Ursuline coach Dan Murphy.
Ursuline still has a shot at the Division IV playoffs, but is dependent on several teams rated above it to lose tonight.
Stewart gave the Irish an early lead when he returned a punt 73 yards for a touchdown just two minutes into the game.
Long pass for score
After thwarting two Rayen drives, Clark found Stewart for an 83-yard touchdown pass midway through the first quarter to give Ursuline a 14-0 lead.
Rayen held a 7-4 edge in first downs and a 58-27 edge in rushing yards in the first half, but had no answer for the Irish's big-play passing attack.
Ursuline senior tailback Terrell Washington, who ran for 99 yards on 12 carries, scored second-half touchdowns on runs of 17 and 56 yards.
Clark and Stewart also connected for 37- and 51-yard touchdowns passes. Clark finished 9-of-12 for 238 yards and three touchdowns.
"The blocking was great on the punt return and Daryll hit me in stride on all of the scoring passes," said Stewart, who amassed 243 yards on his four scoring plays.
Rayen had 90 yards rushing. Sophomore quarterback Dwayne Smith had a 2-yard touchdown run and a 46-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter to lead the Tigers (3-7).
"Our kids played hard with a lot of heart tonight, but we missed opportunities in the first half," said Rayen coach Brian Shaner.
Timken 19, Wilson 16
The defenses dominated in this City Series game between winless teams.
David Brunner scored from 1 yard to give Timken a 7-0 lead, but Wilson sophomore Bryant Bailey picked up a Trojan fumble and returned it 18 yards for a touchdown to give the Redmen an 8-7 halftime lead.
In the second half, Brunner stole the ball from Wilson quarterback Shawn Cook and ran 74 yards for a touchdown with 9:05 remaining in the third quarter.
Six minutes later, Timken sophomore quarterback Larry Hubbard ran 19 yards for a touchdown and a 19-8 Trojan lead.
Wilson got close with 2:15 remaining in the game, when Rodney Warren blocked a punt and Bailey recovered and took it into the end zone from 12 yards.
Wilson's Martrial Benjamin rushed 10 times for 70 yards.