DIVISION IV REGIONAL SEMIFINAL Improved Ursuline defense will face another test

Coach Dan Reardon called Liberty's skill players the best his team has seen.
By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- Two years ago, Brad Turnbull was a sophomore two-way starter on Ursuline High's talented -- and maddeningly inconsistent -- state semifinal team.
The Irish finished the regular season 5-5 that year, slipped into the last playoff spot, then won three straight before being upset by Portsmouth West.
"I think talent-wise, we were better in 2002," Turnbull said. "But we're more of a team this year. I think we've got a closer group of seniors. Of the two, I think we're stronger this year."
He then shook his head and smiled.
"There's no way that team should have lost to Portsmouth West," he said. "If we had lost to [state champion] Kenton, that would have been different, but we never should have lost to Portsmouth West."
Turnbull, who plays middle linebacker and fullback, leads an Ursuline team that once again snagged the final playoff spot in its region with a win in the final week.
And, like the Irish of two years ago, they're expected to do big things in the postseason.
Improved team
"We're playing well right now," said Ursuline coach Dan Reardon. "There's always room for improvement, but since the second half of the Week Ten game against Erie Prep, we've definitely picked it up."
Especially on defense. After falling behind 24-8 at halftime against Erie Prep, the Irish outscored the Rams 31-9, then beat top seed Akron Manchester 21-3 last Friday.
It's an encouraging sign for a team that gave up 28 points per game in the regular season, although much of it was due to a difficult schedule that included five Ohio playoff teams.
"We have played some good schools, but we're not going to use our schedule as an excuse," said Reardon. We need to get better on defense."
The offense, on the other hand, is just fine.
After being bottled up in the first half by Manchester, the Irish scored 21 points in the second half. Sophomore quarterback Scooter Hargate found senior wide-out Derrick Stewart for 50- and 75-yard touchdown passes in the third quarter and senior tailback Alex Allen gained 125 of his 156 yards -- and his lone touchdown -- after halftime.
Allen being scouted
Allen, a 2,000-yard rusher in the regular season, has gotten looks from several Division I schools, including teams from the Mid-American Conference, the Big East and the Big Ten.
"It's exciting to block for him," Turnbull said. "You never know what's going to happen on any given play."
Reardon, who was an assistant at Warren Harding from 1998-2003, said Allen is one of the best backs he's ever coached.
"I've been around a lot of good backs at Harding and, with the exception of our favorite Harding grad [Maurice Clarett], he's as good or better than anyone we had," Reardon said. "He's big, he's physical and he can make people miss."
The Irish even nominated him as a captain midway through the season, which Turnbull said was a testament to how much he's matured this year.
"He's really stepped it up as a leader this season," Turnbull said of Allen. "He's always praising his offensive line and the rest of team.
"He's a good kid."
Play Liberty Friday
The Irish will lean heavily on Allen -- and their bruising, although banged-up offensive line -- against Liberty in Friday's Division IV regional semifinal at Falcon Stadium.
"They've got a a great group of skill players and they run the Wing-T so well and so consistently every game," Turnbull said. "We've got to play physical, we've got to be mentally tough and we've got to play [Steel Valley Conference] football."
The Leopards (10-1) don't have one standout, preferring to spread the ball around to seven or eight skill players. That worries Reardon.
"They have so many weapons," he said. "They probably have more skilled athletes at the skill positions than any team we've played this year.
"It's going to be a big challenge."
scalzo@vindy.com