Punt return keys Monroeville past Leetonia, 10-7

The Bears' season ended in a regional semifinal based on defense.
By TOM WILLIAMS
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
BRUNSWICK -- A freak big play on a what seemed a harmless punt created havoc for the Leetonia High football team's playoff hopes.
In Friday's Division VI Region 21 semifinal at Brunswick High School, Art Altomare's fifth-seeded Bears (9-3) stood toe-to-toe with top-seeded Monroeville (11-1) in a defensive struggle won by the Eagles, 10-7.
The difference-maker came after Aaron Merrill's first punt for the Bears, a 52-yarder to the Eagles' 17-yard line. The ball was touched by a Bears defender but not downed.
Quick reaction
While some of the Bears headed for the sideline, the Eagles' Matt Stang alertly picked up the ball and raced 83 yards down the opposite sideline for a touchdown, the only score of the first half.
Matt Fries' extra-point kick gave Monroeville a 7-0 lead with 8:35 to go in the opening quarter.
"Technically, I know that you have to pick the ball up and have control of the ball to down it," Altomare said. "Four to five of our kids said they heard a whistle on the play.
"Naturally, we stopped and the kid runs it down and scores, a big turning point in the game, no doubt about it. We had them pinned down there.
"It was a great defensive effort on both parts, but I just hate seeing one play like that take away a victory from us after great effort that our kids gave tonight," Altomare said.
Monroeville coach Steve Ringholz said, "We tell our punt returners that if the punt team does not down the ball, that if they just touch it, get it because you can't lose it. If you pick it up and fumble it, you get it where it was first touched. We tell them that all the time and finally it paid off."
Defensive-minded
On five first-half possessions, the Eagles limited the Bears to three first downs and 52 yards of total offense. Merrill had 41 of them on 11 carries.
The Eagles thought they had doubled the lead late in the second quarter when Kurt Leber intercepted Leetonia quarterback Cody Tittle's pass and raced 42 yards for a score. But a holding penalty during the return negated the touchdown.
Leetonia had a chance to tie after defensive back Andy Kisner intercepted Leber on the third offensive play of the second half. Kisner was stopped at the Monroeville 15 and the Bears couldn't advance the ball past the 10.
"That hurt us a little bit, but we held a good football team that scored 401 points to three points on offense," Altomare said. "We have nothing to be ashamed of."
The Eagles ran off the next 18 plays over the next 7:01, settling for a 24-yard field goal by Fries late in the third quarter.
"Usually when that team gets down to the 5-yard line, they expect to score," Altomare said. "Our kids knew we could play with them. A lot of people thought this was going to be a high-scoring game -- I didn't. I knew there were two great defenses playing."
Finding momentum
The Bears came on in the final period, posting a 10-play, 44-yard drive that ended with Tittle hitting Matt Altomare with an 8-yard slant pass for a touchdown with 4:23 to play.
"Defensively, they come across hard," Art Altomare said. "We finally got momentum going in the fourth quarter. Our kids just put it in their heads that we could move the ball on them.
"That slant pass, we saw, was open and Cody made a nice throw," Altomare said.
Four plays after Leetonia's unsuccessful onside kick, Bears defensive lineman Donald Boyd recovered an Eagles fumble at the Leetonia 36. Three incomplete passes and a quarterback sack ended the Bears' season.
"It was a fun season -- a lot of people didn't expect this out of us," Altomare said. "We only had 35 players -- they showed a lot of heart and desire."
The Eagles limited the Bears to 90 yards rushing on 38 tries, with Merrill getting 85 on 20 carries. Tittle completed 3 of 10 passes for 29 yards.
Monroeville rushed for 145 yards on 45 carries. Running back Clint Ryan gained 105 of them on 21 carries. Leber completed 5 of 13 passes for 88 yards.
williams@vindy.com