'Flicker saves Canfield
Sean Baker's fleaflicker pass to Tommy Hudson advanced the Cardinals to their first state semifinal.
By TOM WILLIAMS
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
WARREN -- Through 12 games, Canfield offensive coordinator Brian Fedyski resisted calling for the fleaflicker. His patience paid off for the Cardinals in the fourth quarter of their 13th game.
One play after linebacker Kyle Banna intercepted his third pass of Canfield's Division II Region 7 finale against unbeaten Louisville, the Cardinals sent in Sean Baker at quarterback and called for the gimmick play.
Baker took the ball back from tailback Angelo Babbaro and fired it 37 yards down the right sideline to wide receiver Tommy Hudson, who slowed up for the catch and still beat the coverage of Drew Kuhn for the only touchdown in Canfield's 7-0 victory at Mollenkopf Stadium.
"I just couldn't wait for the ball to come down," said Hudson of his second touchdown of the season.
Several thousand Canfield fans braving brisk wintry winds had the same feeling until Hudson raised his arms in the end zone.
First state semifinal
Friday, Canfield (13-0) will make its first state semifinal appearance against Tallmadge.
"Tommy made a great catch on not the greatest [throw]," said Baker who alternates at quarterback with Frank Ross. "Your hear those kind of [play calls], you get chills down your back. We put it in this week because Louisville has such an aggressive defense. We were trying to catch them off guard."
Fedyski said the Cards have had that play to consider "pretty much all year and I told [Coach Mike Pavlansky] I'm either going to run it on third-and-1 or in a crucial situation."
The Cardinals' defense dominated, limiting Louisville's high-powered offense to 117 yards passing and 75 yards rushing.
"Our rushing defense all year long has been tremendous," Pavlansky said. "We needed to take the ball out of [quarterback] Drew Kuhn's hands. Taking that away from them forced them to use other people."
The Cards limited Kuhn, the Stark County Player of the Year, to 18 yards on 11 carries. Equally important, Kuhn completed just 14 of 37 passes and was picked off five times.
"We work downhill and fly to the ball," Banna said. "We're just hungry."
Now the Cardinals can prepare for the feast of a 14th game.
Pitzer leads defense
Baker said the defensive line led by tackle Ryan Pitzer was key.
"Our D-line got so much pressure on [Kuhn] that he didn't know what to do with it," Baker said. "They were all over [Kuhn], making him scramble.
"Our [defensive backs] just kept everyone in front of them and our underneath players like Banna just made the plays," Baker said,
On his second pickoff, Banna thought he had scored the game's first touchdown in the third quarter. But the officials ruled Banna down at the Louisville 23.
"I caught it right off of [linebacker Joe] Rosko's back," Banna said, "and I flew."
Banna admitted the ruling was frustrating, but said, "you just have to forget about it and go on to the next play. I had a touchdown but hey ..."
On Canfield's next play, tailback Angelo Babbaro ran into the end zone, but a holding penalty put the ball on the 20. Leopards defensive back Brandon Hosteler intercepted Canfield quarterback Frank Ross to stop the threat.
Babbaro hampered
Until the fourth quarter, Louisville's defense was equal to Canfield's. Babbaro, who rushed for 1,787 yards in the previous 12 games, gained 50 yards on 19 carries and was hampered by an ankle injury.
Ross played the bulk of the game at quarterback, completing 2 of 11 passes.
Neither team produced a scoring chance in the first quarter.
With the help of two offsides penalties, the Leopards produced their first strong march midway through the second quarter.
But Banna's interception of Kuhn at the Canfield 29 thwarted Louisville's first chance. Banna's 34-yard return to the Louisville 37 set up the Cardinals' only scoring try.
With a strong wind at his back, Justin Wolf's 49-yard field-goal attempt was wide left with 3:36 to go in the half.
The Leopards produced their second straight march, with the help of more penalties (first a facemask, then pass interference that put the ball at the Canfield 20). In the final minute, Ross intercepted in the end zone to preserve the scoreless tie
Baker said the realization that Canfield is in the state's final four for the first time "kind of hit when we looked at all the [cheering] fans. Just seeing the whole town here is awesome and you don't want to let them down."
williams@vindy.com