Saturday, October 15, 2005
Brookfield scored before the Bulldogs responded with 24 straight points.
By JIM FLICK
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
CORTLAND -- The Brookfield High football team landed the first blow Friday, but Lakeview responded with a series of long-range counterpunches to knock out the Warriors, 24-7.
Lakeview was led by senior running back Matt Kohuth, who gained 163 yards on only 10 carries.
Kohuth delivered two of the long counterpunches, scoring a touchdown on a 78-yard run and setting up a second touchdown with a 63-yard gain.
Another long counterpunch was quarterback Kevin Albert's 58-yard run, which set up the Bulldogs' first touchdown.
Brookfield (4-4, 3-2 Trumbull Athletic Conference) scored its touchdown after taking the opening kickoff at its own 23-yard line.
Nehlen's passes
The key to the drive was Warriors quarterback Dave Nehlen, who completed three passes for 21 yards and ran three times for 56 yards, including a 35-yard jaunt into the end zone.
Lakeview ( 5-3, 3-2) responded quickly.
On their first offensive possession, Albert's 58-yard gain gave the Bulldogs a first-and-goal from the 1 yard line. Kohuth carried the fall into the end, but Brookfield blocked the extra point to keep the lead.
Lakeview took the lead in the second quarter when Ed Margala kicked a 28-yard field goal to give the Bulldogs the 9-7 lead they held at the half.
Another long gain by the Warriors set up the field goal, this time at 25-yard pass from Albert to tight end Max Dunn.
After his initial success, the Bulldogs' defense kept Nehlen in check by sacking four times in the first half for 35 yard in lost yardage.
Second-half turnaround
At halftime, Kohuth had gained only 11 yards on four carries. But in the second half, he exploded, scoring on a 78-yard run in the third quarter.
He set up the game's final touchdown in the fourth quarter, when his 63-yard run gave Lakeview a first-and-goal at Brookfield's five-yard line.
On third down, Albert scored from the 2 yard line. Albert ran into the end zone a second time to convert a two-point extra point attempt that gave Lakeview its final points.
Another factor in the Bulldogs' offense was running back Brett Davenport, who gained 28 yards on five carries.
Albert gained 62 yards on four carries, and completed 4-of-6 passes for 55 yards.
For Brookfield, running back Brad Harnett gained 81 yards on 14 carries. Nehlen completed 12 of 21 passes for 130 yards.
Brookfield coach Randy Clark said he didn't expect Kohuth's long gains.
Lakeview head coach Tom Pavlansky "coached a heck of a game," Clark said. "Penalties killed us,.
Clark said referees' decisions derailed a Warriors drive in the first half, and was one reason for the shift in momentum at halftime.
"We don't have any superstars," Pavlansky said. "We're battlers. We're not a big stat team. We're just into winning and losing."