Ursuline live | Irish tied 0-0 with Flyers
Thoughts spilling from my brain in the first quarter of Friday’s Division V state final between Ursuline and Marion Local at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium in Massillon:
Ursuline’s offense came out with quads left, the pass was incomplete and the Irish then ran off eight straight run plays.
Ursuline coach Dan Reardon took the first big gamble of the game, going for it on fourth-and-1 at the Marion Local 48. Irish running back Darrell Mason got the yard.
He then followed it up with the second big gamble, calling a fake punt on fourth-and-6 at the Marion 44. Allen Jones picked up eight yards to get the first down.
Marion Local’s defense is really good. The Irish can move the ball, but it’s going to take awhile to wear them down. The first drive went 14 plays, 47 yards and took off 7 1/2 minutes. They didn’t get any points, but they kept the Flyers off the field and it’s the type of drive that’ll pay off later in the game. Ursuline is a big, physical running team and playing defense will make those legs tired.
Both teams threw on their first play, probably hoping to catch the other off guard. They didn’t.
Ursuline’s Justin Austin made a terrific interception on a third-down play to set up a first-and-10 on the Marion Local 39. Alas, the Irish were called for holding on the first play. Then, on the next play, DeAndre Harris lost four yards (Marion declined a penalty) and Darrell Mason lost two more, bring up third-and-32. Then a penalty pushed them back another 5.
I’m guessing there’s not too many third-and-37 calls in Reardon’s playbook. A quarterback draw got three yards, but a lousy punt gives the Flyers the ball at the 50 with 1:36 left.
Ursuline held, forced a punt and will takes over at the 20 with five seconds left in the first quarter. Still scoreless, 0-0 at the end of the first quarter.