The Panthers lacked
the spark their coach is accustomed to seeing.

By DOUG CHAPIN

VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

WARREN — Unfortunately for the East High Panthers, a loss is a loss in the OHSAA football ratings, no matter how well a team plays.

The Panthers (6-2) saw any outside chance of making the playoffs disppear Friday night in a hard-fought 17-14 loss to Canton Central Catholic at Mollenkopf Stadium. The undefeated Crusaders had been averaging just over 30 points per game and had an average winning margin of almost 20 points.

“They [Central Catholic] play very, very well on the offensive side of the ball,” East coach Brian Shaner said. “It was kind of different for our defense playing bend but don’t break. Usually we pressure, we pressure, but they had a great game plan. They took away some of our speed and the blitzing that we usually do. But we were proud of the way our defense played.”

The Crusaders threw the ball 18 times out of their 23 offensive snaps in the first half. Quarterback Joey Rhoads ended up 12-of-23 for 147 yards. He tried again and again to throw deep, but the Panthers responded, getting a first-quarter interception in the end zone from Anthony West.

Offensively, the Panthers opened the scoring on a 51-yard scoring pass from Sal Battles to Jeff Purdie in the final minute of the first quarter. A bobbled snap left the score at 6-0.

Central Catholic responded immediately. Rhoads completed four straight passes to advance from the 33 to the East 2. Max Colander carried in for the touchdown and Andy Streb’s extra point made it 7-6 with 11:16 left in the half.

East then put together its most impressive drive, running off 17 plays and driving from its 20 to the Crusaders’ 10. The Panthers converted one fourth-down situation near midfield, but were unable to convert on fourth down at the 10 and had to give up the ball.

“On offense we were a little bit lackluster tonight, usually we’re a little more efficient running the ball,” Shaner said.

Gary Thornton, the Panthers’ top rusher, gained 51 yards on 14 carries. Battles was 9-of-17 passing for 165 yards.

East stopped Central Catholic on the first possession of the second half when Jamayle Roland recovered a fumble at the 15. That’s when things started to fall apart for the Panthers. East snapped the ball eight times in the third quarter and had two punts, three fumbles (none lost) and a net of minus-11 yards.

Having gained the field position advantage, the Crusaders put together a 39-yard scoring drive in eight plays. Colander scored again on a short run and it was 14-6 with 4:03 left in the quarter.

“I can’t explain it,” Shaner said about the Panthers’ third-quarter struggles. “When we were in the locker room it felt like we were ready to come out and play. We just couldn’t get anything going.

“That wasn’t the normal team I’m used to seeing. The third quarter is usually an emotional, physical quarter for us. I’ve got to give them [Central Catholic] credit, they took away the things that we do and they came at us. It wasn’t until the end of the game that we got to see the spark that we usually play with.”

The spark Shaner spoke of came after CCC had lengthened the lead to 17-6 on a 26-yard field goal by Streb with 5:05 left in the game. The Crusaders again benefited from a short field, starting the drive at the East 44.

The Panthers started the ensuing possession at their 14. Battles scrambled for 16 yards, found Purdie for 20 yards on a deep crossing pattern, and then threw deep from 45 yards away to RonCarlos Hilton.

On the two-point conversion, Battles fired a bullet to Ray Catley in the front corner of the end zone to make the score 17-14 with 2:58 to play.

The East defense forced a punt from the Crusaders, and the Panthers took over on their 38 with 1:16 remaining in the game. But the drive stalled on downs at the Crusader 35.