FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS

Winning in the Cards for Canfield, but not for Mooney squad

STAFF REPORT

1In one of the marquee matchups, Canfield looked impressive at home in a 42-13 victory over perennial state power Chardon.

Another band of Cardinals, from Mooney High, didn’t fare as well, traveling to Mentor and absorbing a 34-20 defeat. That was the first regular season loss for Mooney since the 2005 finale against Columbus Watterson.

Another area powerhouse, South Range, lost an exciting, 29-28, contest to Tuslaw, from Stark County.

That snapped a 32-game regular season winning streak for the Raiders, dating to the 2004 season.

Tuslaw scored with 33 seconds remaining and opted to try for a two-point conversion, which was successful.

Another game that went down to the wire saw Western Reserve edge Mathews, 28-27. That game featured two touchdowns in the final 52 seconds and failed conversion that determined the outcome.

Two other schools with postseason hopes opened their season with impressive wins. Ursuline defeated East Tech of Cleveland, 48-6, and Boardman knocked off Cuyahoga Falls, 43-0.

Week 1 of the high school season also means the renewal of one of the area’s best rivalries — the West Side war between Austintown Fitch and Chaney.

Friday night at Falcon Stadium, the Falcons prevailed in an entertaining game, 35-14.