By Joe Scalzo

Irish expect big test from Liberty-Benton

Led by junior Aaron Craft, the Eagles have blistered teams this fall.

When Ursuline High football coach Dan Reardon was asked to describe Findlay Liberty-Benton’s spread offense — which averages 46 points per game — he used the word “frightening.”

“It’s frightening how many they score on a weekly basis,” said Reardon, whose team will play Liberty-Benton in Saturday’s Division V state final. “We haven’t seen very many [spread offenses] and I know for sure we haven’t seen one this good.

“We have our work cut out for us.”

And how would Reardon describe Liberty-Benton’s defense, which has 10 shutouts in 14 games?

“I’d use the word frightening again,” he said. “They’re certainly doing something right.”

Ursuline’s run-heavy offense relies on a lot of motion and shifting, a tactic designed to confuse the opposing defense into lining up incorrectly and playing out of position. That creates space for big plays, something the Eagles have avoided all season.

“They’re very gap sound,” said Reardon. “They’re well-coached and they don’t make mistakes.

“They have a great defense and they score a lot of points. That’s why they’re playing this week.”

The Eagles run a base 4-3 defense with multiple fronts. With nine of their 11 starters back from last year, they don’t need to be extra fancy to be effective. They’re also good at learning the opponents’ scheme quickly, Coach Tim Nichols said.

“We stay basic and take the thinking out of it,” he said of his defense. “This group does a good job of processing stuff through the week.

“Once they understand it, we just try to let them react on game night.”

Liberty-Benton (14-0) went to a spread offense five years ago and are more explosive than any team Ursuline has faced this season. The key is junior Aaron Craft, a three-year starter who has already verbally committed to the University of Tennessee for basketball. Craft was the starting point guard on the Eagles’ Division III state runner-up basketball team two years ago.

Craft, who also plays defensive back, is the team’s leading rusher with 1,295 yards and 26 TDs. He’s carried a bigger load in that department due to Brandon Pickett’s broken leg in Week 7. Pickett is second on the team with 84 carries for 450 yards and is back in action.

Liberty-Benton’s biggest strength, offensively, is its passing game. Craft has completed 190 of 246 passes for 2,902 yards, 30 TDs and three interceptions. His main target is Ryan Cook (39 receptions, 905 yards, 13 TDs) but four other players have at least 20 catches and 400 yards receiving.

“Their offense is very explosive and it all starts with their quarterback,” said Reardon. “He’s a talented young man and he has great poise.

“He is what brings it [the offense] all together.”

Craft is 39-3 in three years at quarterback, losing to eventual state champion St. Henry in the state semifinals two years ago and falling to Hamler Patrick Henry in the regional finals last year. He’s thrown for more than 2,000 yards all three seasons and has topped 1,000 rushing yards the past two.

“I’ve never come across a kid like Aaron,” said Nichols. “Basketball is his thing and he’s made no doubt about it, but he really enjoys the sport of football.

“He loves to compete, whether it’s in a practice or a game. He’s just one of those kids who’s really hard to root against.”

If Liberty Benton’s offense gets going, Ursuline’s fans will find a way.

scalzo@vindy.com