By John Kovach

Ursuline takeaways spelled doom for Akron Buchtel

YOUNGSTOWN — The Ursuline High football team’s defense and special teams made its offense look good in a 40-6 win over Akron Buchtel Thursday night at Stambaugh Stadium.

The Ursuline defense and special teams set up or contributed to five scores to help break open a close game. The Irish, trailing 6-3 in the second quarter, used balanced scoring to roll past the Griffins and remain undefeated entering their battle against parochial arch-rival Cardinal Mooney next week.

Senior defensive back L.J. Stevens had two interceptions and a fumble recovery to lead the way for Ursuline, which finally got untracked in the second quarter by scoring 23 points to open a 26-6 halftime lead.

The Ursuline defense forced five turnovers, including two other interceptions, while five different players got into the scoring act.

Coach Ricky Powers of Buchtel (4-4) said Ursuline’s defense turned the game around in the second quarter.

“Ursuline waited for us to self-destruct. They capitalized on our mistakes. They have been doing that to teams all year,” said Powers, noting the Irish have patience and wait for their breaks.

“They are patient and they wait for you to make a mistake and then they break it.”

But coach Dan Reardon of Ursuline (8-0) said his defense didn’t wait for Buchtel to make mistakes, but instead forced them.

“We are not a patient defense. That’s not so. We forced them into making mistakes,” said Reardon, whose Irish are ranked No. 1 in Division V in both at the AP poll and computer rankings.

Reardon gave his defensive line a lot of credit for pressuring the Buchtel passer.

“We are pressing the passer and forcing them to throw bad passes. We were rushing the quarterback,” said Reardon, crediting Jamel Turner, Dominique Cole, Dan Baco and Matt Krause for penetrating the Buchtel backfield. “[They] were in there rushing [the quarterback], Turner especially. He had two of three sacks.”

Reardon said Ursuline’s defense has been very consistent this year.

“Our defense played well. It has been playing well all year by setting up a lot of scores for our offense,” Reardon said. “We spend a lot of time on special teams and that showed.”

He said his Irish know how to play defense.

“We have a lot of guys who play defense the way you are supposed to play defense. I believe we may have the best defense ever at Ursuline,” he pointed out.

One of Stevens’ interceptions went for a 47-yard TD, while his other pickoff set up another TD by Jimmy Mszanski, who recovered Allen Jones’ fumble in the end zone after Jones had reeled off some 20 yards.

Wade Daniels also had an interception that set up Dawalyn Harper’s 30-yard scoring dash, and Justin Austin also picked off a pass.

Dale Peterman’s 31-yard punt return set up Dwight Wright’s 1-yard TD plunge, while Ursuline’s defensive charge contributed to a safety.

The only long sustained drive by Ursuline was a five-play, 72-yard march capped by Jeff Podolsky’s 23-yard field goal for the first Irish points in the opening period.

That score came after Buchtel had driven 70 yards in 15 plays to Tahj Dent’s 21-yard TD pass to Antonio Lovelace that gave Buchtel a 6-0 lead.

Then after Podolsky’s FG, Nico Irizarry scored on a 2-yard dash to cap a short five-play, 24-yard drive that was set up by a poor Buchtel punt. That put Ursuline in the lead for good, 10-6, after the first of Podolsky’s five extra-point kicks.

kovach@vindy.com