YOUNGSTOWN: Ursuline Irish defeat St. Vincent-St. Mary Irish 34-7

By Greg Gulas

But this year’s undefeated Irish team has bigger goals than the 1956 version.

YOUNGSTOWN — The last time the Ursuline Fighting Irish finished the regular season undefeated and untied, Dwight D. Eisenhower was President, Birdie Tebbets of the Cincinnati Reds was named the National League manager of the year and the Huntley-Brinkley News Report was five days from making its network debut on NBC.

The year was 1956 and while the team had no option of going to the playoffs and an opportunity for a state title, this year’s version of “unblemished” is hoping that the ride continues all the way to a Division V state crown.

Allen Jones rushed for 58 yards and a touchdown, leading six different Irish players with a touchdown, as Ursuline easily defeated the Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary Fighting Irish, 34-7 in the regular-season finale at Stambaugh Stadium.

“I’m only a junior, but I can honestly tell you that this is a very special feeling. We didn’t start out like we had hoped the last couple of seasons so to go through the season without a scratch is really very special. We’re feeling pretty good about ourselves right now,” Jones said.

“Both our offensive and defensive lines played a big part in tonight’s victory. The offense opened holes for our backs all night and the defense just kept the pressure on their backs every series.

“To be the first Ursuline team in 52 years to go undefeated and untied to this point makes everyone on the team feel really good,” he added.

Ursuline, the top offensive team in the Valley (it is averaging 304.6 yards and 37.1 points per game), struggled early offensively but kicked it up a notch in the second half to easily outdistance SVSM.

It took Ursuline (10-0) just three plays and 1:08 off the clock to get on the board as Jones dashed in from 51 yards away. Kevin Patrick added the placement to make it 7-0.

SVSM (7-3) then knotted the score at 7-all when Harvie Tuck scored on a 4-yard plunge at the 2:56 mark, his run capping a seven-play, 58-yard drive.

Darrel Mason then scored from a yard away at 5:19 of the second quarter and when neither team could mount any offense the rest of the half, Ursuline took a 14-7 lead into the locker room.

“I’m really proud of our seniors. They are a great group; a group of players that played a huge part in bringing our program to where it is today,” Ursuline coach Dan Reardon said.

“We’re a team that likes to run first and have a handful of good running backs who like to compete. That being said, it has been our defense that has carried us this season. We’ve started plenty of drives in enemy territory. They always seem to give us good field position,” he added.

Dawalyn Harper’s 20-yard scamper into the end zone midway through the third period increased the Ursuline lead to 21-7 and when Jamel Turner skirted through the SVSM defense from 6 yards away with 43 seconds left in the quarter, Ursuline increased its lead to 27-7 with 12 minutes remaining.

“I’ve never been in this situation before so to be 10-0 right now is a very special feeling,” said Harper. “I just feel blessed to be a part of school history.

“We were flat in the first half so I felt like it was up to me to change the tempo of the game. With great blocking all night, I had to take the challenge and put the team on my back.”

Ursuline tacked on an insurance marker just 59 seconds into the fourth quarter when DeAndre Harris blocked a punt at the SVSM 27-yard line, allowing L.J. Stevens to recover the ball in the end zone.