By Pete Mollica

Dale Peterman’s second-half interception gave the Irish the spark they needed.

YOUNGSTOWN — Once Ursuline High’s football team started holding onto the football, there was no stopping the Irish.

Ursuline lost three fumbles in the first half and trailed 13-6 before rallying in the second half for a 23-13 victory over Massillon Friday at Stambaugh Stadium.

The Irish (4-0), ranked No. 2 in Division V in the latest Associated Press poll, dominated the Tigers (2-2) once they stopped fumbling.

In Ursuline’s first four possessions of the first half, it fumbled the ball away three times and scored on the other possession.

The Irish fumbled twice more in the second half, but recovered both miscues as they outscored the Tigers 17-0.

“We put ourselves in tough situations with the turnovers in the first half,” Ursuline head coach Dan Reardon said. “We talked about it at halftime, especially taking better care of the football.

“I was proud of our offense in the second half, especially the play of our offensive line,” Reardon said. “Good teams find a way to win football games.

The Irish turned the game around at the start of the second half.

The Tigers got the second-half kickoff, but on second down from their own 34, quarterback Michael Clark was intercepted by the Irish’ Dale Peterman at the Ursuline 45.

Peterman returned the ball all the way to the Massillon 15 yard line.

Two plays later, senior Darrell Mason strolled over from the 7 yard line and the Irish were in control of the game the rest of the way.

“That was a huge play for us,” Reardon said. “Dale made a great play and it really turned the momentum to our favor.

“This was a big win for the program, heck any time you beat a program like Massillon it’s a big win for any program,” Reardon said. “We have all the respect in the world for Massillon. We lost a close game down there last year and the kids never forgot it.”

The Irish rolled up 340 total yards including 223 on the ground, while holding the Tigers, a Division I team, to just 166 total yards and 69 yards rushing.

Junior quarterback Dawalyn Harper led the Irish with 71 yards on 10 carries and one touchdown, while sophomore quarterback Paul Kempe was 6-of-8 passing for 110 yards, including a 56-yarder to Allen Jones.

Massillon jumped out on top in the contest, following the Irish’ second fumble. The Tigers drove 54 yards on 12 plays before J.B. Price capped the drive with a 1-yard run.

Ursuline came back early in the second quarter to get on the scoreboard behind three passes from Kempe before Jones capped the 63-yard drive with a one yard run.

The Irish fumbled again late in the second quarter and the Tigers made them pay again. This time it was a 13-yard scoring pass from Clark to J.T. Turner which gave the Tigers a 13-6 halftime lead.

Then came the interception by Peterman and the tide changed.

After Mason’s touchdown tied the game at 13-13, the Irish’ defense quickly stuffed the Tigers and took over at their own 34.

The big play in the drive was a fake punt by the Irish on fourth down at their own 48. Jones took the short snap and raced 18 yards to keep the drive alive. Jones had another 11-yard scamper to put the ball at the Tigers’ 13 and then Ursuline just ground it out until Harper scored from the one with 48 seconds left in the quarter and gave Ursuline its first lead, 20-13.

Senior placekicker Kevin Patrick added a 20-yard field goal in the final quarter to close out the scoring.

mollica@vindy.com