By Chuck Housteau

sports@vindy.com

ST. CLAIRSVILLE

The Lakeview Bulldogs were about twenty minutes late arriving for their Division IV, Region 13 playoff game at St.Clairsville’s Red Devil Stadium.

It didn’t take the Bulldogs and quarterback Anthony Franco very long to warm up.

Lakeview (9-2) displayed a versatile and balanced offense led by its talented junior quarterback and shut down the Devils with an opportunistic defense in an impressive 42-21 victory.

Franco rushed for 171 yards on 25 carries and scored three touchdowns.

He also passed for 163 yards as Lakeview advanced to the quarterfinals next week against Chagrin Falls.

“He’s a special kid,” said Lakeview coach Tom Pavlansky about Franco. “He can run and throw well. He did a great job with the football tonight.”

Franco said it’s easy when he can run and pass behind a great offensive line that constantly opens holes.

“It all starts with them,” Franco said of his linemen. “They open holes and I just run through them.”

Once Franco found openings he was able to exploit the St. Clairsville defense with his speed and elusiveness.

Franco made play after play anytime it looked like the Red Devils were going to make a run at Lakeview.

Franco was not the only play-maker for the Bulldogs as nine different players touch the football and made huge contributions.

Desmond Vaughn rushed for 60 yards on 11 carries while sophomore Elijah Henderson caught four of Franco’s passes for 124 yards.

St. Clairsville came into the contest averaging over 35 points per game with a quarterback, Zach Kinnick who had thrown for nearly 2,000 yards and 19 touchdowns against just five interceptions.

While Kinnick did complete 18 of 28 passes for 353 yards against the Bulldogs, he wasn’t able to make a lot of big plays.

Lakeview’s defense made three interceptions and recovered a fumble to totally take the Red Devils out of the game.

“We prepared very hard for this game,” Pavlansky said. “We worked hard all week and it showed out there on the field tonight. I’m proud of the kids and we’re glad to be moving on to week 12.”

Lakeview jumped on St. Clairsville with two quick scores on runs by Trevor West and Toma Leveto.

St. Clairsville got back into the game briefly in the second quarter on a field goal by Michael Androsko and a 1-yard run by Tavin Stevenson.

The game’s biggest play came right after Stevenson’s touchdown when the Devils tried an onside kick and appeared to recover it. An official ruled Lakeview’s receiver was interfered with and the Bulldogs were awarded the ball at their own 46.

Franco took advantage and capped off the short drive with a great 29-yard run after running over three defenders into the end zone.

Lakeview’s defense took over after that.

Austin Haines, Leveto, and Henderson all had interceptions to stop St. Clairsville drives.

“It was a great team effort,” Pavlansky said. “We have a lot of play-makers and our players made more big plays than their guys did.”

Franco scored once in the third quarter on a 10-yard run and once more in the fourth quarter on a 5-yard run to put the game away.

West tallied his second touchdown of the game late as Lakeview compiled nearly 300 yards on the ground and another 163 through the air.

Lakeview’s defense held St. Clairsville (8-3) to only 19 yards on the ground on 20 carries.