By Tom Williams

williams@vindy.com

SOLON

After 11 straight wins, the Howland High football team’s strong defense finally ran into a player they couldn’t contain on crucial downs.

The only surprise is that it was Mentor Lake Catholic quarterback Bryan Blondeaux, not tailback Richie Sanders.

“He had a great game,” said Howland coach Richard Angle of Blondeaux after Friday’s 24-7 loss in the Division II Region 5 semifinal game at Solon High’s Stewart Field. “Obviously, they weren’t comfortable running the ball against us.”

Blondeaux scored two rushing touchdowns and made a big defensive play in the fourth quarter to send the Cougars to the regional final for the second straight year.

“They threw it very well and he made some big plays,” Angle said. “He caught us napping on the big third-quarter [pass].”

Angle was referring to Blondeaux’s 44-yard pass completion to wideout Adam Urbania on the Cougars’ first play after Howland scored to reduce Lake Catholic’s lead to 10-7.

“[Urbania] made a great catch,” Angle said. “They made a few more plays than we did and that’s why they won the game.”

On the first play of the fourth quarter, Blondeaux scored on 5-yard run to restore Lake Catholic’s 10-point lead.

On Howland’s next series, Blondeaux stripped the ball from wide receiver Brendan Cope and Marty Gibbons picked up the fumble and raced 65 yards to seal the victory.

“They took advantage of their chances,” Angle said. “It breaks your heart because we had fought back.”

Sanders carried 20 times for 144 yards.

Of Blondeaux, Lake Catholic coach Mike Bell said, “He’s a mentally tough kid. “He’s done a great job all year of managing our offense.”

The Tigers (11-) threw a major scare into the Cougars (11-1) when Dan O’Brien returned the opening kickoff 72 yards to the 21.

But a three-and-out series forced the Tigers to settle for Chris McClearn’s 31-yard field goal attempt that was wide left.

The Cougars then marched 80 yards on 11 plays, with Blondeaux scoring on a 14-yard scramble for the first half’s only TD.

“It was a good boost for our offense,” said Blondeaux.

“It says a lot when you get yourself into a jam like that early in the game and you come away unscathed,” Bell said.

In the second quarter, Cougars placekicker Kresimir Ivkovic’s 26-yard attempt with 24 seconds remaining in the half gave Lake Catholic a 10-0 lead.

In the third quarter, Tigers fullback Brandon Neilan completed a 69-yard, nine-play drive with a 4-yard scoring run. Quarterback Tim Parana completed five passes on the drive.

Howland’s DeVeon Smith, who sat out most of last week’s 17-0 win over Copley with a high ankle sprain, rushed nine times for 39 yards in the first half, but was unable to play after that.

“At halftime, it stiffened up on him and we couldn’t get him on a bike,” Angle said. “He played a valiant first half.”