Team

Poland

Record	Div.	Conf.
8/3	Div. III	All-American Conference Red Tier

Team

Youngstown East

Record	Div.	Conf.
1/9	Div. II	All-American Conference Red Tier

By Matthew Peaslee

mpeaslee@vindy.com

POLAND

Every time Poland senior quarterback Collin Reardon runs the ball, backup Jacob Wolfe starts pacing. He knows with any impending slip or ailment to Reardon, he’s first on call.

Reardon separated his shoulder in the abbreviated Poland-East game on Thursday night, so Wolfe got his first primetime varsity snaps.

When he woke up on Friday morning, the Bulldogs were his team.

“It was a little nerve-wracking,” the sophomore said. “I kind of got in a groove, but I was still nervous. But I’m always ready to go. It was all fun, though.”

Wolfe said he looked at the unconventional Friday afternoon game as a junior varsity contest. After all, that’s what he’s used to.

“Today almost felt like a scrimmage atmosphere,” said Poland coach Mark Brungard. “There wasn’t that high pressure, so that may have helped him settle in.”

With Poland leading 14-7 at the 2:53 mark in the 2nd quarter, lightning halted the game and it was picked up Friday at 1 p.m.

While Brungard admitted preparing for the unique start time was “strange,” adjusting to a new quarterback wasn’t.

“Wolfe came in and did a great job at quarterback,” running back Jerry Lawman said. “He did an unbelievable job. We were all comfortable with him leading the huddle.”

The Bulldogs got off to a running start before the game was called, and they picked up right there when it resumed. Lawman finished the game with 99 yards including a two-yard push in the 4th quarter giving the Bulldogs their final score of the game and a 21-7 victory.

“We just had to come out like we did last night with a lot of enthusiasm and we just played hard,” Lawman said.

Wolfe even got some chances to throw the ball.

He was a perfect 3-for-3 through the air, including a drive when he found Alex Hubbell twice.

Wolfe tipped his cap to Reardon for helping him settle in.

“Collin is a really good guy,” Wolfe said of his QB predecessor. “He knows what he’s doing and he kind of walked me through everything.”

The Bulldogs looked like they could score there early in the 3rd quarter, but East’s Rayfield Bell forced Wolfe to fumble after he ran out of the pocket.

Nonetheless, Brungard was pleased.

“[He] made some nice decisions,” Brungard said of Wolfe. “Getting his first quality snaps, he did well and managed the game.”

But nothing put a smile on the Bulldogs coach’s face more than the defense. The unit held the Panthers to just 26 yards of total offense in the second half.

“The defense came in an played light’s out,” he said. “We stuffed the run. We were worried that they might chuck a few like they did last night, but we held them.”

After totaling 90 yards passing and going 5-for-8 on Thursday night, East QB Rayshawn Johnson threw six more times and couldn’t connect with a receiver.