By matthew peaslee

mpeaslee@vindy.com

Struthers

Team

Hubbard

Record	Div.	Conf.
5/5	Div. IV	All-American Conference White Tier

All Hubbard running back Larry Scott had for lunch on Friday was a burger and an order of fries.

It must not have filled up the 6-foot, 200-pound freshman.

The Eagles fed Scott the ball 24 times and threw it to him twice in their 22-13 win over Struthers. He finished with 221 total yards.

“My coaches have told me to get at it and just hit holes harder,” he said. “I’ve started to do that and it’s paid off.”

Hubbard improved to 6-3 and clinched the All-American White Division title. Unlike his relatively small pre-game meal, this was a big accomplishment in Scott’s young career.

“I’ve never had it before, obviously, so it’s such a great feeling to bring that title home for my first time on varsity,” he said.

Scott put the Eagles up 14-0 early in the 2nd quarter with a 42 yard scoring scamper. They nearly made it 21-0 to close out the first half after a fumble recovery gave them the ball on their own 37 yard line. They took it down inside the five and were set up for a fourth and short to punch it in the end zone. However, a personal foul penalty backed them up and the Eagles failed to convert.

Taking advantage, the Wildcats marched 80 yards in four minutes for their first points, cutting the lead in half. The drive featured quarterback Gary Muntean going a perfect 4-for-4 passing. The sophomore ended with 283 yards through the air, while completing 16-of-24.

“He’s a young kid but he handled the game like a veteran,” said Struthers head coach Mark Asher. “He did some good things out there.”

The Wildcats held Hubbard to 49 yards in the third quarter, and recovered a Scott fumble. On another possession, Muntean was spotless hitting three different receivers for an 85-yard scoring drive and Struthers closed to within one, minutes into the fourth quarter.

Hubbard coach Brian Hoffman wasn’t ready to bite his finger nails, quite yet.

On just the second play of the ensuing possesion, Scott plowed through for a 34-yard touchdown. A successful two-point conversion made it 22-13.

“The pendulum was sure swinging,” he said. “It was back-and-forth all night. To our credit, we kept plugging away and playing it one play at a time. Simplifying it like that makes things easier.”

Struthers had a chance to score with the ball inside the 10. Opting for a 29 yard field goal, it was blocked by Darnell Tate to virtually ensure an Eagle victory.

“It was a great play in a big momentum,” Hoffman said. “Darnell stepped up in a big way and got it done because things could have got a little more interesting after that.”

Hubbard picked up 19 first downs in the win and had 356 rushing yards. QB Ashton Owens had 105, while fullback Jeremy Kerola pounded for 31.