By Tom Williams

williams@vindy.com

STRUTHERS

For the first 23 minutes and 50 seconds, the Struthers High football team was pitching a shutout against Brookfield’s high-powered offense that had been averaging more than 50 points per game.

But with 1.3 seconds remaining before halftime, Warriors quarterback Jeremy Quinlan and his twin, wideout Jimmy Quinlan, celebrated their 18th birthday with a 10-yard touchdown pass to tie the game.

Jeremy’s extra-point kick put the Warriors (4-0) ahead for keeps as Brookfield dominated in the second half for a 26-13 victory.

Brookfield head coach Randy Clark said he learned that when under pressure, “my team is relaxed — nothing upsets them. Overall, the team effort tonight was phenomenal.”

The Warriors received a huge lift when Kasey Tingler’s second-half kickoff pinned the Wildcats (3-1) at their 4. After a three-and-out series, the Warriors took over at the Struthers 37. Ten plays later, Warriors running back Ryan Mosora scored his first touchdown on a 3-yard run for a 13-6 lead.

“That gave us a good lift,” Jeremy Quinlan said. “We were pretty pumped.”

Later in the third quarter, Mosora scored from 24 yards out for a 13-point advantage.

“We knew this was going to be the toughest defense,” said Mosora who rushed for 178 yards on 25 carries. “In the second half, thanks to the O-line, we went down and scored some points.”

Late in the Warriors’ first close game, Quinlan returned an interception by Struthers quarterback Gary Muntean for a 31-yard score.

“He overthrew his receiver and I was right there in position,” Quinlan said.

Tommy Kimbrough returned the kickoff 85 yards for Struthers’ final score. Kimbrough also scored the Wildcats’ other touchdown when he caught a Muntean pass in the corner of the end zone for Struthers’ 6-0 lead with 1:13 to go before halftime.

Struthers coach Curt Kuntz said the Wildcats let an opportunity slip away.

“We weren’t pleased with some of the executing,” the Wildcats’ first-year head coach said. “We just had to catch the ball. They were playing off and we had a couple of drops, a couple of missed assignments.

“But you have to give them credit.”

The Warriors’ defense was stellar against the run, limiting Wildcats running back Dave Stewart to 41 yards on 15 carries. Muntean completed 10 of 21 passes for 132 yards. Brookfield penalties were a factor in the first half (seven for 56 yards).

“Penalties were definitely killing us,” Mosora said. I think it might have been a different story in the first half if not for all the penalties.”

The sluggish start provided Brookfield coaches with ammunition for halftime.

“It was definitely addressed — coaches had stressed all week that penalties [could] kill us,” Mosora said. “We came out in the second half and took care of it.”