Massillon vs Ursuline

Video Set

Penza runs for three TDs as Ursuline wins fourth straight

By Joe Scalzo

scalzo@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

With just under nine minutes left in Friday’s playoff-worthy game, Ursuline quarterback Vito Penza broke through the middle of the Ursuline line and outraced two Massillon defenders for a 55-yard touchdown that prompted Irish public address announcer Don Rex to yell, “Vito the Godfather!”

“That’s pretty cool,” said Penza, who admitted he didn’t hear the call. “I like that.

“I’m going to have to listen next time.”

Penza’s touchdown proved to be the difference in Ursuline’s 23-14 win over the Tigers at Stambaugh Stadium, but the game was won up front, where the Irish lines showed more muscle than the Corleone family.

“We’re growing up as a football team,” Irish coach Larry Kempe said. “I’ve always liked our physicality on defense and we’re starting to understand that up front, too.

“You know you’re going to get four quarters out of Massillon. Now we’re starting to get four quarters out of our kids.”

Penza ran for 176 yards and three touchdowns and Kimauni Johnson added 113 yards and had crucial blocks on two of Penza’s TD runs for the Irish (5-2), who didn’t complete a single pass but still won their fourth straight game.

“Beating a team like Massillon, we knew their fan base was gonna be crazy, we knew ‘Obie’ the Tiger [mascot] was gonna come down and just to get a win against a great Division II school with the athletes they have [is special],” said Penza. “We knew we had to play Ursuline football. Youngstown football.”

That started up front, as Ursuline’s defensive line wreaked havoc on Tigers sophomore Danny Clark, an Ohio State recruit who completed just 14 of 37 passes (albeit for 223 yards) and who is now on a first-name basis with Irish defenders like Jabbar Price, Jeff Marx, Giacamo Cappabianca, Robbie Beardman and Tyler Leonard.

“I thought their [Ursuline’s] defensive line played well,” Massillon coach Jason Hall said. “They got penetration, they messed up our zone and our cutbacks and they got a lot of pressure on our quarterback.”

Massillon (4-2) did threaten in the closing minutes. Clark connected with Reggie Rogers on a 61-yard pass to get down to the Irish 24 with two minutes left. After three straight incompletions, Hall opted for a 41-yard field goal attempt, which Andrew David missed wide right.

"This is a great win for our program," Kempe said. "We haven't beaten a team like this since probably the 2010 season."

David also had a 22-yard field goal attempt blocked by Marcus Mosley early in the third quarter — “That might have changed our mindset later in the game when we were driving,” Hall said — and lost 31 yards on a high punt snap.

“They hit their field goal and we didn’t,” Hall said. “They scored their touchdowns and we didn’t. They won the game physically.”

Ursuline entered the game third in the Division V, Region 15 computer ratings and will pick up a pile of points from a Tigers team that's one week removed from being ranked No. 1 in the state in Division II. But when asked if he was computing the numbers in his head, Kempe said, "No, we've still got three more weeks. But I'll tell you what — I'm gonna enjoy this tonight."

When asked about his beverage of choice, Kempe broke into a huge grin and said, "Milk."