By John Bassetti

sports@vindy.com

Youngstown

East could have used University School’s placekicker, Ryder Bell, who had a career-best 50-yard field goal with 7:14 left, but the Panthers could have done without a fumble that seemingly killed their chances of scoring in the closing minutes of a 15-14 loss at Rayen Stadium.

“I think he’s the best kicker in Ohio,” said University School coach Jim Stephens. “He’s a difference-maker.”

Other players who had a direct role in the win that was University School’s second straight, were Jay Bullock and Chris Hole after Bullock caused East quarterback Brandon Jackson to fumble before Hole recovered it at the Preppers’ 16-yard line with 1:43 to go.

“It was just a good hit,” Stephens said of Bullock’s play that snuffed East’s momentum after Isaiah Nuckles gained 65 yards on a pass from Jackson to put the Panthers (1-1) in position to go ahead.

After falling behind, 8-0, University School kept chipping away as it trailed 8-6, then 14-6 and 14-12. But Bell’s boot from East’s 40-yard line was the clincher, offensively.

East coach P.J. Mays said that his Panthers were so tickled to win their season opener that, collectively, the euphoria backfired.

“Because we won a game last week, we, as a group, thought that they — the next team we play — would lay down for us. We played tonight how we practiced this week. The guys were celebrating into Thursday night. We decided to give the game away because we won our first game.”

Mays expounded on the problems.

“It was a breakdown, offensively and defensively. University is a very good program, but, at the same time, everything they got we allowed them to have,” he said of his players hesitating instead of reacting to University’s hitch passes or missing tackles in the backfield or jumping offsides. We gave them opportunities to get in range to strike to win the game.”

Mays said University beat Shaker Heights in its opener, 30-28, by a similar method.

“With specialists like they have, you cannot allow them to hang around or even get past the 50-yard line because that kid kicked a 50-yarder and it was still climbing when it went past the crossbar.”

Of East’s 161 rushing yards, Jawalen Shaw picked up 82 on 19 carries, while Jackson had a 62-yard touchdown run and a conversion run. But after Jackson’s TD put East up, 14-6, with 1:22 remaining in the first half, the Panthers missed their PAT and didn’t score again.

Despite being eager to give East credit for threatening until the last two minutes, Stephens couldn’t hide his 50-yard smile.

”We happened to win because we had a better kicker,” Stephens said. “We were lucky. I would not want to play them later in the season because they’ll continue to get better and better.”

One pesky Prepper who didn’t come off the field was defensive lineman Tyler Wasser, a three-year starter, who, apparently, has the brains to go along with his 6-5, 220-pound body.

“He’s probably an Ivy League kid,” Stephens said of the senior. “He’s got a 3.8 average and his ACT score was 35 (out of possible 36).