By John Bassetti

sports@vindy.com

Struthers

It’s one thing to lose the game, but it’s another to lose your main running back.

That’s the hand Struthers was dealt after hounding Chardon Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin until turnovers spelled doom for the Wildcats in a 29-21 loss at home.

Struthers stayed within a point of ND-CL at scores of 8-7 and 15-14, but the Lions (4-1) took advantage of an interception and two fumbles to take home the victory.

ND-CL was riding a three-game win streak before being stopped by Hubbard last week, 49-15.

Although Struthers out-gained ND-CL on the ground, 202-129, the Lions ran 40 plays to the Wildcats’ 25 and held a 282-113 advantage in the air.

But the numbers weren’t needed after Struthers had three drives short-circuited by the miscues.

“When you turn the ball over too many times, especially near the goalline, things won’t go in your favor,” Struthers coach Curt Kuntz said. “When you get down there, you’ve got to earn it. You’ve got to hand the ball to the officials [rather than fumble].”

To make matters worse, Struthers’ Luke Witkowski was hurt in the third quarter during the rash of misfortune for the Wildcats (2-3).

Witkowski was lost not long after he sprinted 65 yards for a touchdown that pulled Struthers within 15-14 at 8:29 of the third quarter.

Kuntz said that the Lions had the ball a lot in the first half when they scored on the opening drive and were able to convert on third-down plays.

“Their quarterback made a lot of plays — a lot of third-down conversions — so we didn’t have the ball much in the first half and that was the biggest difference,” Kuntz said of T.J. McKiernan,who was 24 of 30 for 282 yards, including two touchdowns to Brendan Leininger (6 yards) and Aaron Hammer (50 yards).

“We pounded them with hitches the whole game and hoped that, maybe, they’d jump on one,” Hammer said of the fourth-quarter pass play that sealed ND-CL’s win. “Coach called it at the right time and we were in the right position and T.J. put the ball on the money,” said Hammer, who finished with nine catches for 119 yards.

Harrison Richardson also ran for two TDs for the visitors.

A.J. Musolino threw touchdown aerials to Austin Yemma that covered 43 yards and another to Cameron Suchora on a 6-yarder. Yemma finished with five catches for 70 yards, Anthony Clark had 3 for 24 and Suchora caught three for 16. Musolino was 14 of 18 for 113 yards, but he also had the interception. He also gained 82 yards on 12 carries. Witkowski gained 81 on six tries.

In the second half, ND-CL executed more plays without consequences, but coach Ben Malbasa was impressed with the Wildcats, otherwise.

“What a great place to play and against a team that completely out-coached us tonight. They did a great job handling our offense and attacking our defense. What they did with their young men to get ready for us was a real credit to coach Kuntz. My hat is off to that program.”

Malbasa said that Struthers slowed his team offensively.

“They said, ‘Hey, we’re going to let them run plays in between the 20s and come out with exotic looks down in the red zone and give them some trouble.’ I felt they did a great job of prepping.”

He called Struthers a beautiful place to play. “I wish it weren’t a one-year contract,” Malbasa said. “I wish it were every year. We both had an open date and needed it [filled]. Sometimes you get out-coached, but good players make plays,”