Johnson, Hobbs produce big plays

as Irish defeat top-seeded Bulldogs

By Ryan Buck

sports@vindy.com

HUDSON

A dominant third quarter and a timely fourth quarter, clock-killing and season-defining drive allowed the Ursuline football team to upset previously unbeaten Peninsula Woodbridge 27-20 Saturday night in a Division IV regional semifinal at Hudson Memorial Stadium.

Irish running back Kimauni Johnson carried the football 26 times for 197 yards and two touchdowns while backfield mate Deion Edwards spelled him with 83 yards and a touchdown. Dakota Hobbs returned the second half’s opening kick 82 yards.

The Irish defense held the powerful Woodridge offense — which had averaged 43 points — in check until standout sophomore quarterback Mason Lydic engineered two fourth-quarter touchdown drives with his team trailing.

“You better believe in what your kids can do,” said Ursuline coach Larry Kempe, “and they’re reminded quite often what’s at stake and they performed. I’m very proud of them because we had been so beat up all year with injuries. Their resilience is to be applauded.”

The Bulldogs (11-1) were the top seed in Region 11 after a regular season and playoff opener which saw their closest margin of victory as just 19 points.

Until Saturday, they had not trailed all season.

The Irish struck first and when Johnson and his bulldozing offensive line engineered a nine-play, 70-yard drive in the first quarter. Johnson carried six times for 45 yards and Hobbs took a jet sweep 18 yards in the sequence.

Johnson followed the right side of his line, bounced the play outside and raced 28 yards. After a missed extra point, Ursuline led, 6-0.

Lydic his running back King Alfred Sanders responded to open the second quarter. Lydic’s precision passing and a healthy dosage of Sanders paved the way for a 7-yard scoring play from Lydic to receiver Robbie Taylor with 7:56 in the second quarter. The Bulldogs also missed the extra point and the game was tied at 6.

The game turned on the opening kickoff of the second half.

“What was discussed was, ‘This could be your last half of football or it could be a prelude to what you can do in Week 13,’ ” Kempe said of his halftime message.

The diminutive but speedy Hobbs fielded the kick at his own 18 and found space to his left. He beat the first wave of defenders, tip-toed long the sideline and beat all comers down the left side.

Johnson, who rushed for 107 yards in the first half, broke a 24-yarder to spearhead an eight-play touchdown drive that took merely 2:49 off the clock. Edwards and Joe Floyd also carried the ball on the drive, with Johnson scoring on a 5-yard run with 7:00 gone in the third quarter.

After their defense forced a three-and-out from Woodridge, Edwards wasted no time in extending the Irish lead.

He took a zone-read handoff from Irish quarterback Jared Fabry and raced untouched 60 yards to put the Irish ahead 27-7.

After a listless third quarter, Lydic opened the fourth with a drive that culminated with a 30-yard throw and catch to receiver Joe Novak, who out-jumped a defender at the goal line with 7:54 left in the game.

The Irish forced a fumble and recovered at the Woodridge 24 yard line with 5:33, which looked to seal a win.

It was not to be.

Edwards and Fabry mishandled the handoff on the next play and Woodridge recovered. Three plays later, Lydic hit Novak again, this time for a 72-yard TD and Ursuline’s lead was down to 27-20 with 4:53 to play.

A comfortable lead had turned to desperation. Only a clock-controlling drive would earn a spot in a regional final.

Kempe got it from Johnson, who ripped off a 40-yard run to the Woodridge 43 on the drive’s second play. On third-and-7 from the Woodridge 38, Johnson once again took the handoff and gained eight yards.

Then on fourth-and-1 three plays later, Johnson carried for four yards.

The Bulldogs were out of timeouts and questionable clock management by the officials left no time to mount a drive when Ursuline gave Edwards the ball twice inside the Bulldogs’ 30.

The Irish will play Mantua Crestwood next Saturday at a site to be determined.