Ursuline believes in sharing offensive responsibility up front

November 17, 2015 at 12:05a.m.

By Brian Dzenis

YOUNGSTOWN

Only five players can play on the offensive line at a time, but if you ask Ursuline High School football coach Larry Kempe to name some of the key guys at that position, he’ll say nine names.

That rotating band of big guys received a lot of credit for the Irish’s combined 344 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns in the team’s 27-20 victory against Peninsula Woodridge on Saturday in the Division IV Region 11 playoffs.

It was a big night for an offense that had to step up after Kempe called it out for a lackluster performance in Week 11’s 13-3 win over Notre Dame Cathedral Latin. The mood around Ursuline’s campus was much lighter on Monday.

“It’s a lot better,” senior offensive tackle John Neeley said. “We had better movement, the defense kept the spirit alive and we were able to go out there and make the pushes we need to make, we had good energy.”

Kempe doesn’t have to question his team’s focus this week, leaving plenty of time to concentrate on Saturday’s regional final No. 3-seed Crestwood.

“I think our focus was much better [last week] than it was against Notre Dame Cathedral Latin,” Kempe said. “What we need is for us to get four quarters like that third quarter against Woodridge, we dominated them in all phases of the game, on special teams, we had an [82-yard] return. Defensively, we shut them down and didn’t let them score and offensively we scored twice.”

That third quarter against Woodridge was a moment where Kempe thought his team played to its true potential, something he had not seen since his team’s victory against Cardinal Mooney in Week 9. An 82-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Dakota Hobbs sent the Irish into a higher gear.

“It just sparked us,” Neeley said. “Dakota made that return and we all go excited and we out there and made the stops we need on defense and came out on offense and scored. We just made it happen.”

Two more rushing touchdowns in the third quarter provided enough of a cushion to get the win. Running back Kimauni Johnson now has 1,171 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns on the season running behind a mix and match line.

After Neeley, the 6-foot-6, 270-pound tackle, there’s Giacomo Cappabianca, Ryan Stuart, Dante Cerimele, Jeff Marx, Jabbar Price, Ryan Bednarik, Daniel Leslie and Dan McCarthy that all see time on the offensive side of the trenches.

In the past couple seasons, Ursuline’s roster has become big enough from a quantity standpoint to allow a lineman to be deployed in such a way. It’s a nice luxury considering that Cappabianca, Marx and Price also play on the defensive line.

“You want quantity with quality,” Kempe said. “Quantity is a nice thing, but if you don’t have quality, you run into some trouble.

“I think we have 74 players on our team and about 35 strong football players, so you have the opportunity to play those kids and the others are working their way and developing so that we will use in the future.” Kempe said.

Neeley said, “Rotation helps, it keeps guys fresh and guys on defense don’t need to start on offense. That’s how it needs to be and the energy keeps flowing well.

“Everybody wants to play and we have people that start both ways, they’re good enough to do it and we’re alright.”

Neeley, a two-year starter, has made a verbal commitment to Akron. He’s also having quite the track career in the discus, earning two all-state honors and is a three-time All-American. Should the Zips allow it, Neeley would like to keep his track career going.

“If they let me [I would],” Neeley said. “I know it’s not a sport like football where there’s a caution for getting hurt, so hopefully they let me throw it and continue my track career.”

Ursuline is facing Crestwood on the blue turf at Ravenna’s Portage Community Bank Stadium Saturday at 7 p.m.

“We’re going to win,” Neeley said. “We’re physical, we’re the better team and we played the better schedule.”