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Unbeaten Poland escapes East’s upset bid
Unbeaten Bulldogs need safety, TD in final 7:25 to stay perfect
By Tom Williams
YOUNGSTOWN
For more than three quarters, the underrated East High School football team stood toe-to-toe with undefeated Poland.
Then a combination of penalties and big plays caused the Panthers to implode, falling 16-7 at Rayen Stadium on Saturday.
“They are a really tough group and they gave us, a four-quarter game,” Poland head coach Mark Brungard said after the Bulldogs scored a safety and touchdown in the final 7:25.
Early in the fourth quarter with the score tied at 7, the Panthers forced a punt and Imoni Donadelle returned the ball 13 yards to the East 35. But things went south when a penalty flag was tossed after Donadelle went out of bounds.
East head coach P.J. Mays said Donadelle was hit after he left the playing field and pleaded for a penalty. The one called — on Mays — was not what the Panthers wanted.
The ball was moved back to the 20 for unsportsmanlike conduct. Mays said he was told he had exceeded the official’s five-second rule for making his case.
The Panthers collapsed, taking two penalties on the next three snaps. Facing third-and-22 from the 8, Poland substitute defensive lineman Justyn Madick made the play of the game, dropping Panthers quarterback Mike Lawerance at the 2.
“He went out of the pocket and I was chasing him down,” said Madick, who starts at guard and joined the defense in the first quarter when Josh Bader was injured in the first quarter. “He’s real quick.”
Madick’s sack set up a fourth-and-26. A high snap forced punter Jonathan Gregory to step back over the the end line while catching the ball, resulting in a safety.
The Bulldogs (7-0) returned the ensuing kick to the East 40. Five plays later, Anthony Audi scored on a 7-yard run to seal the victory.
“It’s always fun when you’re pushed to the limit,” Madick said. “To fight to the last second, those are always the best games to play in.
“They were a real strong defense, brought a lot of people in the box,” Madick said. “They were probably the [defense] we’ve played.”
The Bulldogs started strong, then watched the Panthers (2-5) take charge.
“Our kids played well today,” Mays said. “Poland made more plays than we did. They are a very good team and when it’s time for the coaches to check in to the ball game, they do a great job of putting a kid in a great position to make a great play.
“That’s a testament to Coach Brungard.”
Dylan Garver's first-quarter interception of Donadelle set up Poland’s other touchdown. Bader’s 8-yard return to the East 40 gave the Bulldogs a short field. Seven plays later, Garver scored from the 1 for a 7-0 lead.
The Panthers’ offense quietly took charge, running all but four plays in the second quarter. One of Poland’s plays was a Nick Buccieri run for 12 yards. The others were an incomplete pass and two interceptions of Cole Kosco by Donadelle.
The first pickoff was returned 24 yards to the Poland 27, setting up the Panthers’ touchdown. Donadelle found Tyron Jefferson in the left corner of the end zone from 16 yards.
Donadelle’s other big play came with his perfect timing in breaking up Kosco’s deep pass attempt to Garver.
“I just ran as fast as I could to go get it,” Donadelle said. “I never looked back at the ball, I just waited for the ball to come down in his arms and then made a move on the ball.”
The Panthers tamed the Bulldogs’ passing game, limiting Kosco to 2-of-9 for 28 yards.
Brungard credited the Panthers’ “athleticism in coverage. Their breaking speed on balls in the air was a lot faster than we have seen. Their ability to play some man-to-man, to keep some linebackers in the box — we had a hard time spreading them out with our formations. That’s to their credit — athletic secondary.”
The Bulldogs close with Lakeview, Hubbard and Canfield. The Panthers’ final three games are against Canfield, Warren Harding and Hubbard.