The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
OFFENSIVE NIGHTMARE FOR LORAIN COUNTY
Defense holds tight, but offense can’t score as Nightmares drop final home game
Despite winning the turnover battle, the Lorain County Nightmares’ offense was stuck in neutral on July 15 as the Ohio Raiders came into town and claimed a 14-0 victory.
The Nightmares forced an interception on Ohio’s first drive to get the crowd at Oberlin College excited.
But as things would go for the first half, Lorain County was forced to punt shortly after.
After going with athletic quarterback C.J. Powell Jr. for most of the first quarter, head coach Andrew Rice turned things over to James Mees see if he could get a spark started in the passing game.
“That’s something that has developed as the year’s gone on. They’re both very, very talented players and because our offense has been a little stunted in the past games and what not,” Rice said.
“We decided hey, we got this quarterback that’s really good at this type and this quarterback who’s really good at this type, let’s both put them in the best situations for success and see what happens.”
While Mees was more productive through the air, Powell Jr. stepped in and proved a valuable target for Mees as the Nightmares looked to exploit man coverage on the ends.
Lorain County trailed, 14-0, at the intermission. Its first drive of the second half looked promising as it moved the ball to the Ohio 12-yard-line. But the Raiders intercepted Mees in front of the goal line and got their defense off the field.
Gib Harris gave Lorain County a chance with an interception early in the fourth. Once again, though, the Raiders’ defense held and shut down a promising Nightmares drive.
“What’s more frustrating is support and the tempo that was generated or maybe lack there of (after the turnovers),” Rice said. “That’s where it’s really key. You get that turnover and everyone’s gotta go a million miles an hour and it’s on to it. But you get that turnover and you got guys arguing about the last series, you gotta get in the now not in the past.”
Lorain County’s best shot to score all night came late in the game as the offensive line looked at its best. Running back Dontez Smith broke free with some big gains as the offensive line blocked at the second leve. The Nightmares advanced to the Ohio 4-yard line before time expired.
“It helped out in the second half, we made some adjustments there to which, hey, sometimes you don’t have it,” Rice said. “These guys, as you know, they work 40-, 50-, 60-hour week jobs, we got a lot of guys that come right after work and we had a few guys that were beat. That’s no excuse, that’s life. That’s what we all deal with.”
Lorain County has been eliminated from postseason contention. The Nightmares will play one more regularseason game, against the host Cleveland Patriots, on July 22. A time has not been announced.