The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Titans light up scoreboard in LEL win
Lorain’s big play offense put on another fantastic display in its conference opener.
Lorain senior quarterback Justin Sturgill threw touchdown passes of 38, 27 and 49 yards in the first half as the host Titans rolled to a 37-6 Lake Erie League win over Cleveland Heights Sept. 29.
“Our message in Lorain is to do the right things in school, the community and in football,” Lorain coach Dave McFarland said. “We have to kept teaching every day ... they are starting to understand you have to pay attention to film and to detail.
“Our kids are starting to understand the game a little bit and each week we get a little bit better and that’s the key.”
On its first series, Lorain (5-1, 1-0) used the running game to soften up the Tigers defense. After five consecutive runs, Sturgill hit Zion Cross on a bubble pass. Cross, who won a state championship in track, eluded a Tigers defense and put his speed to use to score from 38 yards out.
Though the Titans offense sputtered just a tad
the rest of the quarter, they made up for it in the second quarter.
Sturgill threw his second touchdown pass of the half hitting Tyshawn Lighty, who broke a tackle and scored from 27 yards out for a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter. Sturgill’s touchdown pass came after five straight incompletions.
The passing attack took a backseat on Lorain’s second score of the quarter with Daylin Dower (18-160) breaking a tackle at the line of scrimmage and going in from 16 yards out.
The last score came in breathtaking fashion as the Titans got the ball with less than 90 seconds left in the first half. Getting the ball just past midfield and the clock running, Sturgill rolled to his left and hit Lighty on a crossing route. Lighty juked past a Tigers defender and broke into the clear for a 49-yard touchdown as time expired in the first half and give Lorain a 29-0 lead.
“I love seeing them make the plays they do. It’s amazing,” Sturgill said. “You have to have players to help you out no matter what. They help me out. I help them out.
“It’s a start for our conference. We have a strong conference and we have to continue this next week.”
While the offense was putting on a show, the Titans’ defense was stellar as well, holding Cleveland Heights to under 100 total yards of total offense in the first half and harassing quarterback Josh Harris, allowing only 16 yards passing in the first half.
Lorain got the running clock rule enforced with Tyshawn Nelson bulling in from two yards outs early in the fourth quarter. The defense also got in on the scoring as they recorded a safety when Harris couldn’t handle a low snap and fell on the loose ball in the end zone.
“Our defense is fast and we have a lot of moving parts,” Lorain middle linebacker Kelvin Torres said. “We just fight for each other, look at the film and know what we have to do and execute it.”
McFarland was happy with the defensive performance noting how everyone did their job against the Tigers potent offense which included Ohio State recruit Tyreke Smith.
Lorain continues LEL play when they host Warrensville Heights Oct. 6.