Youth shows as Lorain falls to Tigers

Lorain, at times, has shown its youth this season not making plays they should.

On Sept. 28 at Cleveland Heights in a Lake Erie League matchup, the Titans showed their youth again, falling 31-23.

Lorain (3-3) failed on a fourthand-4 play on the Tigers’ 4-yard line when junior QB Jordan Jackson overthrew a receiver in the back of the end zone for a chance to tie with 1:11 remaining. Lorain went 1-for-9 on fourth down opportunities. Cleveland Heights improved to 4-2.

“I thought it was a good call and Jordan had a chance to complete it down there,” Lorain coach Dave McFarland said.

“Jordan didn’t feel well and he gutted it out and I’m real proud of him as the quarterback of our team.”

Jackson completed 24 of 33 passes for 225 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Daylin Dower was held to 35 yards on eight carries but was limited due to being banged up. Savon Chavis had 35 yards on six carries.

Lorain went down, 19-0, in the first quarter before responding with 23 unanswered points — including a 12-yard strike from Jackson to Cario Edwards with 2:58 in the half.

“I’m proud of them coming back,” McFarland added. “Unfortunately we’re really banged up. Sometimes that happens in football. Dower and Tyshawn Lighty are banged up and couldn’t really play in the second half. Lighty gutted it out. That’s a big part of our offense.”

Tigers’ running back Rob Morgan had 63 yards, including

a 42-yard rushing TD early in the first to put Cleveland Heights up 7-0.

At the end of the third quarter, down 31-23, Jackson tried a bootleg run on a fourth-and-1 but was stuffed short.

Early in the fourth, Lorain’s Kelvin Torres recovered a fumble at their own 41-yard line and returned to the Tigers’ 31 with 9:21 remaining.

But again, Lorain later failed on a 4th-and-2 from the 23-yard line.

“I told myself that I want to win this game and went out there and did my best,” Torres said. “The 19 points we gave up was unacceptable and we wanted to come out in the second half with a 0-0 mindset. We can’t blame this on anyone. We lose as a team and we’re going to come together and watch film and make adjustments.”

The Titans’ postseason chances now become slim, but McFarland’s only focus is on the next game against Warrensville Heights.

“We’ve got to worry about ourselves and get better every week,” he added.