University earns big victory over Lakeside

Jayden Cunningham, a Youngstown State commit, ran for two touchdowns, threw for two touchdowns and accounted for 216 yards of total offense in the Preppers’ 31-14 win over the Dragons.

There are times as a coach when a week’s worth of preparation doesn’t seem like enough.

Lakeside football coach Frank Hall would likely attest to that after his trip to Hunting Valley on Oct. 14.

Despite game-planning to face University’s standout dual-threat quarterback Jayden Cunningham, the Youngstown State commit ran for two touchdowns, threw for two touchdowns and accounted for 216 yards of total offense in the Preppers’ 31-14 win over the Dragons.

“We didn’t even try (to simulate Cunningham in practice),” Hall said. “You’re talking about a dual-threat kid who, on top of that, is a great individual characterwise. That’s tough to beat.

“When No. 2 is on the field, you just can’t make many mistakes.”

Cunningham threw touchdown passes to Jake Voudouris and Jake Kapp as part of his 113-yard passing game. He had touchdown runs of 26 and 1 yards as part of his 103-yard rushing game.

He also broke up four passes on defense.

University improves to 6-2 with two games yet to play and has all but clinched a Division III, Region 10 playoff berth.

The Preppers are listed as “Control Own Destiny” on the unofficial computer points website JoeEitel. com, but hold a massive — and maybe insurmountable — points lead over much of the field below them with games against Garfield Heights and Steubenville left on the schedule.

“If you follow the stuff online, this basically punches our ticket,” US Coach Ben Malbasa said. “We have work to do to be where we want to be, but it’s always great knowing you have a chance to play in Week 11. Today made that possible.”

University never trailed, taking a 10-0 lead early on Cunningham’s 26 yard touchdown run and Adam Alt’s booming 36-yard field goal.

Even when Lakeside (4-4) answered with an acrobatic touchdown catch by Ethan Colbert, University never deviated from its plan to run the ball early and establish the line of scrimmage.

Once that running game was established — Joe Kadlick had 134 yards on the ground to go with Cunningham’s 103, part of US’ 278-yard rushing day — the passing game opened up.

Cunningham hit Kapp on a deep post from 27 yards out, then found Voudouris from 16 yards out on the same post play later in the game.

“We’ve got a pretty good kid at corner, but with (Cunningham) throwing the ball ...” Hall said. “It wasn’t even bad coverage on them. He just throws ropes and it’s in there.”

Cunningham credited his team’s ability to run the ball for his success through the air.

“When teams see we can run and consistently get four or five yards a pop, they have to scoot up (on defense),” Cunningham said. “That allows us to pass, which we did in the second half.”

Lakeside QB Spencer Loftus, shaking off an injured ankle that kept him out of practice this week, scored on a one-yard run in the fourth, but the Dragons never got within a score the entire second half.

Loftus finished with 99 yards passing and 44 rushing, with Colbert hauling in five passes for 49 yards. University’s Cam Hubbard said the goal all week in practice was to control Loftus.

“We put our most mobile second-team quarterback in there to give us a look (in practice),” Hubbard said. “It was a big emphasis for us, and I think today we capitalized on it.”

As the final seconds ticked off the clock the US players took of their helmets and sang the school’s alma mater as they lined up to shake hands with their fallen foe, knowing the win on this sunny autumn day likely meant a game in Week 11.

“To do that with these young men makes it special,” Malbasa said. “What they’ve done over the course of the last three years is truly remarkable.”