The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
South reigns over US
First one storm hit Harry E. Winters Stadium on Sept. 13, and then another storm sent everyone scurrying for cover.
The first storm was ignited by the South football team. The Rebels jumped on University quickly and built a 35-0 lead before lightning was spotted with 8:55 left in the second quarter. Officials sent both teams to their locker rooms and ordered fans to leave the stands.
The game never resumed. About 30 minutes after it was halted, the game was declared over. The Rebels, 2-8 a year ago, are 3-0 in 2019.
“You can never get used to losing,” Coach Matt Duffy said after the game. “Our kids are hungry. They get off the bus expecting to win. They’re confident, but not overconfident. We want to get better every week.” Duffy was expecting a close game after watching tape of the way University played the first two weeks. The Preppers, 1-2, beat Warrensville Heights in their opener and lost to Bellevue last week.
The Rebels had to come from behind last week to edge Maple Heights, 3834. There was no drama in their game with the Preppers, and least not until lightning split the sky. Then the drama centered on whether fans and players would find shelter before the rain started falling. The stadium evacuation ran as smoothly as the Rebel offense and defense.
University won the toss and deferred. The Rebels started their first drive on their 7-yard-line, marched downfield and finished with a 10-yard run inside by 205-pound running back Ira Sampson.
The Preppers’ first possession did not last long. It ended with an interception by South defensive back Vince D’Eusanio in US territory, and that led to a 12yard touchdown run by Deshod Reese, a 5-foot-10 senior.
“When we’ve been good, we’ve been able to run the ball,” Duffy said. “We were able to run it tonight, and that opened up some throws downfield.”
A fumble recovery by
South set up a 75-yard catch and run on a bubble screen on a pass from senior quarterback Justin Grosel to 5-foot-9 senior wide receiver Danny Gallagher.
Grosel was 4 of 6 passing for 138 yards and two touchdowns. He hooked up with Rico Small on a 30yard play to make it 28-0 with 1:45 remaining in the first quarter.
South would get the ball one more time. The Rebels
faced fourth-and-3 at the University 25 on their first possession of the second quarter. What to do? The Rebels had already proven they could run and pass with surgical possession.
Duffy decided to stay on the ground. Grosel handed off to Sampson. The 5-foot11 sophomore burst through a hole on the left side of the line and raced to the end zone for South’s fifth touchdown.