The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Lake Catholic loses in opener
Cougars’ lead first half is short-lived as Tornadoes capture season opener
DOVER >> The scoreboard at Crater Stadium in Dover flashed the words “Tornado Warning” at about 6:55 p.m on Aug. 19.
The crippling storm arrived about an hour later.
After falling behind, 7-6, late in the second quarter to visiting Lake Catholic, Dover scored 37 straight points to blow out the defending Division IV state runners-up, 43-7.
Lake took the lead with less than a minute in the half when Jimmy O’Keeffe intercepted a Dover pass and returned it to the Tornadoes’ 6. Two plays later, Carter Cantrell scored.
But on the ensuing kickoff, Mitchell Martin went 97 yards for a touchdown and a 13-7 Dover lead.
Lake never recovered. Dover scored 23 points in the third quarter and breezed to victory.
“It deflated us a lot. You saw it. The score speaks for itself,” said Lake senior Alexis Pacheco of the kickoff return. “We got punched in the mouth and didn’t respond. We’ve got to keep working on that.”
Once Dover got the momentum, it ran over Lake Catholic. Literally.
Propelled by a rushing offense that topped the 250-yard mark of the game, the Tornadoes put the game out of reach in the third quarter.
Connor McGarry scored on a 27-yard run on Dover’s first drive of the third quarter. Then on the next drive, McGarry took a screen pass to the right flat, followed his blockers and went 75 yards for the score and a 27-7 lead.
McGarry was a problem for the Cougars all night. He carried 13 times for 146 yards and scored three times.
“My linemen just blocked all night,” he said. “There were so many holes open. I give all the credit to them.”
While Lake did get a stop on the next drive, Dover’s punt pinned the Cougars back on the 1-yard line. Cantrell was dropped for a safety, and then two plays later, McGarry struck again on a 52-yard run and 36-7 lead.
The rest of the game
was little more than a formality.
“We didn’t eliminate as much of the explosive plays as we would have liked,” said Cougars coach Marty Gibbons. “They got us on some big runs and we can’t let that happen. We’ve got to get people on the ground. We’ve got a lot to learn, but we will.”
Dover gouged Lake for 272 yards rushing. Usually a prolific passing team, the Tornados threw for 122 yards — 75 coming on the one screen pass.
“The pass was there, but the run was there more,” McGarry said.
Conversely, Lake struggled offensively. Jaxon French was 10 of 22 passing for 88 yards. He also ran for 12 yards. Cantrell had 14 yards on five carries.
In his postgame talk with his team, Gibbons instructed his team to stay the course. A year ago, Lake was throttled by Kirtland, 31-15, in the seasonopener and advanced to the Division IV state championship game.
The Cougars travel to Erie McDowell in Week 2.