Leopards Can’t Escape from Lions Den 29-26
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS:
Minerva 29, Louisville 26
The Leopards drive to take the lead with under two minutes remaining in the game had all the makings of another clutch Louisville comeback, but a 67-yard touchdown pass from Eli Maurer to Kyle Crum with 1:10 left gave Minerva the lead right back. The Lions hung on for a 29-26 victory, their first win against the Leopards since 2000.
At halftime it sure looked like the Leopards were going to make it eleven straight victories against their former week ten rival. Louisville put together three double digit play drives of 65, 60, and 90 yards to take a 20-7 lead in the second quarter. Each drive ended with a touchdown run by quarterback Chad Neff. Neff scored from 2, 4, and 20 yards away and finished the evening with 33 carries for 200 yards.
Minerva’s only first half touchdown was set up by a Tyler Klimko 74-yard interception return. Three plays later Minerva’s Jake Riley scored on a 12-yard touchdown run.
The Leopards opening second half drive seemed to be business as usual. After taking four minutes off the clock, Louisville had driven to the Minerva 25-yard-line. On a 4th-and-5 play Neff threw a pass to the left side of the endzone that fell just out of the reach of wide receiver Dillon Stertzbach. The Leopards converted 8 of 11 fourth down conversions on the night, but not this one.
Minerva would respond by driving to midfield and converting a 4th-and-2 play. Then Minerva quarterback Eli Maurer rifled a pass over the middle of the field to wide receiver Zach Wade who made a one-handed grab and took it to the house for a 50-yard score. The Lions now only trailed 20-14.
The Leopards advanced down the field again on the next drive. On a 3rd-and-5 from the Lions 6-yard-line, Neff couldn’t find an open receiver. He ran backwards to buy time, but couldn’t escape the pass rush of linebacker Mitch Soles who buried him for a 14 yard loss. Neff’s 4th-and-19 pass fell incomplete in the endzone giving the ball and the momentum back to Minerva.
A 7 play, 81 yard drive by the Lions ended with Klimko diving across the right side of the endzone plane on a 10-yard pass from Maurer. The extra point sailed through the uprights giving Minerva a 21-20 lead with 8:44 left to play.
Louisville went three-and-out on their ensuing possession and a botched 17-yard punt put Minerva at midfield. However, the Leps defense held the Lions, which gave them the ball back to Louisville with 5:17 remaining.
The Leopards mounted what appeared to be the game winning drive going 78 yards in 11 plays and leaving just 1:29 left on the clock. The drive included a 4th-and-7 conversion from Neff to Stertzbach and a 15-yard completion from Neff to Lucas Poyser setting up the Leopards with a goal to go. Two plays later Neff ran into the endzone standing up in what appeared to be the dagger with just 1:29 remaining. The run on the extra point came up just short leaving Louisville with a 26-21 lead.
But in just two plays the Lions ripped the heart out of the Leopards. In hot pursuit, the Lions Maurer heaved the ball deep down field to wide receiver Kyle Crum. Crum out-leaped the Leopards coverage, secured the ball at the Leopards 41-yard-line, and won the race to the endzone for the go-ahead score sending the Lions fans into a frenzy. After a two-point conversion run in by Wade the Lions led 29-26.
The Leopards valiantly drove all the way into the redzone with just 8 seconds remaining. Neff broke one tackle, but still couldn’t find an open receiver. He was finally wrestled down near the left sideline by Minerva linebacker Ethan Rodgers as time expired. The blacked out Minerva student section stormed the field and celebrated the Lions first win over the Leopards in over a decade.
Although the Leopards came up short on the scoreboard, Louisville dominated the state sheet in total yard 517-291 and first downs 27-11. Louisville now leads the all-time series in this classic rivalry 59-20-5.
NEXT UP: The Leopards will travel to Alliance to take on the Aviators on Friday, September 30 at 7:00 PM. Be sure to come back to Leopard Nation later in the week to get an in-depth preview on the game and series history.
PICTURES
COMING SOON
STATISTICS
LIONS 29, LEOPARDS 26
1 2 3 4 Final
Louisville 0 20 0 6 26
Minerva 7 0 7 15 29
1st Qtr:
M – 3:49 – Jake Riley 12 yd run
Nate Smith PAT
3 plays 20 yds
2nd Qtr:
L – 10:00 – Chad Neff 2 yd run
Merrick Storlie PAT
16 plays 65 yds
L – 4:50 – Chad Neff 4 yd run
Merrick Storlie PAT
12 plays 60 yds
L – 1:01 – Chad Neff 20 yd run
Run Failed
10 plays 90 yds
3rd Qtr:
M- 5:37 – Zach Wade 50 yd pass Eli Maurer
Nate Smith PAT
8 plays 74 yds
4th Qtr:
M – 8:44 – Tyler Klimko 10 yd pass Eli Maurer
Nate Smith PAT
7 plays 81 yds
L- 1:29 – Chad Neff 2 yd run
Run failed
11 plays 78 yds
M – 1:10 – Kyle Crum 67 yd pass Eli Maurer
Zach Wade 2pt run
2 plays 67 yds
Team Stats:
First Downs:
Louisville – 27
Minerva – 11
Rushing:
Louisville – 53 carries for 272 yds
Minerva – 19 carries for 89 yds
Passing:
Louisville – 22 of 38 for 245 yds 0 TD’s 1 INT
Minerva – 13 of 20 for 202 yds 3 TD’s 0 INT
Fumbles/Lost
Louisville – 1/0
Minerva – 0/0
Penalties/Yds
Louisville – 5 for 45 yds
Minerva 5 for 23 yds
3RD Down Conversions
Louisville – 3 of 18
Minerva – 2 of 8
4th Down Conversions:
Louisville – 8 of 11
Minerva 1of 2
Individual Stats:
Rushing:
Louisville – Chad Neff – 33 carries for 200 yds 4 TD’s
Lucas Poyser – 19 carries for 72 yds
Minerva – Jake Riley – 16 carries for 79 yds
Passing:
Louisville – Chad Neff – 22 of 38 for 242 yds 0 TD’s 1 INT
Minerva – Eli Maurer – 13 of 20 for 202 yds 3 TD’s 0 INT
Receiving:
Louisville – Trent Ohman – 6 catches for 58 yds
Gavin Lovejoy – 5 catches for 74 yds
Dillon Stertzbach – 4 catches for 45 yds
Lucas Poyser – 4 catches for 44 yds
Billy Lairson – 3 catches for 24 yds
Minerva – Tyler Klimko – 7 catches for 48 yds 1 TD
Kyle Crum – 3 catches for 100 yds
Records: Louisville 2-3, 1-1; Minerva 5-0, 2-0
***STATS COURTESY OF MIKE BURK***
