Falcons Double Up Leopards 42-21 – Varsity Football
Austintown Fitch 42, Louisville 21
The Louisville Leopards Varsity Football team fell to the host Austintown Fitch Falcons 42-21 at Greenwood Chevrolet Austintown Falcon Stadium Friday Night. With the loss, Louisville is now 0-3 on the year.
Quarterback Jared Mathie completed 22 of 38 passes for 266 yards and threw for all 3 Leopards touchdowns. Mathie hit Wide Receiver Bryce Zuppe 8 times for 48 yards and Max Hartline 7 times for 134 yards and a touchdown. He also found Davis Burick for 68 yards on 4 receptions and a pair of endzone strikes for Louisville.
The Falcons did most of their damage on the ground as they ran the ball 51 times for 300 yards and 5 touchdowns as a team. Quarterback Joey Zielinski led the rushing attack with 13 carries for 84 yards and scored on a 6 yard play action draw. Runningback Randy Smith carried the ball 16 times for 65 yards and reached the endzone on a pair of short touchdown runs. Jakari Lumsden also weaved his way for a 3 yard touchdown run in the first quarter and DeOndre McKeever broke loose for a 69 yard touchdown scamper in the fourth quarter.
Zielinski finished 3 of 6 passing for 54 yards, but Fitch’s only score through the air came on a gadget play at the start of the second quarter. Zielinski handed off to Ralph Fitzgerald who stepped back to throw. He dropped a pass into the endzone that found the hands of fellow receiver Cory Vernon for a 24 yard score that put Austintown Fitch up 21-0.
The Leopards answered that drive with a 10 play, 80 yard scoring drive. Mathie connected with Zuppe on back-to-back plays to net 16 yards. Then Runningback Gavin VanZant blasted up the middle for a gain of 9 yards to the Louisville 45. The Falcons swarmed in for a sack on the next play, but a personal foul was called for a late hit on Mathie advancing the Leopard drive to the Fitch 40.
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After an incompletion and another sack, Louisville faced 3rd-and-13. Mathie completed a pass to Burick for a gain of 11 to set up a 4th-and-2. The pair connected again in the left flat for the first down and Burick slipped by the coverage on his was to a 32 yard touchdown reception to get the Leopards on the board.
The second Louisville touchdown came after the Leopards pinned the Falcons back deep in their own end. After a Leopard punt late in the third quarter, Fitch was called for an illegal block in the back on the return setting their starting position at their own 10. VanZant blew up the Falcons run in the backfield for a loss of 7 on first down. On third down, Fitch fumbled the exchange just in front of the goal line but the Falcons pounced back on it at their own 3.
Austintown Fitch punted out of their own endzone with max protection. This set Hartline loose for a 22 yard return to the Falcons 27. On the first play of the drive Mathie stood in the pocket with a defender charging in and rocketed a pass to the left side of the endzone. Hartline beat the defender near the end line and came back for a diving touchdown grab to cut the deficit to 35-14.
Another Mathie to Hartline connection keyed the next Leopards scoring drive. The pair flipped the field on a 47 hook up on the second play of the drive to put Louisville deep in Fitch territory at the Falcon 24. After another completion to Hartline set up goal-to-go, Mathie rifled a touchdown pass to Burick from 9 yards out to finalize the score at 42-21.
With the loss, the Leopards are now 0-3 against the Falcons falling in each of the past three seasons. They are also 0-2 in games played at Austintown Fitch. Louisville will begin conference play next week when they host the Marlington Dukes.
UP NEXT: The Leopards will next host the Marlington Dukes on Friday, September 15. Game time is set for 7:00 PM at Louisville Leopards Stadium!
Pictures
Cover Photo Taken By Jim & Laura Photography
View & Purchase Louisville Leopards Pictures on the Jim & Laura Photography Website
Scoring Summary
FALCONS 42, LEOPARDS 21
Team 1-2-3-4–TOTAL
Louisville 0-7-0-14–21
Austintown Fitch 14-14-7-7–42
1st Qtr:
F – Randy Smith 5 yd run
Dylan Correia PAT
8 plays 70 yds
F – Jakari Lumsden 3 yd run
Dylan Correia PAT
3 plays 15 yds
2nd Qtr:
F – Cory Vernon 24 yd pass from Ralph Fitzgerald
Dylan Correia PAT
5 plays 62 yds
L – Davis Burick 32 yd pass from Jared Mathie
Hannah Baughman PAT
10 plays 80 yds
F – Joey Zielinski 6 yd run
Dylan Correia PAT
8 plays 57 yds
3rd Qtr:
F – Randy Smith 2 yd run
Dylan Correia PAT
10 plays 50 yds
4th Qtr:
L – Max Hartline 27 yd pass from Jared Mathie
Hannah Baughman PAT
1 play 27 yds
F – Deondre McKeever 69 yd run
Dylan Correia PAT
2 plays 70 yds
L – Davis Burick 9 yd pass from Jared Mathie
Hannah Baughman PAT
5 plays 75 yds
Team Stats
1st Downs:
Louisville: 13
Fitch: 16
Rushing:
Louisville: 12 carries 43 yds
Fitch: 51 carries for 300 yds 5 TD’s
Passing:
Louisville: 22 of 38 for 266 yds 3 TD’s 2 INT’s
Fitch: 6 of 10 for 88 yds 1 TD 0 INT
Fumbles/Lost:
Louisville: 1/0
Fitch: 1/0
Penalties/Yds:
Louisville: 4/35
Fitch: 8/90
3rd Down:
Louisville: 3/12
Fitch: 4/11
4th Down:
Louisville: ‘1/2
Fitch: ‘1/2
Individual Stats
Rushing:
Louisville: Jared Mathie 6 carries for 21 yds
Gavin VanZantL 4 carries for 13 yds
Nathan Guiley: 2 carries for 9 yds
Fitch: Joey Zielinski 13 carries for 84 yds 1 TD
Randy Smith 16 carries for 65 yds 2 TD’s
Passing:
Louisville: Jared Mathie 22 of 38 for 266 yds 3 TD’s 2 INT’s
Fitch: Joey Zielinski 3 of 6 for 54 yds 0 TD’a 0 INt’s
Receiving:
Louisville: Max Hartline 7 catches for 134 yds 1 TD
Davis Burick 4 catches for 68 yds 2 TD’s
Bryce Zuppe 8 catches for 48 yds
Ryan Pukys 3 catches for 16 yds
Fitch: Ralph Fitzgerald 2 catches for 31 yds
Records: Austintown Fitch 1-2, Louisville 0-3
