Leopards Send Aviators into a Tailspin in 40-6 Rout – 8th Grade Football
Louisville 40, Alliance 6
<<< At Hoover | 8th Grade Football Schedule | Next Vs. Massillon >>>
The Louisville Leopards 8th Grade Football Team erupted for 24 points in the second quarter and defeated the visiting Alliance Aviators 40-6 Wednesday evening at Louisville Leopards Stadium.
Louisville gained 222 yards on 22 offensive plays, averaging 10.1 yards per snap. The Leopards rushed for 128 yards, passed for 94 and scored four offensive touchdowns before adding another score on special teams.
Defensively, Louisville registered seven sacks and held Alliance to 69 total yards, including minus-18 yards rushing. The Aviators remained scoreless through the first three quarters as the Leopards improved to 3-0.
Game Recap | Scoring Summary | Team Stats | Individual Stats
YSN Broadcast
Live Stream Courtesy of YSN Live
Dente Scores Three Touchdowns Three Different Ways
Gavin Dente scored touchdowns as a runner and punt returner while also throwing for another score.
Dente accounted for 142 yards of total offense, rushing three times for 74 yards and completing his only pass for a 68-yard touchdown. He added a 40-yard punt return to finish with 182 all-purpose yards.
Following a scoreless opening quarter, Dente broke free for a 60-yard touchdown run with 4:17 remaining in the first half. Liam Beltz connected with Cy Griffith on the conversion pass to give Louisville an 8-0 lead.
The Leopards faced 3rd-and-20 on their next scoring play, but Dente and Griffith erased the long-yardage situation in one shot. Dente connected with Griffith for a 68-yard touchdown with 1:13 remaining. Easton Beard ran in the conversion to extend the Leopard advantage to 16-0.
Dente completed his touchdown trifecta on special teams during the third quarter. He fielded an Alliance punt and returned it 40 yards for a touchdown with 4:13 left in the period. Jaxon Norris added the conversion run to increase Louisville’s lead to 32-0 and invoke the running-clock mercy rule.
Griffith added a 20-yard carry to his 68-yard touchdown reception, finishing with 88 yards from scrimmage. Norris rushed twice for 16 yards, Beard added 11 yards on two carries and Colby Burrows gained eight yards on his lone attempt.
Turnover on Downs Leads to Beltz-Tice Touchdown Before Half
Louisville completed only two passes during the game, but both went for touchdowns.
The second came after the Leopard defense stopped a gamble by the Aviators just before halftime. Alliance faced 4th-and-19 from its own 26 and elected to go for the first down with 23 seconds remaining. The ensuing deep ball fell to the turf incomplete and Louisville took possession on downs.
One play later, Beltz connected with Greggory Tice III for a 26-yard touchdown with 14 seconds remaining. Beard followed with his second conversion run of the quarter, sending the Leopards into halftime ahead 24-0.
Leopards Record 7 Sacks, Hold Alliance to Minus-18 Rushing Yards
The Louisville defense controlled the line of scrimmage, holding Alliance to minus-18 rushing yards on 16 attempts. The Aviators averaged only 2.7 yards across their 26 offensive plays.
Dente and Mark Kasburg led the pass rush with 1.5 sacks each. Jude Patient and Dawson Gretch recorded one sack apiece, while Braxton Pelfrey, Aiden Bailey, Vinny Kruse and Jaidyn Taylor each contributed a half-sack.
Kasburg, Dente, Beltz and Brandon Geer also recorded tackles for loss outside of the seven sacks. Dente forced a fumble as well.
Patient’s Pressure Sets Up Geer Touchdown
Patient made another key play on special teams during the fourth quarter.
The Louisville defender powered through the left side of the Alliance punt formation and pressured punter Talen Henderson. Patient’s push forced Henderson to shank the kick, which traveled backward and resulted in a punt of minus-2 yards.
Louisville took possession at the Alliance 26. The short field led to Geer’s 13-yard touchdown run with 4:28 remaining. Norris crossed the goal line for his second conversion run, giving the Leopards a 40-0 advantage.
Geer finished with 16 yards and a touchdown on two carries.
Hartsoe Connects With Guy to Break Up Shutout
Alliance’s lone takeaway came while the game was still scoreless. Amari Hartsoe intercepted a pass at the Aviator 30 with 7:24 remaining in the second quarter, but Louisville recovered to score 24 unanswered points before halftime.
Hartsoe later connected with Malique Guy for a 64-yard touchdown pass during the fourth quarter to break up the shutout and produce the final 40-6 margin.
Hartsoe completed 5 of 10 passes for 87 yards and a touchdown. Guy accounted for nearly all of the Alliance passing production, catching four passes for 85 yards and the Aviators’ lone score.
UP NEXT: The 8th Grade Leopards will next host the Massillon Tigers on Wednesday, September 9. Game time is set for 5:00 PM from Louisville Leopards Stadium.
Donate to Leopard Nation
Alliance at Louisville 8th Grade Football Scoring Summary
LEOPARDS 40, AVIATORS 6
Team 1-2-3-4–TOTAL
Alliance 0-0-0-6–06
Louisville 0-24-8-8–40
1st Quarter
NO SCORING
2nd Quarter
LOUISVILLE – Gavin Dente 60-Yard Run (Cy Griffith Conversion Pass from Liam Beltz) | LMS 8, AMS 0, 4:17
LOUISVILLE – Cy Griffith 68-Yard Pass from Gavin Dente (Easton Beard Run) | LMS 16, AMS 0, 1:13
LOUISVILLE – Greggory Tice III 26-Yard Pass from Liam Beltz (Easton Beard Run) | LMS 24, AMS 0, 0:14
3rd Quarter
LOUISVILLE – Gavin Dente 40-Yard Punt Return (Jaxon Norris Run) | LMS 32, AMS 0, 4:13
4th Quarter
LOUISVILLE – Brandon Geer 13-Yard Run (Jaxon Norris Run) | LMS 40, AMS 0, 4:28
ALLIANCE – Malique Guy 64-Yard Pass from Amari Hartsoe (Pass Failed) | LHMS 40, AMS 6, 2:24
Records: Louisville 3-0
Team Stats
Total Offense
Louisville: 22 Plays, 222 Yards, 4 Touchdowns (10.1 Yards Per Play)
Alliance: 26 Plays, 69 Yards, 1 Touchdown (2.7 Yards Per Play)
Rushing
Louisville: 16 Carries, 128 Yards, 2 Touchdowns (8.0 Average)
Alliance: 16 Carries, -18 Yards (-1.1 Average)
Passing
Louisville: 2 of 6 for 94 Yards, 2 Touchdowns, 1 Interception
Alliance: 5 of 10 for 87 Yards, 1 Touchdown
First Downs
Louisville: 4 (4 Rushing)
Alliance: 3 (2 Passing, 1 Rushing)
Turnovers
Louisville: 1
Alliance: 0
Sacks
Louisville: 7
Alliance: 2
Tackles for Loss, Excluding Sacks
Louisville: 4
Alliance: 1
Punt Yards
Louisville: 1 Punt, 11 Yards (11.0 Average)
Alliance: 5 Punts, 94 Yards (18.8 Average)
Penalties
Louisville: 1 Penalty, 5 Yards
Alliance: 3 Penalties, 21 Yards
Individual Stats
Rushing
Louisville
Gavin Dente 3 Carries, 74 Yards, Touchdown
Cy Griffith 1 Carry, 20 Yards
Brandon Geer 2 Carries, 16 Yards, Touchdown
Jaxon Norris 2 Carries, 16 Yards
Easton Beard 2 Carries, 11 Yards
Colby Burrows 1 Carry, 8 Yards
Aiden Alex 1 Carry, 5 Yards
Nathan Dazey 1 Carry, -5 Yards
Jarrod Wooten 1 Carry, -6 Yards
Liam Beltz 2 Carries, -11 Yards
Alliance
Malique Guy 5 Carries, 18 Yards
No. 7 1 Carry, 2 Yards
Talen Henderson 1 Carry, 1 Yard
Amari Hartsoe 9 Carries, -39 Yards
Note: Sacks count as rushes in Middle School/High School Football
Passing
Louisville
Gavin Dente 1 of 1 for 68 Yards, Touchdown
Liam Beltz 1 of 5 for 26 Yards, Touchdown, Interception
Alliance
Amari Hartsoe 5 of 10 for 87 Yards, Touchdown
Receiving
Louisville
Cy Griffith 1 Catch, 68 Yards, Touchdown
Greggory Tice III 1 Catch, 26 Yards, Touchdown
Alliance
Malique Guy 4 Catches, 85 Yards, Touchdown
Talen Henderson 2 Catches, 3 Yards
Punt Returns
Louisville
Gavin Dente 1 Return, 40 Yards, Touchdown
Punts
Louisville
Dawson Gretch 1 Punt, 11 Yards, 11 Long (11.0 Average)
Alliance
Talen Henderson 5 Punts, 94 Yards, 33 Long (18.8 Average)
Tackles for Loss
Louisville
Mark Kasburg 1
Gavin Dente 1
Liam Beltz 1
Brandon Geer 1
Alliance
Jeremy Townes 1
Sacks
Louisville
Gavin Dente 1.5
Mark Kasburg 1.5
Jude Patient 1
Dawson Gretch 1
Braxton Pelfrey 0.5
Aiden Bailey 0.5
Vinny Kruse 0.5
Jaidyn Taylor 0.5
Alliance
No. 55 2
Interceptions
Alliance
Amari Hartsoe 1
Forced Fumbles
Louisville
Gavin Dente 1
