Leopards Can’t Keep Vikings at Bay in 27-18 Loss at Hoover – Varsity Football
North Canton Hoover 27, Louisville 18
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The Louisville Leopards Varsity Football Team built a 14-0 first-quarter lead, but the host North Canton Hoover Vikings rallied for a 27-18 victory Friday night at Memorial Stadium.
Louisville scored touchdowns on each of its first two possessions and led 16-7 with 1:17 remaining before halftime. Hoover answered with a touchdown just six seconds before the break, took its first lead during the third quarter, and capitalized on a late Leopard turnover to seal the game.
The Leopards gained 227 yards on 31 first-half plays, an average of 7.3 yards per snap. Their offense produced only 138 yards on 29 plays after halftime, dropping to 4.8 yards per play as the Vikings outscored Louisville 14-2 over the final two quarters.
Junior running back Lucas Neff rushed 20 times for 126 yards and a touchdown to lead Louisville. Junior quarterback Cody Zahler completed 12 of 21 passes for 168 yards and a touchdown while adding 54 yards on 13 carries. Senior receiver Ryan Rush caught four passes for 58 yards and a score.
The Leopards outgained the Vikings 365-332, ran 11 more plays, and held an 18-15 edge in first downs. However, Hoover won the turnover battle 3-0, and those extra possessions ultimately outweighed Louisville’s yardage and first-down advantages.
With the loss, the Leopards fall to 3-2 on the season.
Game Stats | Scoring Summary | Team Stats | Individual Stats
Live Stream Courtesy of YSN Live
Kortis Return Ignites Fast Louisville Start
Louisville seized momentum on the opening kickoff when junior Caden Kortis broke free for a 63-yard return to the Hoover 34.
Neff handled the ball on all four plays of the ensuing drive. He opened with gains of 6 and 9 yards, ripped off another 15 yards to reach the Viking 4, and powered into the end zone on the next snap. Junior Parker Daum converted the extra point to give the Leopards a 7-0 lead only 1:43 into the game.
On Hoover’s opening series, senior Colton Dougherty stopped Michael Lammlein for no gain to bring up 3rd-and-5. The Vikings nearly answered when junior Elijah Fryson slipped behind the secondary, but Bonner’s deep pass went off Fryson’s fingertips and Louisville forced a punt.
The Leopards then drove 85 yards in nine plays to double their advantage.
Facing 3rd-and-3 early in the possession, Zahler connected with junior Xavier Berdella for a 9-yard first down. Louisville later converted another 3rd-and-1 before Zahler looked deep for Rush from the Hoover 40.
Rush hauled in the pass and completed the 40-yard touchdown reception to finish the drive. Daum’s extra point put Louisville ahead 14-0 with 2:53 remaining in the first quarter.
Rush finished as Louisville’s leading receiver with four catches for 58 yards. He also returned two kickoffs for 32 yards.
Hoover Answers as Louisville Misses Chances to Extend Lead
Xavier Pollard delivered a jarring hit on the ensuing kickoff return, and Dougherty met Bonner at the line of scrimmage on 3rd-and-2. Louisville appeared ready to get the ball back, but Hoover used a direct snap to Ryan Boulder on a 4th-and-2 fake punt. Boulder broke loose for 29 yards, flipping the momentum and extending an 80-yard scoring march that carried into the second quarter.
Bonner eventually found senior Michael Stader for a 13-yard touchdown. Joey Riedinger’s extra point cut Louisville’s lead to 14-7 with 10:51 left in the half.
Louisville moved back into Hoover territory on its next possession. Zahler converted 3rd-and-11 with a 14-yard screen to Neff and then hit junior tight end Jake Baker for 26 yards. The Leopards reached the Viking 25, but senior Trevor Coward and sophomore Callan Walker converged on Neff after a 7-yard gain and forced the ball loose. Senior Nathan Sikora recovered for Hoover.
The Louisville defense responded by forcing a three-and-out. Junior linebacker Dom Collier dropped Michael Lammlein for a 2-yard loss, and a Hoover illegal-motion penalty created 3rd-and-17. Kortis then broke up Bonner’s pass on third down to force a punt.
The Leopards again drove into scoring range. Neff moved the chains on the ground before Zahler looked right, escaped back to his left, and raced 24 yards on 3rd-and-4 to the Hoover 25. Justin Oster later dropped Neff for a loss, the drive stalled, and Daum’s 40-yard field-goal attempt came up short and wide left.
Louisville’s defense and special teams still supplied the next points. Dougherty blew up a screen pass in the backfield to bring up 3rd-and-16 with Hoover backed up late in the half. After the Vikings failed to convert, a low punt snap skipped to the right of Riedinger. The punter kicked the loose ball out of the back of the end zone, drawing an illegal-kicking flag and producing a safety. Hoover was forced to free kick from its own 10 as Louisville’s lead grew to 16-7 with 1:17 remaining.
That advantage did not survive intact until halftime.
Louisville went three-and-out after the free kick, leaving Hoover at its own 17 with only 37 seconds before halftime. Senior Michael Lammlein began the 83-yard drive with a 17-yard run, and Bonner completed consecutive passes of 12 and 11 yards to senior Ian Dennis to cross midfield. After spiking the ball with 16 seconds left, Bonner was flushed to his left and heaved deep to Fryson, who had gotten behind the defense for a 43-yard touchdown with six seconds remaining.
Hoover tried a jump pass on the two-point conversion, but senior Ryan Rush intercepted it over the middle and the try was immediately blown dead. Louisville took a knee on its final snap, sending the Leopards to the locker room with a much narrower 16-13 lead.
Bonner’s Second-Half Surge Puts Hoover Ahead
Hoover opened the second half with a three-and-out, although Riedinger’s 62-yard punt reversed the field. Louisville also went three-and-out, and the Vikings took their first lead on the ensuing nine-play, 58-yard drive midway through the third quarter.
Bonner completed passes to Lammlein, Stader, and junior Connor McCoy during the march, including a key conversion on 3rd-and-3, before taking over with his legs. The senior quarterback accounted for the final 29 yards on three consecutive runs, gaining 5 and 15 before scoring from 9 yards out.
Riedinger added the extra point to put the Vikings ahead 20-16 with 5:28 remaining in the third.
Louisville answered with a methodical drive that reached Hoover territory. Zahler completed passes to Rush and Berdella, while Kortis contributed gains of 6 and 2 yards. The Vikings stiffened before the Leopards could reach scoring range, and Louisville was forced to punt.
Hunter Fetrow put backspin on a 38-yard punt, and Jeremy Wooten downed it at the Hoover 1. After a short gain on first down, junior Zander McCrobie was the first Leopard into the backfield for a loss that left the Vikings facing third down from their own 1. An incomplete pass then forced Hoover to punt from its own end zone early in the fourth quarter.
For the second time in the game, the snap escaped through the back of the end zone. The resulting safety drew Louisville within 20-18 with 10:31 remaining. It marked the Leopards’ first two-safety game since their 31-7 victory at Minerva in 2013.
Turnovers Prevent Leopards From Completing Comeback
Hoover’s ensuing free kick traveled deep and helped the Vikings reset the field-position battle. Louisville was unable to capitalize on the opportunity following the second safety as Neff carried twice for 6 yards before a third-down incompletion forced the Leopards to punt the ball back to Hoover.
On Hoover’s first play, Bonner pump-faked a screen to his right, drawing the Louisville defense forward and leaving McCoy wide open downfield for a 55-yard reception to the Leopard 18. The defense held from there, and Riedinger’s 32-yard field-goal attempt came up short and wide right to keep the deficit at two points.
Louisville took over at its own 20 with 6:50 remaining and a chance to regain the lead. Zahler converted 4th-and-1 on a quarterback sneak, but three plays later the Leopards faced 3rd-and-1. Zahler rolled to his right, where Trevor Coward and Maurice Howard converged for a 15-yard sack and knocked the ball free. Junior Jake Lukens recovered for the Vikings at the Louisville 24.
Bonner gained 5 yards on first down before leaping to pull down a high snap and running 18 yards to his left to reach the Louisville 1. A 5-yard penalty then moved Hoover back to the 6.
On the following play, Bonner ran right and tried to hurdle a defender. Dougherty blasted him from the left side and jarred the ball loose into the end zone. Kortis appeared to have a chance to recover, but Bonner came away with the ball at the bottom of the pile. After a lengthy discussion, the officials awarded Hoover the touchdown. Riedinger’s extra point stretched the Viking advantage to 27-18 with 2:40 remaining.
Louisville mounted one final drive deep into Hoover territory. Ryan Kavanaugh dropped Zahler for a loss on a sneak to bring up 4th-and-4, but Zahler stepped back to throw, scrambled left, spun out of a tackle, and reversed field to the right to move the chains. The Leopards added several chunk gains to reach goal-to-go, but Hoover made a stop on 4th-and-5 on the final play of the game.
The Leopards lost two of their three fumbles and also threw an interception. Hoover played turnover-free football, making the three-possession difference the defining statistical edge in an otherwise competitive game.
Halftime Splits Show How the Game Turned
Louisville’s final 365-332 advantage in total offense masked a sharp change in efficiency. The Leopards outgained Hoover 227-187 before halftime, a 40-yard advantage, but the Vikings held a 145-138 edge after the break. That represented a 47-yard swing between halves.
Louisville still held an 8-6 advantage in second-half first downs, but its five possessions ended with three punts, a lost fumble, and a turnover on downs. Hoover turned its five second-half possessions into two touchdowns, a missed field goal, a punt, and the safety that brought the Leopards within two.
Zahler completed 6 of 10 passes for 109 yards and a touchdown in the first half. He went 6 of 11 for 59 yards after halftime as Louisville failed to score another offensive touchdown. Neff carried 16 times for 88 yards before the break and four times for 38 yards in the second half. The Leopards’ 16 first-half points came from two offensive touchdowns and a safety; their only second-half points came from the second safety.
Hoover’s production was steadier, but the way Bonner created it changed. He threw for 120 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 17 yards in the first half. After halftime, he passed for 76 yards and ran 11 times for 63 yards and both Viking touchdowns. Bonner generated 137 total yards before halftime and 139 afterward, shifting from a first-half passer to the runner who finished both second-half scoring drives.
Neff averaged 6.3 yards per carry while recording another 100-yard rushing performance. He also caught two passes for 29 yards to finish with 155 yards from scrimmage. Zahler generated 222 yards of total offense between his 168 passing yards and 54 rushing yards.
In addition to Rush’s four receptions for 58 yards, Berdella caught three passes for 27 yards. Baker added a 26-yard reception, Kortis made one catch for 19 yards, and senior Colton Dougherty added a 9-yard reception.
Bonner finished 15 of 24 for 196 yards through the air and rushed 15 times for a team-high 80 yards, giving him 276 yards of total offense and a hand in all four Hoover touchdowns. McCoy led the Vikings with five receptions for 75 yards. Fryson caught two passes for 55 yards and a touchdown, Dennis made four catches for 34 yards, and Stader hauled in three passes for 21 yards and a score.
Louisville converted 5 of 13 third downs and both of its fourth-down attempts. Hoover finished only 2 of 9 on third down, but its clean turnover column proved decisive against a Leopard team that committed three turnovers.
Hoover Extends Winning Streak in Historic Rivalry
Friday’s game was the 104th all-time meeting between Louisville and North Canton Hoover in a rivalry that dates back to 1924.
The Vikings have now defeated the Leopards seven consecutive times dating back to September 18, 2020. The streak is Hoover’s longest in series history. Louisville’s most recent win over the Vikings remains its 43-36 home victory in 2019, which stands as the highest-scoring game in the series.
Despite the current streak, Louisville continues to lead the all-time series 56-43-5. Friday’s result evened the series at North Canton at 25-25-2, while the Leopards remain 31-18-3 against Hoover at home.
Louisville also maintains a 1,851-1,563 advantage in total points across the 104 meetings.
<<< Previous 2025 | Hoover All-Time Series
UP NEXT: The Leopards will next host the Lake Blue Streaks for Homecoming on Friday, September 25. Game time is set for 7:00 PM from Louisville Leopards Stadium.
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Louisville at North Canton Hoover Football Game Statistics
Scoring Summary
VIKINGS 27, LEOPARDS 18
Team 1-2-3-4–TOTAL
Louisville 14-2-0-2–18
North Canton Hoover 0-13-7-7–27
1st Quarter
LOUISVILLE – Lucas Neff 4-Yard Run (Parker Daum Kick) | LHS 7, HHS 0, 10:17
4 Plays, 34 Yards
LOUISVILLE – Ryan Rush 40-Yard Pass from Cody Zahler (Parker Daum Kick) | LHS 14, HHS 0, 2:53
9 Plays, 85 Yards
2nd Quarter
NORTH CANTON HOOVER – Michael Stader 13-Yard Pass from Nolan Bonner (Joey Riedinger Kick) | LHS 14, HHS 7, 10:51
10 Plays, 80 Yards
LOUISVILLE – Safety, Hoover Punt Snap Out of End Zone | LHS 16, HHS 7, 1:17
NORTH CANTON HOOVER – Elijah Fryson 43-Yard Pass from Nolan Bonner (Pass Failed) | LHS 16, HHS 13, 0:06
5 Plays, 83 Yards
3rd Quarter
NORTH CANTON HOOVER – Nolan Bonner 9-Yard Run (Joey Riedinger Kick) | LHS 16, HHS 20, 5:28
9 Plays, 58 Yards
4th Quarter
LOUISVILLE – Safety, Hoover Punt Snap Out of End Zone | LHS 18, HHS 20, 10:31
NORTH CANTON HOOVER – Nolan Bonner 6-Yard Run (Joey Riedinger Kick) | LHS 18, HHS 27, 2:40
3 Plays, 24 Yards
Records: Louisville 3-2
Team Stats
First Downs
Louisville: 18 (10 Rushing, 7 Passing, 1 Penalty)
North Canton Hoover: 15 (6 Rushing, 9 Passing)
Total Offense
Louisville: 60 Plays, 365 Yards, 2 Touchdowns (6.1 Yards Per Play)
North Canton Hoover: 49 Plays, 332 Yards, 4 Touchdowns (6.8 Yards Per Play)
Rushing
Louisville: 39 Carries, 197 Yards, 1 Touchdown (5.1 Average)
North Canton Hoover: 23 Carries, 136 Yards, 2 Touchdowns (5.9 Average)
Passing
Louisville: 12 of 21 for 168 Yards, 1 Touchdown, 1 Interception
North Canton Hoover: 15 of 24 for 196 Yards, 2 Touchdowns
Turnovers
Louisville: 3
North Canton Hoover: None
Fumbles/Lost
Louisville: 3/2
North Canton Hoover: 0/0
Penalties/Yards
Louisville: 2 for 15 Yards
North Canton Hoover: 5 for 45 Yards
3rd Down Conversions
Louisville: 5 for 13 (38%)
North Canton Hoover: 2 for 9 (22%)
4th Down Conversions
Louisville: 2 for 2 (100%)
North Canton Hoover: 1 for 1 (100%)
Punt Yards
Louisville: 4 Punts, 140 Yards (35.0 Average)
North Canton Hoover: 3 Punts, 139 Yards (46.3 Average)
Kick Return Yards
Louisville: 4 Returns, 109 Yards (27.3 Average)
North Canton Hoover: 3 Returns, 59 Yards (19.7 Average)
Punt Return Yards
Louisville: None
North Canton Hoover: None
Field Goal Attempts
Louisville: 0 of 1
North Canton Hoover: 0 of 1
Extra Point Kicks
Louisville: 2 of 2
North Canton Hoover: 3 of 3
