First Half Air Attack Secures Winning Season at South

FULL VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS:

Louisville 27, Canton South 6

Quarterback Joey Duckworth threw four first half touchdowns and the Leopards defense took advantage of several Wildcat turnovers as Louisville defeated Canton South 27-6 in the season finale at Clyde Brechbuhler Stadium Friday night.

The Wildcats showed why they were a young 1-9 football team on their first possession.  Two times in three plays miscues on the snap exchange netted them negative 23 yards and forcing them to punt.  Dillon Stertzbach then returned the punt down the right sideline 39 yards to the Canton South 17.  A few plays later Duckworth froze the defense with a pump fake before finding wide receiver Billy Lairson wide open in the back of the endzone.  Lairson’s third touchdown catch of the season gave the Leps a 7-0 lead.

South started to move the ball when Sophomore wide receiver Deonte Settles ran the ball out of the Wildcat formation for a gain of 18 yards.  However, another wild snap got by Settles two plays later and continued to roll backwards.  After a fight for possession, the mud cleared revealing that Louisville defensive end Aaron Reynolds had recovered the ball on the Canton South 14.  The Leopards would take advantage of the turnover when Duckworth found wide receiver Trent Ohman in the right back corner of the endzone on a 4th-and-9 from the 12.  Ohman would finish the night with 4 receptions for 31 yards and finish the year with more receptions (67) and receiving yards (756) than any other player in the NBC.  14-0 Leps.

The two teams exchanged scoreless possessions as the game speedily moved into the second quarter.  Canton South went to Settles again and this time he moved them into Louisville territory on a 31 yard run to the Leopard 34.  But the turnover bug bit South hard again as just two plays later a bad snap disrupted the hand-off from Settles to Dejon Newell and Leopards defensive back Gavin Lovejoy alertly fell on the ball.  Lovejoy would burn his defender for a 64 yard touchdown reception from Duckworth a few plays later.  The Senior wide receiver’s team leading 7th touchdown reception gave Louisville a 20-0 advantage.


A poorly booted punt on the Wildcats next possession started the Leopards in South territory.  Louisville made the most of it by putting together an 5 play 48 yard drive that ended with a 25-yard touchdown pass from Duckworth to Stertzbach.  It was Duckworth’s third pass of the night that was beautifully placed just inside the back of the endzone and fourth touchdown overall to put Louisville in front 27-0 at the break.

The Sophomore quarterback finished the night 13 of 23 for 185 yards.  His only blemish came on the first Louisville drive of the second half.  Linebacker Charles Beamer’s sack and another fumble recovery by Lovejoy set the Leopards up deep in Wildcat territory.  But, Settles snagged a Duckworth pass in the endzone ending the redzone-starting drive.

Another Beamer sack forced a Canton South punt before the next Louisville drive ended with them turning the ball over on downs.  South took advantage with an 8 play 79 yard drive that ended with a 23 yard touchdown run by Settles.  The 5’4 138 pound Sophomore would finish the night with a team leading 22 carries for 123 yards and 3 catches for 14 yards.

The Wildcats would recover the ensuing onside kick, but linebacker Alex Schooley’s sack would force South to punt.  The Leopards threat to score late was stuffed at the goalline, but the clock had all but melted away on the Wildcats.  After one more Canton South play, the Leopards celebrated their 5th consecutive winning season.  The 2011 Louisville Leopards’ season was a rollercoaster ride, but with two wins to close the season the 2011 Louisville Leopards went out on top.



PICTURES

STATISTICS
LEOPARDS 27, WILDCATS 6

1     2     3     4     Final

Louisville               14   13   0      0      27

 

Canton South       0     0    0       6       6

 

1st Qtr:

L – 3:16 – Billy Lairson 9 yd pass from Joey Duckworth

Merrick Storlie PAT

7 plays 17 yds

 

L – 1: 44 – Trent Ohman 12 yds from Joey Duckworth

Merrick Storlie PAT

4 plays 14 yds

 

2nd Qtr:

L – 7:51 – Gavin Lovejoy 64 yd pass from Joey Duckworth

Kick Blocked

3 plays 68 yds

 

L – 2:45 – Dillon Stertzbach 25 yd pass from Joey Duckworth

Merrick Storlie PAT

5 plays 48 yds

 

3rd Qtr:

None

 

4th Qtr:

CS – 9:55 – Deonte Settles 23 yd run

Pass failed

8 plays 79 yds

 

Team Stats:

First Downs:

Louisville – 15

Canton South – 10

 

Rushing:

Louisville – 39 carries for 89 yds

Canton South – 27 carries for 93 yds

 

Passing:

Louisville – 13 of 23 for 185 yds 4 TD’s 1 INT

Canton South – 4 of 9 for 26 yds 0 TD’s 1 INT

 

Fumbles/Lost:

Louisville – 2/1

Canton South – 5 /3

 

 

Penatlies/Yds:

Louisville – 1 for 5 yds

Canton South – 1 for 8 yds

 

3rd Down Conversions:

Louisville – 7 of 15

Canton South – 1 of 6

 

4th Down Conversions:

Louisville – 3 of 5

Canton South – 0 of 0

 

Individual Stats:

Rushing:

Louisville – Lucas Poyser – 32 carries for 75 yds

Canton South – Deonte Settles – 22 carries for 123 yds 1 TD

 

Passing:

Louisville – Joey Duckworth – 13 of 23 for 185 yds 4 TD’s 1 INT

Canton South – Josh Lyon – 3 of 8 for 14 yds 0 TD’s 1 INT

 

Receiving:

Louisville – Billy Lairson – 4 catches for 33 yds 1 TD

Trent Ohman – 4 catches for 31 yds 1 TD

Gavin Lovejoy – 3 catches for 83 yds 1 TD

Dillon Stertzbach – 2 catches for 38 yds 1 TD

Canton South – Deonte Settles – 3 catches for 14 yds

***Stats Courtesy of Mike Burk***

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