Freshman Football Mauls Central Catholic to Finish 7-1

By Leopard Nation · Published October 22, 2016 · Updated October 22, 2016

Gage Hartman Nathan Guiley Louisville Leopards Vs. Canton Central Catholic Crusaders Freshman Football 2016

Louisville 46, Central Catholic 0

The Louisville Leopard Freshman Football team put an exclamation point on a fantastic season by dismantling the Crusaders from Canton Central Catholic 46-0 in the season finale Thursday at Louisville Leopards Stadium. With the win, Louisville finishes the 2016 campaign with a mark of 7-1.

Like they have done all year long the Leopards used big plays in the passing game, as well as a solid running game, to score 46 points in the first half of play. Grayson Beamer got the Leopards going right away by taking the Crusader kickoff 40 yards across midfield and allowing the offense to set up shop on the Central 40 yard line. Nathan Guiley would start the drive with a 12 yard scamper quickly followed by a 23 yard toss sweep to Davis Burick who would be taken out of bounds on the 5 yard line. Guiley would handle things from there by finishing off the drive with a 5 yard plunge into the endzone topped off by Carter Rode running in the conversion try and giving the Leopards an 8-0 lead.

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Central would return the ensuing kickoff across the 50, however the Leopards defense spearheaded by Jimmy Ashcraft would push the Crusaders back and force them to punt the ball back to the Leopards offense. Colton Jones connected with Burick and Ryan Pukys pushed the ball over midfield to the 48 yard line before. Jones then aired it out down the right sideline once again connecting with Burick who would sprint into the endzone for the Leopard touchdown. Ashcraft would add the two-point conversion run putting the Leopards on top 16-0 with 5 minutes left in the first quarter.

The Leopard defense wasted no time getting the ball back to the Offense when Rode intercepted the Crusader Quarterback on second down and returned the ball back out to the 20 yard line. Jones connected on a couple short passes before scrambling to his right and finding a wide open Pukys in the back of the endzone. Rode would again add the PAT run extending the lead to 24-0, and giving the Leopards all the momentum with two minutes still remaining in the first quarter.

Two plays into the next drive, Pukys intercepted the Central Quarterback and after a personal foul the offense would set up on the Crusaders 1 yard line. Guiley would score on his second touchdown run of the evening, which put the Leopards on top 30-0 as time expired in the first quarter.

As the second quarter got underway, the Leopards would block a Central punt and take over on the 41 yard line. From there, Jones would once again find Burick who would take it the distance for the score. Jax Leonard got on the board by finishing off that drive with a PAT run give Louisville a comfortable 38-0 lead with seven minutes and change remaining in the half.

On the last possession of the first half, the running game would pound the ball down the field before Beamer would weave his way across the goal line. For the final points of the season, Rode would convert his third conversion of the night making the score 46-0 with five minutes remaining in the first half.

The second half would be played following OHSAA running clock rules, and late in the 4th quarter Elijah Wilkes would intercept one last Central pass bringing this game and the freshman season to an end. The Leopards finish the season with 7 wins and 1 loss.

Video & Story By Bob Burick