CARDINALS GIVE IT ALL UNTIL THE VERY END

GIRARD, OH- The Canfield Cardinals football team knew that the task was tall on Friday night.  One that pitted the top team in the region in Chardon against the fourth-ranked team in Canfield.

From the jump, Canfield was up to the task and put together a big stop defensively against the incredibly methodical Chardon offense.  However, when The Hilltoppers were able to get things clicking- and try as they might, the Cards ran out of answers in a 27-14 loss to end their campaign.

It was evident from the onset that the Hilltoppers did not want Canfield Junior Broc Lowry to have the game in his hands offensively.  The time of possession heavily favored the Hilltoppers, and were able to utilize the timing and patience of the “Wing-T” offense to near perfection, only putting the ball in the air twice all evening long.

Chardon started out with a 14-0 lead that they’d take into the locker room at halftime, but Canfield showed “Youngstown Grit” coming out of the break, putting together a scoring drive that showcased the Cardinals offensive line moving piles and promoting a balanced offensive attack on the ground and through the air.  The opening drive was capped off by a score from the arm of Lowry to Oliver Kovass from 13 yards away to put the Cards on the board.

The Cardinals felt the winds of change in their favor for a moment when the Canfield defense held the Hilltoppers again, and nearly were able to create their first major splash play when the ball was snapped over the Chardon punter’s head, only to result in a rugby-style punt that put the ball on the Canfield 49 yard-line.

The ball of momentum unwound for Canfield moments later when an RPO-syle play resulted in a fumble in which Chardon pounced on the ball, and punched the wind out of the Cardinal sails scoring just a handful of plays later.

Canfield showed what they are made of by never tossing in the towel, scoring once more and fighting all the way down to under the minute mark where Chardon would kneel on the turf to finish the Cardinals season honorably at 11-2.