NILES OVERPOWERS THE EAGLES

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By Jamie Thomson

NILES, OH – The Niles Red Dragons (3-1) have a NE8 Player of the Year candidate in senior running back Antuan Gardner and a stout defense to match.

Gardner totaled 263 yards of offense and two touchdowns and Niles’ defense held the Hubbard Eagles (3-1) to just 95 total yards in the game, the lowest total Niles has held the Eagles to since 1986.

After starting the game slow, Niles would move the ball at will in the second quarter while totaling 24 points in the period. Gardner punched the first touchdown of the night in from 1 yard out just four seconds in and it wasn’t until over 8 minutes later that Antony Budak would score his only touchdown of the night from a yard out. Gardner would score less than a minute and a half later and Niles would add an additional field goal as time expired.

Coming out of the break, Hubbard would start with terrific field positioning thanks to a great return by Baron Reynolds-Penny. Alex Hackwelder would find the endzone just three and a half minutes later to bring the Eagles to within three scores. Unfortunately for Hubbard, that’s where their scoring would end.

The Niles defense would force three interceptions on the night, one of which came in their own endzone to keep Hubbard’s comeback bid at bay. Defensively, the Red Dragons would go the entire game without a penalty, a stark contrast from the defensive unit on the opposite sideline, who granted multiple first downs in key moments on offsides penalties. The strong defensive effort paired with a monster effort from Gardner gave Niles their first win over Hubbard since 1995, snapping a 16-game losing streak, 27-6.

BIG PERFORMERS

NILES:

Antuan Gardner: 156 rushing yards, 107 receiving yards, 2 total TDs

Anthony Budak: 133 passing yards, 1 rushing TD, 1 passing TD

HUBBARD:

Matthew Chaney: 5 catches, 32 receiving yards

UP NEXT

Niles: Starting off conference play 1-0, the Red Dragons will look to remain unbeaten in the NE8 next week when they travel to Cortland for a matchup with the Lakeview Bulldogs (3-1).Lakeview will come into the matchup off of a 28-21 loss to the defending Division 5 state champion South Range Raiders.

Hubbard: After dropping their first game to the Red Dragons since 1995, the Eagles will return home for a matchup with the undefeated Poland Bulldogs (4-0). Poland has taken three of the last four matchups against Hubbard.

EAGLES KEEP CONFERENCE WINNING STREAK ALIVE

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LEETONIA, OH- In a highly anticipated conference matchup between the Leetonia Bears and the Valley Christian Eagles, it was the Eagles who soared to victory with an impressive final score of 30-0.

The first quarter of the game set the tone for Valley Christian’s dominance. At 10:08, Ja’Sean Lindsey powered through the Leetonia defense, punching in a one-yard touchdown. However, the extra point attempt was unsuccessful, leaving the score at 6-0 in favor of the Eagles. Just a couple of minutes later, at 7:25, Ja’Sean Lindsey showcased his explosive speed, breaking free for a 39-yard touchdown run, extending Valley Christian’s lead to 12-0.

The Eagles’ defense was equally formidable, as demonstrated by Ahmire Dixon at 5:16 in the first quarter. Dixon intercepted a pass and returned it 35 yards to the end zone for another touchdown, widening the gap to 18-0.

As the game moved into the second quarter, Valley Christian continued to dominate. Ike Lake made a spectacular 37-yard touchdown run at 4:25, further extending the Eagles’ lead to 24-0. The Bears’ defense struggled to contain the relentless attack from the Eagles.

Deion Miller, the Eagles’ quarterback, showcased his passing skills in the third quarter. At an impressive 3:22-minute mark, he connected with a receiver from 20 yards out for another touchdown, capping off the scoring at 30-0.

Throughout the game, the Valley Christian Eagles displayed an impressive blend of offensive and defensive prowess, while the Leetonia Bears faced difficulties in finding a foothold in the contest.

PIRATES SAIL PAST THE FALCONS TO REMAIN PERFECT

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Perry, OH- In a matchup that showed why Perry is one of the best teams in the state, the Perry Pirates dominated the Jefferson Falcons, securing a commanding victory with a final score of 50-0.

The first quarter set the tone for Perry’s firm control. Owen Mckoon made an explosive 45-yard touchdown run, but the 2-point conversion was unsuccessful, giving Perry an early lead of 6-0. The Falcons defense showed promise on the next series bringing Perry to a 4th and long.  The Pirates took a chance and decided to go for it on 4th down. The risk payed off with Walter Moses connecting on a 39-yard touchdown pass to Luke Sivon, followed by a successful 2-point conversion, extending their lead to 14-0. The following offensive series resulted in a 4th and long for the Falcons. The Falcons punt found its way to one of Perry’s top athletes, Brayden Richards who added to the lead with a 45-yard punt return for a touchdown, and another 2-point conversion made it 22-0. Just before the end of the first quarter, Walter Moses completed a 44-yard pass to Owen Mckoon, setting up a promising opportunity for the Pirates at the 1-yard line as the quarter concluded.

The second quarter saw no let-up from Perry. On the first play of the quarter, Jayden Studio pushed through for a 1-yard touchdown run, and a successful extra point extended the lead to 29-0. Perry’s defense continued to shine, as Luke Sivon intercepted a pass from Jefferson’s Kaige Boczar and returned it 50 yards for another touchdown. The extra point was good, pushing the score to 36-0. Perry’s defense also recovered a fumble from Luke Funtash. Walter Moses connected with Brayden Richards once again, this time for a 17-yard touchdown pass, and another successful extra point made it 43-0.

The third quarter saw no respite for Jefferson, as McKoy Richards added an 8-yard touchdown run, and the extra point was good, making it 50-0 in favor of the Pirates.

With a final score of 50-0, the Perry Pirates maintained their perfect record at 4-0 and are set to face the Geneva Eagles (4-0) in week 4. In contrast, the Jefferson Falcons dropped to 0-4 and are scheduled to host the Lutheran West Longhorns (2-2)  in their next matchup. The Perry Pirates showcased their strength and dominance, and following a huge win over the Kirtland Hornets in week 3 are now on the radars of everyone in division 5 statewide.

JURJAVCIC KEEPS HOLD OF THE REINS

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EAST PALESTINE OH- No one gets more limelight on a football team than a quarterback. Whether it’s good, or bad it seems that attention always falls on the player under center. That’s why it pays to have a guy back there that has years under his belt performing the task at hand. For East Palestine this pillar of stability comes from Owen Jurjavcic.  He is going into his third year as the starting varsity quarterback for the Bulldogs. A lot has changed since we saw Owen take the lead in his first year as the starter.  Owen is now the definition of calm, cool, and collected as the Bulldogs get set to start conference play.  The confidence he brings to his position trickles into the rest his huddle, and gives the Bulldogs a winning attitude.

 

YSN’s Tim Figley got the chance to sit down with Owen again this season to see how far he’s come. They talk about the growth Owen has had this season, how he battles nerves going into games, and so much more. Check out the latest East Palestine Football Player Profile only on YSN!

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NOTHING CAN KEEP MCKAY ON THE MAT

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EAST PALESTINE OH- East Palestine has grinder and fought for the first three weeks of the season. However, they’ve had to do it without one of the go to guys in Noah McKay.  An injury during wrestling season a year ago has kept McKay on the sidelines through much of the summer.  Unable to do conventional practice and taking hits, McKay worked on the small details. Learning the routes, perfecting them to a tee, and making sure he can hit his spots on time.  The fine details are not lost on number 3.  Conditioning has also been a huge part in Noah’s recovery.  No one works harder that wrestlers in the weight room, and Noah is no exception.  After a long process, McKay has spent the week finally taking contact again in practice and is ready for his glorious return in Week 4 of the season against Lisbon.

YSN’s Tim Figley navigates is through this remarkable comeback story of Noah McKay.  They talk about what drove him through adversity, the excitement of being back on the field, and so much more. Check out the latest East Palestine football player profile only on YSN!

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DALTON DOMINATES THE TRENCHES

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EAST PALESTINE OH- No one touches a football more than the center. A vastly overlooked position on the offensive line, a center is literally the glue that holds an offense together. They’re not simply handing the ball to the quarterback, every protection, every block is methodically coordinated by the center before the ball is snapped. East Palestine has one of the best guys you’ll find in that role.

Dalton Johnson fears no defender, and takes all the punishment a defense can bring. He is a rock. You’re not going to be able to move him easily. The anchor to the offensive line Johnson knows how important his role is in the success of the offense.

With three games under the belt, Dalton knows his team has the ability to come together as a unit and get the job done. Join YSN’s Tim Figley as he sits down with Dom in the latest episode of Player Profile with East Palestine Football only on YSN!

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MEMORIAL’S BULLDOZING BACKS

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CAMPBELL, OH – Coming off a tough game against a cross tier foe is always tough to do but where there are challenges, that is where leaders are born. From those tough situations, two men have stepped up to face them and are creating names for themselves on the field while commanding the respect of their teammates and oppositions alike. Those leaders are senior fullback and defensive edge, Brandon Applegate, as well as, senior running back and linebacker, Mike Mesaros. Not only do Brandon and Mike lead by example on the football field by making big plays when the Red Devils need them to; they also have the vocal abilities to get the team focused and motivated every single snap to get the most out of the team on every possession.

YSN’s own, Steve Leslie, had the opportunity to sit down with Brandon and Mike this week at Tavern 26 to talk about what it means to be a leader on this Red Devils football team, what they are looking to accomplish as the season continues, what their plans are for after high school, how they want this season to go as MVAC play begins this week against Newton Falls at home, a rapid fire questionnaire where we get to learn more about what makes these two the men and players they are today, and so much more!

This week’s exclusive dual player profile with Campbell Memorial Red Devils football senior stars, Brandon Applegate and Mike Mesaros is LIVE!

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CAMPBELL MEMORIAL RED DEVILS FOOTBALL COACH’S CORNER (EP. 4) WITH ANDREW KING

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CAMPBELL, OH – Head coach Andrew King and the Campbell Memorial Red Devils are looking to get back on track this week as they built some confidence towards the end of last week’s game. The offense began moving the ball consistently and the defense started to buckle down more to create some havoc for McDonald, unfortunately however, the Blue Devils escaped Campbell with a win. Up next for the Red Devils will be a tough MVAC match up at home against the Newton Falls Tigers

YSN’s own, Steve Leslie, was able to catch up with Coach King at Tavern 26 this week to talk about the McDonald game in week three, what he thought the Red Devils did well and what needs to be corrected as conference play begins, and what his keys for victory are this week against Newton Falls.

All that and so much more in this week’s episode of Campbell Memorial Red Devils football coach’s corner with head coach Andrew King!

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SPRINGFIELD TIGERS FOOTBALL COACH’S CORNER (EP. 4) WITH SEAN GUERRIERO

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NEW MIDDLETOWN, OH – Head coach Sean Guerriero and the Springfield Tigers are coming off a tough, gritty battle up at SPIRE where the Tigers saw a match up with Geneva in what many believed to be a battle of two of the same teams. The Tigers and the Eagles are very evenly matched and both love to get after it on the ground. Unfortunately the Tigers fell 21-14 to Geneva, but will look to rebound this week as they will play host to the Waterloo Vikings in week four on Friday night!

YSN’s own Steve Leslie had the opportunity to sit down with Coach at the Tiger’s Table this week to talk about the Tigers week three match up with Geneva, what the Tigers need to do to bounce back this week at home, what has stuck out most for Coach Guerriero and his staff so far this season, and what we can expect from Springfield with MVAC play starting this week.

All that and so much more in this week’s episode of Springfield Tigers football coach’s corner with head coach Sean Guerriero!

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MR. SWEETNESS

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NEW MIDDLETOWN, OH – The Springfield Tigers have gotten off to a solid start so far this season as they look to take that next step in the season with MVAC play starting this week. One reason for that early season success is the offense has been moving the ball well on the ground. To move the ball on the ground effectively, the offensive line has to get a strong push play after play to wear down the defense. This offensive line has not only been doing that consistently, the offensive line has also been holding each other accountable because of some great leadership that is shown by Connor Sugar. Sugar loves to play smashmouth football but also loves to be a Tiger and enjoys leading this team by example on the football field. Not only does Connor lead on offense, he is also a standout on the defensive line too coming off the edge, creating havoc for opponents.

YSN’s own, Steve Leslie, had the opportunity to sit down with Conner this week at the Tiger’s Table to talk about his senior year so far, what he thinks this Tigers team can accomplish this year, what his goals are for after high school, rapid fire questionnaire where we get to learn about the all the things that make Connor the person and player he is today, and so much more!

Tune in to this week’s Springfield Tigers football player profile with senior star, Connor Sugar, on YSNLive!

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