Hoover @ Louisville Leopards
Friday, September 2, 2011
SITE: Louisville Stadium (7:00 PM)
RECORDS: Louisville 0-1, Hoover 0-1
LAST WEEK: Walsh Jesuit 27 - Louisville 26, Stow 27 - Hoover 17
Walsh Jesuit's Ross Martin hit a 29-yard field goal with no time on the clock to give the Warriors a 27-26 win in Louisville. It was Martin's second field goal of the game. He got the Warriors on the scoreboard first with a 42-yard field goal. Walsh Jesuit led by as many as 17 points, but Louisville fought back and took the lead with 1:15 remaining.
Chad Neff threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Alex Schooley to put the Leopards up by 2 points. It was Neff's fourth touchdown pass of the game.
Neff was 21-of-35 passing for 266 yards with no interceptions. He also had 103 yards rushing on 24 carries.
Gavin Lovejoy caught two of Neff's touchdown passes. He finished with 94 yards on seven catches.
Trent Ohman also caught a touchdown for the Leopards. He caught seven passes for 79 yards. (1)
Neff finished with 266 passing yards and ran for another 102 last week. He carried the ball 24 times and threw it 35 times. There were only 14 offensive plays that did not involve him as a primary playmaker. (2)
Individual Scoring
WJ—FG Martin 42
WJ—Jones 18 run (Martin kick)
L—Lovejoy 21 pass from Neff (kick failed)
L—Ohman 39 pass from Neff (Neff run)
WJ—Jones 28 pass from Wargo (Martin kick)
L—Lovejoy 20 pass from Neff (kick failed)
L—Schooley 29 pass from Neff (run failed)
WJ—FG Martin 29 (3)
LAST MEETING: Hoover won 28-25, last year
SCOUTING REPORT:
Shoes to fill
The Leopards return one receiving touchdown from last year (Dillon Stertzbach). Michael Schooley, Jeremy White and Mitchell Sluss combined for 98 receptions and 16 TDs through the air, while each played a key role on defense as well. The interior of the Leopards’ defensive front, including Preston Massey (11 tackles for loss, four sacks), must be replaced.
Difference makers
QB Chad Neff and RB Lucas Poyser are already third-year starters. Neff, a dynamite run-throw threat, might be playing a lot of linebacker beside Poyser. Poyser has rushed for 1,678 yards and 16 TDs the past two seasons combined. He totaled 531⁄2 tackles, six for loss, last year. ... Guards Cole Lautzenheiser and Sam Pickens and center Tyler Brahler are returning starters on the offensive line, and they play like it. ... DEs Aaron Reynolds and Jake Sluss combined for 18 tackles for loss and 41⁄2 sacks last year. Stertzbach brings back much-needed experience at receiver and in the secondary.
Top newcomers
Senior OLs Andy Hodgus and Blake Vernier have waited their turns to play for the Leopards, and now they will start at the two tackle spots. ... WRs Gavin Lovejoy and Bill Lairson are two more seniors who have been stuck behind others and now get their chance to succeed. ... Adam Nees, Jon Crank and Connor Ruffier each had their junior seasons wiped out because of injury. Each should make an impact either at receiver or in the secondary in 2011.
Final analysis
Louisville could be switching to a 4-3 defense after many years in a 5-3 look. The 4-3 “depends on speed, and we have a lot of that,” Poyser said. ... Neff is excited about the new receivers he has to throw to, saying, “They’ve shown us more than I thought they were going to.” (4)
Sources:
(1) Fridaynightohio.com, August 27, 2011
(2) Fridaynightohio.com, September 1, 2011
(3) Fridaynightohio.com, August 27, 2011
(4) Josh Weir, Canton Repository August 22, 2011
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