The Toughest Part about The Playoffs or Tournament Play is that a Season or Career can End so Suddenly for a Bunch of Young Men that have worked So Hard for So Long! That being said, Our 2009 Louisville Leopards provided so many Great Moments and Memories for our Leopard Faithful that will last a Lifetime. For The Record, Columbus Marion-Franklin was no Secret to Coach Paul Farrah, his Staff, and those in the State of Ohio that follow Football Week In and Week Out. Last Friday, our Mighty Leps played their Hearts Out, but fell short in a Season Ending 14 to 7 Loss to the Red Devils from Columbus.

This Game had a Very Interesting Start as our Mighty Leps started on Defense and was able to get a Couple Key Stops as both Teams were Feeling Each Other Out. With our Mighty Leps driving, a Red Devils Defender ripped the ball out of our Ball Carriers hands and Raced 69 Yards with #9 Michael Schooley making a Touchdown saving Tackle at our Leps 1 Yard Line. Moments Later , the Red Devils took the lead over our Mighty Leps 6 to 0 in the First Quarter. Just as other Games this year unfolded, our Mighty Leps were ready to Fight Back. With #13 Toby Minster and #16 Chad Neff alternating at Quarterback, Coach John DeMarco was looking for the right Formula for Success. Coach DeMarco called on #16 Neff along with #7 Lucas Poyser to change the Tempo. Our Boys were going to the Ground Attack! Coach Dan Radalia had our Boys Up Front which included #78 Tyler Radalia, #59 Dan McDonald, #73 Joe Neff, #65 Dan Davis, and Captain #50 Bobby Gothot Hunker Down and help our Offense Drive Down The Field to get Our Leps back in the Game. Coach Radalia utilized Junior #60 John Taggart at Left Tackle with #73 Joe Neff moving to Left Guard throughout the game as #78 Tyler Radalia got dinged up mid way through the Game. #16 Chad Neff took a Zone QB run 30 Yards to get our Boys in Position. Also, Coach Brian Beatty had Super Soph #7 Lucas Poyser grinding out Yards to get our "O" down to the Red Devil 14 Yard Line. On a Second and 12, #13 Toby Minster entered the Game and Threw a Dart to #25 Cody Stocker for a 14 Yard Touchdown Pass on a Well Timed Slant Pattern! #87 Jaron Lohmeyer gave our Beloved Leps their lead of 7 to 6 as Lohmeyer nailed the Point After Attempt. As the Teams went Back and Forth, #24 Hunter Potts did a Fantastic Job in the Punting Department all Night Long out of the Snap of #36 Billy Kennedy and Great Punt Coverage by Gunners #21 Jared Strasser and #31 Kyle DeHoff. #31 DeHoff had a Key Fumble Recovery on a Muffed Punt deep in Marion-Franklin Territory early in the Contest. The Battle between the Leps and Red Devils went 7 to 6 into the Locker Room at the Half.

A Huge Shout Out goes to "The Pride Of Louisville" The Louisville Band along with our Fine Cheerleading Squad who participated in the Community Tailgate and provided Leopard Pride Spirit from Start to Finish! Also, Well Done Boys Cross Country Team who Finished 8^th at the State Tournament while competing in Division I action. Led by Coach Bob Sudomir, and an All-Ohio 9^th Place Performance by Curtis Hanle, Senior Nick Fresenko, Andrew Nelson, Garrett Dasco, Nick Koczwara, Stephen Gronow, and Stephen Stamp took our Lep Runners to a Top Ten State Finish! Also, Kudos to Coach Christine Muniak who guided Junior Mattie Rankin to an All-Ohio 13^th Place performance along with Younger Sister Freshman MacKenzie Rankin who competed at the State Cross Country Meet.

All Year, I truly was just Amazed at how Awesome our Leopard Defense performed the Entire 2009 Season. This Unit Totally carried the 2009 Leopards and gave us a Chance to Win Every Game even minus Senior #23 Jordan McQuilkin at Cornerback and All-Ohio Performer #2 Bobby Swigert not in the Line-Up due to Unfortunate Season Ending Injuries. Love Ya Two-Three and Two!!! With another Tremendous Effort Needed, Last Friday Proved to Be No Different as Our Leopard Defense gave us a chance to Win against the Most Dangerous and Talented Offense our Boys Faced All Year Long! Defensive Coordinator Nick Lewis, Linebacker Coach Troy Davis, Defensive Line Coach Mike Norris, and Defensive End Coach Adam Burris had our Mighty Leps prepared to Sell Out for 48 Minutes. You have to Start with Three Guys when you Talk Leopard Defense, NBC Player of the Year Senior Captain #24 Hunter Potts who made Play after Play all night, #55 Senior Joe Poyser who continued to add to his Record Setting Sack and Tackle For Loss Total, and #34 Senior Captain Jake Adkins who was Fantastic against the Run and Pass. These Three All-Ohio Performers were not alone as Seniors #51 Joe Henderson, #49 Matt Wharmby, #31 Kyle Dehoff, #36 Billy Kennedy, Juniors #44 Mitch Sluss, #9 Michael Schooley, #15 Jeremy White, #61 Zac Whaley, and Super Sophs #83 Adam Nees, #81 Jake Sluss, and #16 Chad Neff were absolutely Awesome All Night Long. What a Great Mix of All Three Classes that Compositely Held our Opponents to Two Scores or Less for 11 Straight Weeks. With By Far, our Biggest Test of the Year and an Opponent that Averaged Over 37 Points a Game, our Leps "D" stepped up once again only giving up 14 Points and just over 200 Yards of Offense the Entire Night with Marion-Franklin starting on our End of the Field most of the Night. Well Freakin’ Done Leps "D"!

As the Game was Winding Down, our Leps Offense Desperately was trying to find a way to Tie the Score. Led by a Fantastic Effort from #15 Jeremy White in catching Five Balls for 74 Yards and #9 Michael Schooley with two catches for 22 Yards, Seniors #22 Lee Ferguson, #21 Jared Strasser, #25 Cody Stocker, and #5 Joe Stoffer attempted do anything possible to find openings in the Athletic and Hard Hitting Red Devil Defense. #5 Joe Stoffer finished with 1 Catch for 6 Yards and Ended the Year with an even 50 Catches including 2 Pt. Conversions for our Mighty Leps. FIVE wishes He had one Play Back as our Leopards made their Final Attempt to Even the Score late in the Fourth Quarter. The Defeat Sadly Ended the Careers of the Class of 2010 and 2009 Louisville Leopard Football Season!

I will be coming back at You one Last Time in 2009 with a Memorable Season in Review that saw Louisville Leopard Football win an Associated Press State Football Poll for only the Second Time in School History!

Love Ya Leps! Love Ya CLASS OF 2010!! Class of 2011-It’s Your Turn!

Leopard Nation ’09! Back To Champs!! THANK YOU LEPS!!!