Our Mighty Leopards Explode In 2nd Quarter To Ensure Rout Of West Branch

            There are many ways to approach a Football Game!  In Week 6 of the 2009 Season, Coach Paul Farrah found another Weapon in our Arsenal to keep our Mighty Leps Perfect in a 42-7 Victory Over the West Branch Warriors!  Last Friday, the game between the Louisville Leopards and West Branch Warriors was even for the entire First Quarter as #13 Toby Minster led our Leopards to a couple Quality First Downs while going 5 for 5 for 30 yards and the West Branch Ground Game started off Strong!  Then, the Second Quarter Came Along!

            Offensive Coordinator John DeMarco was committed to utilizing  a Two Quarterback system in the Absence of Star Quarterback  #2 Bobby Swigert.  After a  Scoreless First Quarter,  #16 Chad Neff entered at Quarterback and the First Time Chad ran the Zone Running Offense, He darted 40 Yards to open the Scoring for our Mighty Leps!  #87 Jaron Lohmeyer nailed the PAT.  Then the Fireworks started!  After our Fine Defense stopped the Warriors again!  Super Soph #7 Lucas Poyser blasted through for a 45 Yard TD Run.  #87 Lohmeyer was True Again on the PAT.  Now, it was #6 Logan Henkel’s turn and our Fine Kickoff Team.  #6 Henkel perfected Back to Back Pooch Kicks as Sophomore #81 Jake Sluss made a great play to get to the Ball and Fight for the Recovery.  This led to another #16 Neff TD Run of 25 Yards.  Soon After, Senior #31 Kyle Dehoff made another Fumble Recovery to give Our Leps great Field Position.  A few Plays later, #16 Neff barreled in from 12 Yards to put the Leps Up 28 to 0 on the Warriors.  After another stop by our Fine Defense,  #7 Lucas Poyser closed the 1st Half Scoring for our Leps that put the Game out of reach and a 35 to 0 Halftime Lead.  Games like these have  to be Music to Offensive Line Coach Dan Radalia and Running Back Coach Brian Beatty’s ears as our Leopards did not throw one pass in the entire Second Quarter of Action.  The Boys Up Front have been completely GELLING led by Captain #50 Bobby Gothot at Center,  Right Guard #59 Dan McDonald, Right Tackle #65 Dan Davis, Left Guard  #78 Tyler Radalia, and Left Tackle #73 Joe Neff.  This Group opened Holes for #16 Chad Neff that saw Neff go for 172 Yards on 11 Carries and 3 TD’s in the First Half alone.   Also, getting into the Blocking Action was our Fine Wide Receiving Core.  With a Game that saw Single Digit Pass Attempts, #5 Joe Stoffer, #25 Cody Stocker, #21 Jared Strasser, #22 Lee Ferguson, #15 Jeremy White, and #9 Michael Schooley were busy Blocking for our Fine Running Game.

            As our Leps entered Halftime, I want to change directions and you have to give a Big Shout Out to our Boys and Girls Cross Country Teams as both Curtis Hanle and Mattie Rankin brought Home Stark County Championships this past weekend!  It is great to see all of our Fall Sports Programs competing as a Top Three Program in the NBC to date.  Well Done Leps!!!

            As you enter the Third Quarter with a 35 to 0 Lead, some may focus on the 35.  I would now like to discuss the ZERO!  Defensive Coordinator Nick Lewis along with Coach Mike Norris, Coach Troy Davis, and Coach Adam Burris has produced a Leps Defense that is Stout to say the least!  You can point to many areas.  The Linebacking Core that continues to see Senior Captain #24 Hunter Potts making Play After Play, or Senior Captain #34 Jake Adkins knifing through Blockers to make Bone Jarring Hits, or #9 Michael Schooley making Key Interceptions.  You can then shift to the “D” Line that has ManChild #55 Joe Poyser hitting Blast Doubles in the WB Backfield, or #51 Joe Henderson plugging up the Middle Play after Play, or #50 Bobby Gothot, #36 Billy Kennedy, and #61 Zac Whaley chasing the Opposing QB’s.  On the EDGE, Two Senior Standouts  #49 Mat Wharmby and #14 Dan Zavarelli, both had very Big Games.  #49 Wharmby made a Fantastic Play from behind as Wharmby ripped down a WB Ball Carrier.  #14 Zavarelli had several Tackles and had a Big Fumble Recovery in the 2nd Half.  #16 Chad Neff and #48 Justin Moulin also contributed with the First Team on Defense.  Finally, The Defensive Backs have been Fantastic.  The DB’s have been playing without both #23 Jordan McQuilkin and#2 Bobby Swigert most of the Season.  Led by Senior Cornerback #31 Kyle DeHoff,  #44 Mitch Sluss and #15 Jeremy White have been off the charts against both the Run and Pass for our Leps!  Super Soph #83 Adam Nees also has been a Major Contributor for our Fine Defense.  Personnel like this is the main reason Our Beloved Leopards remain unbeaten in 2009!  With the Defense pitching a Shutout.  #7 Lucas Poyser was not done.  #7 Poyser closed the scoring for our Leps with a 63 Yard Touchdown Run.  Super Soph Poyser ended the night with 142 Yards on 17 Carries and 3 Rushing TD’s.  #87 Jaron Lohmeyer was perfect on the night in the Kicking Game hitting 6 of 6 PAT Attempts.  #6 Logan Henkel did a great job on Kickoffs and Punts for our Leps!  Much credit needs to be given to Kicking Coach Dustin Nicholas, who spends tons of time with our Fine Kicking Game.  West Branch put in a late score to cut the Lead to 42-7, which ended the Game as the Final Score.

            This Victory was very sweet as this game allowed our Fine Seniors to get plenty of Playing Time. I have to give Tons of Credit to our Fine Class of 2010 and the Loyalty the entire Class shows in Support and Hard Work Week In and Week Out by the entire squad.   #62 Nick Case played almost the entire Second Half at Center with #77 Bobby Marquardt along side at Right Guard.  The Wide Receiving Core of #29 Josh Wolfe, #18 Tyler Barnes, and #48 Justin Moulin got plenty of Snaps and contributed in the Win.  #27 Michael Brown had several Great Runs for our Leps Offense in the Second Half.  Let’s not forget about Senior Manager Tyler Burk who is a Big Part of this Senior Group.

            As our Mighty Leps enter Week 7 with a 6 and 0 Record, Our Boys are not alone!  The Carrollton Warriors enter The VILLE with same perfect record in an NBC Showdown between the Two Unbeatens.  Let’s all Celebrate Our Louisville Homecoming Together and Come Out and Support Our Beloved Leps this Friday in The VILLE!!!

Go Leps!!!!  Beat Carrollton!!!

Leopard Nation ’09!  Back To Champs!!  That Is STATE CHAMPS!!!