Lake County Sentinel
Wildcats take down Rebels 14-10
BY JOEY SCHNEIDER
STAFF
(WILLOUGHBY, OH) - The Willoughby South Rebels (1-8) faced off against the Mayfield Wildcats (3-6) on Friday night at Harry E. Winters Stadium in Willoughby. It was a game that both teams were ready to go to battle to win, as both programs have already been eliminated from the playoffs. This game was one of pride, the final game in the season, and the last game the seniors played in their high school careers. After the smoke settled Mayfield took the victory in a very tough and hard-hitting game 14-10.
Both teams were without their starting quarterbacks. Mayfield's senior Rocco Monastero and South's sophomore Liam Coyne were both out with injuries. Start-ing for the Wildcats at quarterback was senior Joey Pinzone, While the Rebels went with sophomore Jayvyn Gilcrest.
Mayfield won the toss and deferred to the second half.
Mayfield was not afraid to take chances on Friday and it was evident as they went for it on fourth and short for most of the game.
On a fourth and two with 4:43 in the first quarter and the Wildcats driving South's senior defensive back Joe Meden stuffed the attempt giving the Rebels the ball and some momentum, as 48 seconds later, South's Gilcrest pitched the ball on an end around to senior wide receiver Delond Moss who then threw it to senior wide receiver Niko Frizell who was wide open down field and scored on a 36-yard touchdown pass giving South the lead 7-0.
Neither team could gain any momentum offensively as Mayfield's defense was led by senior OL/DL Luke Durosko, senior OL/DL Nico Traczyk, and senior OL/DL Daron Arnold. South was counter punching on defense with senior OL/DL Luka Soric, senior defensive lineman Quintin Wilson, and freshman RB/LB Cane Balash.
It wasn't until late in the second quarter that either team started threatening to score. This time it was again South after a 44-yard Cane Balash run. Delond Moss caught two passes of eight and six yards keeping the drive alive. South however was denied the touchdown in the red zone and Rebel's kicker senior Tommy Vokic, made a 29-yard field goal as time expired going into halftime and Willoughby South holding the lead 10-0.
Mayfield came to life midway in the third quarter thanks to senior running backs Joe Barch and Dylan Colello and senior wide receiver Dylan Parnell. Parnell caught a pass for 43-yards, while Barch and Colello drove it down inside the five-yard line. South hunkered down and would not let the Wildcats into the endzone. On fourth and three the field goal unit came on for Mayfield and ran a fake with Joey Pinzone connecting with Joe Barch for a three-yard touchdown with 2:35 left in the third quarter. Pinzone then ran the ball in for a two-point conversion and the Wildcats cut into the lead to 10-8.
Mayfield started to drive the ball down the field halfway through the fourth quarter and looked as if they were about to take the lead until South's junior defensive back Mason Matriano intercepted a pass at the ten and ran it back to the 36-yard line, with 5:35 left in the game. South couldn't get a first down however and was forced to punt. Tommy Vokic kicked a high long punt that was downed at the one-yard line.
Mayfield only needed two plays to drive the ball 99-yards and take their first lead as Joey Pinzone hit Dylan Parnell on the second play of the drive, on a crossing route and Parnell took it down the sidelines for a 96-yard touchdown. After a failed two-point conversion Mayfield was leading 14-10 with 4:19 left.
South was able to move the ball, gaining a first down and looking to drive, but was suddenly stopped as Mayfield senior defensive back Owen Moon intercept-ed the ball sealing the win for the Wildcats.
Both teams played hard all season long and both teams dealt with major injuries to key players for a majority of the season as well. This may not have been the season they were hoping for, but they put it all on the line in the last game of the year as both programs look to bounce back in 2024.
POSTED 10/21/2023 00:16
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Photo by Joey Schneider