by Hunting Valley, Ohio – For the second consecutive season, the University School Preppers knocked off the Gilmour Academy Lancers, 25-18, on Saturday at Scovil Field.
The Lancers got the ball to start off Saturday’s game, and looked to jump ahead with a touchdown pass from Tyler Pozsgai to Bruno Cook. But the score was called back due to a holding penalty. The Lancers were forced to punt to US. The Preppers tried to pull off a fake punt and get a first down, but were stopped short of the line to gain.
The Lancers moved the ball down the field with a steady ground game. Tyler Pozsgai punched it in from three yards out to give Gilmour a 7-0 lead late in the first quarter.
The Preppers responded thanks to the efforts of Tylar Robinson. Robinson picked up a key first down on fourth-and-short to keep a drive going. One play later, he found the end zone for a touchdown.
The point after was good, and University School evened the score at 7 early in the second quarter.
The Prepper defense also came up with a couple of big plays, as Jude Newton recovered a fumble to stop the next Gilmour drive. After a punt, the Lancers drove down the field, looking to re-take the lead. But US came up with another turnover as senior Tylar Robinson picked off a pass.
The teams went into the half even at 7.
The Preppers used a steady diet of runs and passes to move down the field to begin the third quarter. Initially, junior Nico Morelli found Grant Brugger for a touchdown, but the play was called back due to holding.
US had to settle for a 34 yard field goal from sophomore Sonny Siegler. This gave the Preppers a 10-7 lead with 7:31 left in the third quarter.
Junior Ryan Wade had a great kick return for Gilmour, setting the Lancers up with great field position. They too, settled for three, as junior Frankie Sustar booted a 32 yard field goal to even the score at 10.
One play later, an errant snap led to a fumble recovery by senior lineman Bruno Cook. The Lancers took the lead a few plays later as Tyler Pozsgai ran it in from five yards out. Senior Dom Dunlevy added a two-point conversion to increase the Lancer lead to 18-10 with 1:38 left in the third quarter.
The Preppers needed a response on their next drive. Facing third down, another snap got past Nico Morelli. But he picked it up, evaded a defender, and found sophomore Jason Walker for a huge first down. A few plays later on fourth down, Morelli found Tylar Robinson for a huge game, once again keeping the US drive alive.
Morelli would sneak it in from a yard out to cut the Prepper deficit to 18-16. On the ensuing two-point attempt, Morelli took the snap, handed the ball to Tylar Robinson, who found Morelli in the end zone to tie the game with 8:45 left.
Gilmour drove down the field, looking to take the lead. They ate more than four minutes off the clock due runs by Nathan Lennon and Ryan Detzel. Facing fourth-and-short at the Prepper 17, the Lancers decided to go for it. But the Preppers, as they had done a couple of times earlier in the game, came up with another big stop, taking over on downs.
US had the ball with 4:15 left, looking to take the lead. Nico Morelli found Tylar Robinson for a big gain to put the Preppers in Gilmour territory. He connected with Robinson once more, and Robinson did the rest, taking the ball 40 yards to the end zone. The point after was good, giving US a 25-18 lead with 1:21 to go.
On the first play of the next drive, the US defense came up with one more stop. Sophomore Duncan Hollingsworth came up with a strip sack and junior Finn McClennan recovered the loose ball.
Tylar Robinson came up with one more big play for the Preppers, icing the game with a first-down run on third and short.
For the second consecutive year, the University School Preppers remain as Kings of Som Center Road.
The Preppers move to 4-2 on the year. They travel to John Hay on Friday, October 2nd. The Lancers drops to 3-3 and travel to Cleveland Central Catholic next Saturday, October 3rd.
Players of the Game
Tylar Robinson (University School)
The senior two-way player was all over the field Saturday afternoon. He rushed for a touchdown in the second quarter, picked off a pass, and had the game-winning touchdown with 1:21 left.
Tyler Pozsgai (Gilmour Academy)
The junior quarterback rushed for a pair of scores for the Lancers.
Extended highlights below:
