Berea-Midpark Downs St. Francis Desales 34-27

Photo credit to Berea-Midpark athletic department

In week 3 of the Northeast Ohio high School football season, the Berea Midpark Titans were taking on the St Francis Desales Stallions.  The Stallions traveled to Berea from the Columbus area. It was a beautiful night with a touch of fall in the air, around 68° at game time.

The Titans kicked off to the Stallions to start the game, where St Francis started with the ball at the 30 yard line and after several successful passes, a sack by Senior Defensive Lineman, Johnny Sellman derailed the first drive for the Stallions forcing them to punt.

The first play of the game was a 13-yard pass connection from senior Luke Devins to fellow Senior wide receiver Jack Arnold. The Titans proceeded to drive down the field with passes from Senior QB Luke Devins to wide receiver Devin Johnson. The first drive for Berea Midpark was capped off by a quarterback keeper as Devins plunged into the end zone from two yards out for the touchdown with 4 minutes and 21 seconds left on the first quarter clock.

The second series for St Francis, they did not fare much better. The Stallions were led by quarterback Whit Hobgood a 6’3 senior. Hobgood seems to be talented and has some other talented players around him, but the play of Julian Vigilante for the Titans, and also penalties plagued the Stallion squad all night. Senior linebacker Vigilante roamed the field all night, and seems to have an unbelievable knack for finding the football and making big plays on defense.

At the end of the first quarter the score was Titans 7, Stallions nothing. Shortly into the second quarter though came some successful runs from quarterback Devins.  Then running back Junior Hudson Devins, the brother of the QB, plunged into the end zone for a 2-yard touchdown.  The score was 14 to nothing Berea at the 10:26 mark of the second quarter.

In the first half St Francis just couldn’t get anything going. Much of the carries for the stallions went to Junior running back Gabe Caruso number 18. But once again penalties and mistakes plagued the Stallion squad.

Then as time was running out in the first half, with the Titans on their own 41-yard line they were set to punt on a fourth down.  St Francis sophomore linebacker Max Shuulaw blocked the punt, picked it up and rumbled into the end zone for the Stallions first touchdown with just 50 seconds left in the half. After a missed extra point it was Titans 14, Stallions 6.

Then as the Stallions kicked off to start the second half, the DeAngelo Borders show began with Borders taking the kickoff all the way to the house for a 93 yard touchdown. The score was now 20 to 6 Berea Midpark.

Then late in the third quarter was a turning point in the ball game. After a beautiful 48-yard pass from Hobgood to Senior wide receiver Rechee Smith the ball was spotted at the Titan 2 yard line.  It appeared that the Stallions had scored a touchdown on a 2-yard run by sophomore Avery Garlock, but a senseless holding penalty negated the touchdown and brought the ball back to the 12 yard line. After a series of miscues and wasted opportunities, the Stallion kicker Brian Diaz missed the 24 yard field goal and the score remained 20 to 6.

Then late in the third quarter Borders lined up at running back and ran a 67 yard touchdown off left tackle, and with a minute and 10 seconds left in the third quarter it appeared that the route was on, as the Titans lead the Stallions 27 – 6!

St Francis had other ideas and they were not going to give in easily. Junior running back Gabe Caruso started getting the ball on a regular basis and took a 15 yard sweep into the end zone with 11 minutes left in the 4th quarter, the score was now 27 to 13.

On the very next series Borders ran off left tackle again, this time for 55 yards and the score was back to a seemingly unsurpassable score of 34 to 13. Nobody on the St Francis squad had the speed to catch DeAngelo Borders. He has lightning speed and a real knack for hitting the holes and finding the end zone.

The Stallions never gave up and with 4:42 left in the 4th quarter.  Quarterback Hobgood called a draw and he rumbled into the end zone for a 10-yard touchdown. Then after a couple of miscues from the Titans, the Stallions QB handed off to running back Caruso again where he scored from the five yard line and with 2 minutes and 45 seconds left the score was now 34 to 27 in favor of the Titans.

Now what seemed to be a route was now down to a seven-point game with just under 3 minutes to play.  The Titans needed one more first down to put the game away, DeAngelo Borders took the ball and got the job done. Although the Stallions gave it a great effort in the fourth quarter, they came up just short and Berea Midpark won the game 34-27.

Some notable stats from the game: Titans: WR Devin Johnson 6 catches for 82 yards.  Borders: 8 rushes for 160 yards, 24 passing yards and 3 TDs,  Devins: 14 for 23 passing for 127 yards, 30 yards rushing.

Stallions: Rechee Smith 5 catches for 131 yards, Hobgood: 11 for 18 for 179 yards.

BMP Player of game:  De Angelo Borders

St. Francis: Whit Hobgood