H.S. FOOTBALL: Lakeview holds off Conneaut’s comeback attempt

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September 8, 2012

H.S. FOOTBALL: Lakeview holds off Conneaut’s comeback attempt

By Jim Hunter Special to The Meadville Tribune The Meadville Tribune Sat Sep 08, 2012, 07:00 AM EDT

LINESVILLE — Lakeview coach Dan York didn’t hesitate when asked what was the difference in the first half of his team’s game against Conneaut on Friday night.

“Our quarterback played great,” he said.

Energized by 32- and 68-yard touchdown runs by quarterback Zach Bigley three minutes apart in the first half, the Sailors jumped out to a 28-0 lead and spoiled Conneaut’s first game on its home turf with a 28-14 victory in Region 1 action.

Lakeview is now 2-0 overall and 1-0 in the region, while Conneaut dropped to 1-1 and 0-1.

As York pointed out immediately, Bigley was the X-factor in the game.

After completing a 17-yard touchdown pass to split end Zach Van Dusen for Lakeview’s first touchdown, Bigley stamped his jersey No. 4 on the game in a three-minute flourish.

With the Linesville defenders biting on his fake handoff to fullback Nate Kokoski, Bigley scooted around left end and scored on a 32-yard touchdown romp to give the Sailors a 16-0 lead with 55 seconds remaining in the first quarter.

Nearly three minutes later, Bigley’s foot speed struck again.

Bursting around right end, the junior quarterback went untouched for a 68-yard touchdown haul to increase Lakeview’s lead to 22-0 over the stunned Eagles.

“We feel we can run the option against anybody and Zach did a great job running it in the first half,” said York.

After Bigley’s interception and 15-yard return to advance the ball to Conneaut’s 15, Lakeview scored its fourth touchdown in the first half on Kokoski’s one-yard plunge with 55 seconds showing on the clock.

A Sailors’ blowout in the works? Not quite.

Switching to a 5-3 defense, Conneaut put the clamps on Bigley and Co. in the second half as the Sailors were held scoreless and managed only 75 yards in total offense.

“Yeah, we switched some things up defensively, but basically, we did what we had to do,” said a disappointed Conneaut coach Pat Gould. “They (Lakeview) didn’t do anything we weren’t prepared for in the first half. ... We just didn’t perform very well.”

Conneaut was also on track offensively during the second half.

After its first drive stalled at Lakeview’s 25, Conneaut found paydirt on its second series as quarterback Jon Onderko tossed a 21-yard touchdown pass to split end Tyler Bartlett, who made an outstanding diving catch in the end zone.

The Onderko-Bartlett tandem hooked up again with 1:48 left in the game on a 14-yard completion to cut Lakeview’s lead to 28-14.

The Eagles got the ball back on an onside kick, but the final seconds ticked off the clock.

It was Conneaut’s second consecutive slow start. The Eagles fell behind Girard last week before prevailing 36-16.

“I honestly don’t know why we’re starting off slow,” said Gould. “In high school football, you can’t continue to fall behind early ... or you’re not going to have a very successful season.”

Lakeview workhorse running back Blake Reddick — coming off a 365-yard rushing performance against Seneca last week — cracked 100 again with 127 yards on 32 carries. Bigley finished with 116 on seven hauls.

Onderko completed 16-of-31 passes for 191 yards. Bartlett (seven catches for 87 yards) and Brandon Sherman (six catches for 67 yards) were his top targets.

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H.S. FOOTBALL: Lakeview holds off Conneaut’s comeback attempt

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