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Published: 9/10/2011 - Updated: 8 months ago

PHOTO GALLERY

Central Catholic topples Perrysburg

BY STEVE JUNGA
BLADE SPORTS WRITER

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In a game littered with turnovers, Central Catholic capitalized on them and visiting Perrysburg did not, and the host Irish took a 25-7 non-league football victory Friday night at Gallagher Stadium.

Central (2-1) defied standard football logic by winning comfortably despite losing two fumbles and being intercepted twice. But Perrysburg (2-1) failed to produce any points of the charity of the Irish, while Central turned all three Yellow Jackets giveaways into touchdowns.

Another blow to the Jackets actually came on Monday morning when talented junior quarterback Steve Slocum woke up unable to walk with lower back and hip pain following last week's 51-10 romp over Clay.

Junior Nick Munger (11-of-26 passing, 111 yards) started in Slocum's place.

PHOTO GALLERY: Click here to see more from the Central Catholic vs. Perrysburg game

"You take a starting quarterback off of any team and that's going to hurt them, especially a kid the caliber of Slocum," Central coach Greg Dempsey said. "But they did a good job of working around that.

"Our defense did a great job of getting us the ball, and we did get it with the short field, we were able to convert those. That was obviously crucial."

Slocum did enter the game in the second quarter, but was ineffective. His first pass was intercepted, part of an 0-for-5 passing effort, and he was also sacked for a seven-yard loss. He did not return to the game after halftime.

"When you put your backup in there you have to work on the fundamental things and you can't really run your full offense," Perrysburg coach Matt Kregel said. "And, when you play a defense as good as theirs, they can really zero in on you and bring it.

Nick did much better in the second half, but it took game reps to get him to that point."

In a first half in which the two teams combined for five turnovers (three by Central), the Irish emerged with a 12-0 lead at the break.

Munger dropped back to pass from the Irish 40 and was hit by Central lineman Jon Perrin, causing a fumble.

Irish linebacker George Pendleton, blitzing on the play, picked up the loose ball and returned it 53 yards for a touchdown and a 6-0 lead as Central's Jake Suder's PAT kick attempt failed.

Irish sophomore quarterback DeShone Kizer was intercepted along the right sideline by Perrysburg's Forrest Manning with 5:49 left in the half, but Slocum returned the favor on the next play, when Jar'vell Jones intercepted him and returned the ball 19 yards to the Perrysburg 24.

After Kizer completed passes for five and then six yards for a first down, Central junior running back Cedric Gray (nine carries, 50 yards) bolted through the middle 13 yards for a TD and a 12-0 Irish lead 4:42 before halftime.

"Anytime you win it's good, especially with a young team," Dempsey said. "Sometimes you have to find ways to win a game. Tonight the defense really stepped up for us. Offensively, we took a step back tonight. We need to get a lot better."

Neither team scored in the third quarter, and Perrysburg got within striking range when a Central roughing-the-kicker-penalty extended a drive and led to the Jackets' only score of the game.

Munger hit Austin Bishop in the left corner of the end zone on a 22-yard strike to pull Perrysburg within 12-7 with 8:33 left in the game.

But, after Central was forced to punt, Munger lost a fumble at his 7, setting up a four-yard TD run by Irish back Amir Edwards (25 carries, 66 yards).

"The line gave me a good hole and I found it," Edwards said. "I had to run it in.

"They played us tough. They had a real good defense up front. They were fast and strong. We had to come back out [second half] and show them that we were stronger."

Central's last TD also came on a short field, after Perrysburg, in desperation mode, failed on a fourth-down pass from its 15.

Three plays later, Edwards rammed in from the 1 with 4:59 remaining.

Central topped the Jackets 216-105 in total offense, limiting Perrysburg to minus-6 yards rushing on 25 attempts in the game.

"We just read our keys, everybody did their job and we were able to force some turnovers," Irish linebacker Charles Hagler said. "We were put into some tough spots tonight, and we felt we had to step up and help the offense out.

"They were struggling a little bit, but it's a team effort. We had to do our part."

Kizer was 10-of-18 passing for 89 yards.

Contact Steve Junga at: sjunga@theblade.com or 419-724-6461.

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