Devils 365 rushing yards overcome SHS’ 301 yards passing.

Florence Galida – Contributing Writer

STRUTHERS – It was the best grinding of yardage between two rival teams in Campbell and Struthers, led by a host of gridiron stars as they battled in their 82nd meeting under coaches Mickey Sikora of MHS and Dallas Saunders of Struthers.

The Red Devils visited the Wildcats on Laddie Fedor Field with an 8-1 record and outscored Struthers 24-7 in the final quarter to break a 28-27 SHS third-quarter lead. The win sends the coveted Steel Helmet trophy to Campbell and earns a spot in the Division III playoffs at Martin’s Ferry this Friday for CMHS.

Struthers scored first on QB Tom Kimbro’s 41-yard touchdown pass to Jermaine Brooks, and with a Brandon Gearo PAT led 7-0.

Shortly after, MHS QB Lester Hughes tossed a 25-yard TD pass to his brother Ja’les Hughes for a 7-6 score, but Alex Sudacov’s kick was wide, and SHS kept its lead.

Sudacov made up for his missed shot with a 30-yard field goal in the second quarter and a 9-7 lead, but Brooks of SHS took off for a 53-yard run and combined with Gearo’s kick, upped the score to 14-9.

Sudacov answered the next series with his second field goal and closed in on the Wildcat lead at 14-12.

Memorial’s strong defense shut off Struthers’ gainers and the Wildcats were forced to kick, leading to a passing series by QB Hughes, finding Richard Bledsoe with a long TD pass, and with a Sudacov PAT, it was 19-14 before halftime in favor of Campbell.

In the third quarter, the Wildcats grabbed a Memorial fumble at the 37 of SHS and seven plays later it was a 21-19 Struthers lead on Keith Auman’s 1-yard run and Gearo’s kick.

Soon after, the never-say-die Devil’s QB Lester Hughes opened the holes for his own TD, as he scrambled 21 yards to score, and with a 2-point conversion by brother Ja’les, it was now at 27-21 with SHS trailing.

The Wildcats wouldn’t quit, scoring on a 38-yard Kimbro “Hail Mary” pass to Tyler Dugan, and with Gearo’s PAT, it was a close 28-27 game in favor of hometown Struthers.

The fourth quarter became a crescendo of scoring by Memorial, with Sudacov’s third field goal, and three Ja’les Hughes TD’s for 54, 49 and 44 yards. Add three more points for kicker Sudacov, following Ja’Les’ scores, and Campbell was at 51 points.

Struthers finished their scoring at 35 when QB Kimbro plunged over for 6 and Gearo added his kick.

Kimbro was great with two TD passes, with a total of 21 of 36 passes for 301 yards, and scored two of his own as SHS amassed a total of 449 yards.

It was the best of games between two determined teams, so close at times, and a thrill for both sides to witness, but so sad that one team had to lose.