Opportunistic Flyers rout Plymouth

NORWALK — The ultimate game changer. With five minutes gone into the third quarter, visiting Plymouth trailed St. Paul by a touchdown. It was a score the Big Red had given the Flyers a 30-yard field on after fumbling on their second play from scrimmage. But as more mistakes piled up, the Flyers were quick to cash in. Ultimately, a barrage of touchdowns off turnovers led to a 49-0 win for St. Paul in a Firelands Conference game Friday night at Contractors Stadium. The Flyers (2-3, 2-0) got touchdown runs of 15 and 14 yards, respectively, off Plymouth turnovers for a 14-0 lead at the 7:30 mark of the first. When Casper Caizzo came up with a Plymouth (2-3, 0-2) fumble at the St. Paul 38 with just 57 seconds left in the half, it proved too much time. Two plays later, Drew Kuhnle found a wide open Brock Houck. The running back had slipped past the Plymouth secondary and was in the clear for a 62-yard TD pass-and-catch with just 40 seconds left in the first half. The third of seven total Nate Griffin extra points gave St. Paul a huge 21-0 lead. Once Jack Stieber capped a 9-play, 60-yard drive to open the second half, the Flyers were cruising to a 28-0 lead at the 8:11 mark of the third quarter. "Going into it with a three-touchdown lead and getting the ball to start the second half was huge," St. Paul head coach John Livengood said. "We were limited with our possessions in the first half, so we had to take advantage of the ones we did have. "Getting that score before half and then scoring right away to start the second half kind of opened the floodgates for us," he added. "Plymouth has some nice backs and size and defensively they loaded up the line of scrimmage on us, but were were able to do some things when we could." The next play after the fourth St. Paul TD, the Big Red again fumbled, with Brady Daley falling on it for the Flyers. The next snap, Kuhnle found Ashton Stang for a 34-yard TD pass at the 7:40 mark of the third. After a Plymouth three-and-out, the Flyers needed just three plays as Pocos scored for a third time in a 53-yard run at the 2:21 mark of the third. Landon Fries then closed out the scoring on a 47-yard TD run with 9:05 left in the game. St. Paul scored on its fourth play from scrimmage after the Big Red fumbled two plays into the game. Pocos shook off a tackler on what was going to be a loss of yardage, then found an opening on the 15-yard run at the 9:41 mark of the first. The Big Red then used nine minutes of the first half on their ensuing drive. However, it ended on yet another fumble, this time a crusher at the St. Paul 5-yard line with just 37 seconds left in the first quarter. When Plymouth appeared to get momentum back with a turnover on downs at its own 37, an interception on their first offensive snap was returned 14 yards by Houck to the Plymouth 23. Pocos scored from 14 yards out three plays later for the 14-0 lead at the 7:30 mark. St. Paul had just 12 rushes for 92 yards and three Kuhnle pass attempts for the 62-yard TD to Houck in the first half — but led by three touchdowns. "Early on they were able to churn out some first downs and burn some clock," Livengood said. "They were doing a good job of keeping our offense off the field by converting some third downs, which was frustrating on our part. But were were able to cash in on their turnovers and when they made penalties." Pocos finished with 12 attempts for 110 yards and the 3 TDs for the Flyers. Houck added 66 yards on nine attempts, while Kuhnle was 4-of-5 passing for 112 yards and the 2 TDs to Houck and Stang. Plymouth got 60 yards on 16 attempts from Layne Bushey in the loss. Ethan Keefe added 33 yards on six attempts. The Big Red host Mapleton (2-3, 0-2) next Friday. St. Paul will entertain Western Reserve (5-0, 2-0) on Saturday in a key game toward the FC standings. "I think defensively we played a lot better in the second half getting stops," Livengood said. "Offensively we had to adjust to some different things they were doing, and our line made those adjustments real well and our backs ran hard behind them. "Drew did a nice job of throwing and we played good special teams as well. Overall, we're very pleased with the outcome. And I thought our younger kids did a nice job in the fourth quarter as well." Plymouth 0 0 0 0 — 0 St. Paul 7 14 21 7 — 49 Scoring STP — Josh Pocos 15 run (Nate Griffin kick) STP — Pocos 14 run (Griffin kick) STP — Brock Houck 62 pass from Drew Kuhnle (Griffin kick) STP — Jack Stieber 9 run (Griffin kick) STP — Ashton Stang 34 pass from Kuhnle (Griffin kick) STP — Pocos 53 run (Griffin kick) STP — Landon Fries 47 run (Griffin kick)