The Lackluster Leopards: Green vs. Louisville Game Preview
All you need to know before tonight's game.
This Friday (9/29), the Bulldogs will take a break from league play to earn revenge on the Louisville Leopards. The game, hosted by the Bulldogs, will see Green attempting to right their wrongs from last year’s struggle against the Leopards. Green lost to Louisville last year in a shock upset, though it was overshadowed by Louisville’s ineligible 12th man on a scoring play. Green, the obvious favorite for this game, is standing at 4-2 record opposite to Louisville’s 1-5. Seven weeks into the season, will Louisville pull their season back? Or will Green open their homecoming festivities with a win?
What’s Up With Louisville?
Leopard RB, Junior Cam Dougherty, scored the only touchdown in the Leopards’ loss to Perry last week. An 8 yard run in the first half prevented a shutout by the panthers, who currently stand at 2-4. Given that Perry is currently 0-3 in Federal League play and has suffered blowout losses to Jackson and McKinley, Louisville's loss can be described as quite embarrassing.
They have made numerous errors in almost every game, except for their only subjectively impressive performance this year in their week two game against Zanesville, who are also 1-5.
Louisville has lost all but one game to Federal League opponents.
Green is the only one they’ve beaten out of those 15 games.
Green Rallies Back in Thriller
Green, after losing starting quarterback Samino Manson, opted to call up sophomore Tyson Hunka to the varsity roster. Saturdays at noon playing JV are quite the different atmosphere to Friday night lights. Hunka did not disappoint. An underwhelming first half that saw Green down as much as 21-3, led into a comeback led by the sophomore talent. After senior RB Jorden Beyl rushed for a touchdown at the goal-line, Zach Baglia pulled in a 7-yard touchdown pass with just over a minute left in the game. When it came to the two-point conversion to make the score almost out of reach for Glen Oak, Tyson improvised with an underhanded toss to senior WR Anthony Manderine.
Hunka ended up putting up 115 yards on 14/21 passes, and 81 yards on his feet on 19 carries.
Jorden Beyl, a name not mentioned a lot till week 4, provided Green with a powerful run game. He rushed for 55 yards on 14 carries and a touchdown.
Baglia caught four passes racking up 31 yards, with Manderine adding 64 yards on three catches.
Junior HB Antonio Martin had a one-handed grab at the end of the first half to get Green back on track, and he was close to crying out of joy after the comeback. In my interview with him after the interview, he was more than jubilant. Exclaiming how Green can do “it.”
When confronting coach Geis after a successful showing, he was almost as happy. In his message to Bulldog fans going into Louisville week, he stated,
“Beat Louisville.”
The Edge
