By Dean Eversole
MaxPreps.com
ÿ
Texas High, Texas 44
Findlay, Ohio 21
ÿ
Texas High School's Ryan Mallet garnered what he hopes will be the first of many victories over an Ohio football team Friday night at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati.
ÿ
The senior quaterback tossed for 330 yards and four scores, leading his team to a 44-21 win over Findlay in the opening game of the Kirk Herbstreit Ohio vs. USA Challenge. Mallet's performance led Findlay coach Mark Ritlzler to compare him to another strong-armed quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, who Ritlzer coached when he played at Findlay.
ÿ
"Neither one of them have to have their feet set to be able to throw down field," Ritlzer said.
ÿ
Findlay came out strong, scoring the game's first touchdown, but after that Mallet's Tigers reeled off 34 unanswered first half points. ÿ
ÿ
"It's difficult playing in a game like this because you don't know how big or strong your opponent is. We just ran our base defense and offense most of the night," Texas coach Berry Norton said.
ÿ
It might have been basic, but it was certainly effective.
ÿ
Colerain, Ohio 28
Cardinal O'Hara, Pa. 0
ÿ
Speed it is uncoachable and it can be unstoppable when at its extreme - just ask Philadelphia's Cardinal O'Hara.
ÿ
The Lions were victims of speed in the second game of the night at Nippert Stadium, dropping a 28-0 decision to Cincinnati Colerain.
ÿ
For the Cardinals of Colerain, it was their third-consecutive shutout as the first team defense has yet to surrender a single point in the 2006 season. In this contest, they sacked O'Hara three times and intercepted two passes, smothering the Lions at every turn.
ÿ
Offensively, Doug Reynolds led the charge, passing for two scores and rushing for another.
ÿ
Colerain built a 14-0 halftime advantage and coach Kerry Coombs simply turned things over to his defense in the second half. They didn't disappoint, protecting the lead and preserving the shutout.