Mentor Lake Catholic Sets The Stage

2001 OHSAA DIVISION III STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME MENTOR LAKE CATHOLIC 27, COLUMBUS DESALES 21, OT MASSILLON -- If the first game is a precursor of what's to come, expect one of the most memorable state championship seasons in the history of the event. Dan Cvelbar's two-yard touchdown run in overtime vaulted the Mentor Lake Catholic Cougars to a thrilling 27-21 victory over the Columbus DeSales Stallions Friday in the Division III state championship game at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium in Massillon, the first of six title games to be held over two days in Stark County. The win gives Lake Catholic (13-2) its third state title in as many trips to the championship game while DeSales (9-6), looking to become the first team with five losses to win a state championship, fell just short of winning its fourth crown. But the Stallions took command early on, taking a 14-0 lead in the first quarter on their first two drives of the game. DeSales opened the scoring when quarterback Dino Razzano connected with H-back De'Wayne Penn on a 55-yard touchdown strike on just their second play from scrimmage. Fullback Tyler Gergley later capped a 12-play, 71-yard drive with a four-yard TD run. But the Cougars rallied behind a strong defense and the arm and legs of quarterback Mark Petruziello. Lake Catholic closed within a touchdown of DeSales on a 51-yard scoring pass from Petruziello to Matt Matteucci, and tied the score late in the third when Petruziello capped a 13-play, 85-yard drive with a two-yard touhdown run on fourth down -- one that saw the sophomore signal-caller just get the ball over the right corner of the end zone before going out of bounds. DeSales went on a long drive right after the score, going 83 yards in 12 plays and eating up 5:16 of clock and ending with Razzano scoring from three yards out with 7:36 left in regulation. But Lake Catholic responded in kind, taking the ball and driving 60 yards in 11 plays and closing the journey with a 10-yard TD pass from Petruziello to a leaping Matteucci with 2:47 to play. The Stallions tried to run the football on their final possession of regulation, but could advance only to the Lake Catholic 38 before time ran out. Lake Catholic won the toss and elected to defend first, and it paid off as Mark Watson stepped in front of receiver Patsy Razzano in the end zone for an interception that stopped the DeSales drive. Petruziello then took the ball to the DeSales seven-yard line on the first play of their overtime possession, and three Cvelbar runs later, the Cougars were the champions. Petruziello was truly the game's MVP, completing 20-of-26 passes for 298 yards and two touchdowns with one interception while leading the Cougar rushers with 82 yards and one touchdown on 21 carries. Petruziello's clutch play was a key for the Cougars all day. The junior converted three fourth down plays on the final two Lake Catholic scoring drives, helping the Cougars into overtime. Watson led all players in receptions with nine catches for 120 yards while Matteucci topped everyone in receiving yardage with eight catches for 162 yards and two scores. Cvelbar added 13 carries for 24 yards on the ground and scored one touchdown. Dino Razzano gave Petruziello a run for his money, though. The Stallions' junior QB topped all rushers in the game with 148 yards on 20 carries and completed 2-of-5 passes for 72 yards and a touchdown. He was intercepted twice, though, and one of those picks and a questionable fumble in the third quarter led to two Lake Catholic touchdowns, including the one in overtime that gave the Cougars the title. Gergley added 70 yards on the ground and one touchdown, while De'Wayne Penn, brother of former Ohio State basketball star James "Scoonie" Penn, also rushed six times for 18 yards. No DeSales receiver caught more than one pass, but all three either led to scores or were scores themselves. Penn's 55-yard catch went for the first TD, a three-yard pass play on a fake punt from Scott Wintering to Tyler Gergley kept DeSales second scoring drive alive, and a 17-yard pass play to Ryan Senser started the final Stallion scoring drive. SCORE BY QUARTERS DeSales............14.....0.....0.....7.....0..........21 Lake Catholic.....0.....7.....7.....7.....6..........27 SCORING SUMMARY FIRST QUARTER DES - De'Wayne Penn 55 pass from Dino Razzano (Jonathan Bednarek kick), 7:31. (3 plays, 71 yards, TOP 0:42) DES - Tyler Gergley 4 run (Jonathan Bednarek kick), :05. (12 plays, 71 yards, TOP 4:55) SECOND QUARTER LC - Matt Matteucci 51 pass from Mark Petruziello (Dan Shannon kick), 9:10. (5 plays, 79 yards, TOP 2:55) THIRD QUARTER LC - Mark Petruziello 2 run (Dan Shannon kick), :52. (13 plays, 85 yards, TOP 6:25) FOURTH QUARTER DES - Dino Razzano 3 run (Jonathan Bednarek kick), 7:36. (12 plays, 83 yards, TOP 5:16) LC - Matt Matteucci 10 pass from Mark Petruziello (Dan Shannon kick), 2:47. (11 plays, 60 yards, TOP 4:49) OVERTIME #1 LC - Dan Cvelbar 2 run (No PAT), 12:00. (4 plays, 20 yards, TOP 0:00) TEAM STATISTICS..........DES..............LC First Downs............................17...............18 Rushes-Yards..................46-258.......34-120 Passing Yards.........................75.............298 Comp-Att-Int....................3-6-2.......20-26-1 Total Offense........................333.............418 Punts-Avg........................3-27.0.........1-35.0 Fumbles-Lost........................1-1..............3-2 Penalties-Yards...................2-10............2-20 Time of Possession.............30:28...........38:45 RUSHING: Lake Catholic-Mark Petruziello 21-82, Dan Cvelbar 13-24. DeSales-Dino Razzano 20-148, Tyler Gergley 19-70, De'Wayne Penn 6-18, Ronnie Smith 1-17. PASSING: Lake Catholic-Mark Petruziello 20-26-1-298. DeSales-Dino Razzano 2-5-2-72, Scott Wintering 1-1-0-3. RECEIVING: Lake Catholic-Mark Watson 9-120, Matt Matteucci 8-162, Mike Gibbons 2-5, Brandon Savage 1-11. DeSales-De'Wayne Penn 1-55, Ryan Senser 1-17, Tyler Gergley 1-3. INTERCEPTIONS: Lake Catholic-Tom Dwyer 1-2, Mark Watson 1-0. DeSales-Ronnie Smith 1-0. clecinosu