GRAFTON – The thunder and lightning awakened the defensive beast in the Lorain County Nightmares.
After a weather delay of slightly over an hour with 9.1 seconds remaining in the first half, the Nightmares’ defense allowed only 27 yards in the second half, including negative two yards in the third quarter, not allowing the Mahoning Valley Tigers to score to preserve a 41-20 victory on July 26 at Midview High School.
The defense was not the only Lorain County facet to step up following the storm. Nightmares quarterback Cody Schuster ran for 98 yards and two touchdowns during the second half, along with a passing score to running back Devin Betts.
Schuster finished the game with 187 rushing yards on 15 attempts. He added 184 yards through the air on 10 of 25 passing.
Leading, 13-12, heading into the half, Lorain County scored seven in the third and 21 in the fourth to ice the game.
The third-quarter touchdown came on two-yard run that Betts was able to punch in with 49.5 seconds remaining following a five-minute drive.
The defense did their part in the third, allowing Mahoning Valley only nine plays on three drives.
The Nightmares defense continued its strong play heading into the fourth, ending the first Mahoning Valley drive with an interception by Dominic Estes.
While the defense held strong, Schuster found Betts for a 46-yard screen with 7:11 remaining and then scrambled for rushing touchdowns from 18 yards and 28 yards.
The only second-half points for the Tigers were credited to special team play, as Gambell ran the kickoff following Betts’ receiving score back, 85 yards to cut the Nightmares lead to 33-20.
The Tigers played catch-up from the beginning, as Lorain County started the scoring with 12:10 remaining in the first quarter. Schuster found Monte Williams for a 52-yard strike up the sideline to give the Nightmares a 7-0 lead.
The Tigers appeared as if they would even the score before the end of the quarter, putting together a 13-play, eight-minute drive that ended on the Lorain County 16 yardline after a failed fourth-and-9 attempt.
The Tigers nearly tied the game in the second when Kris Ford intercepted a Schuster pass and ran it back 67 yards for the pick-six. However, a missed extra-point by Eric Lockney, who also served as the Mahoning Valley running back, kept the Nightmares on top, 7-6.
Mahoning Valley had its only taste of a lead in the second quarter, when quarterback Will Mixon completed a 57-yard strike to Flash Williams with 1:20 remaining in the half to give the Tigers a 12-10 lead.
Lorain County answered with 9.1 seconds remaining when Tim Jones connected on a 36-yard field goal right before the storms started.
With the win, Lorain County improves to 7-3 on the season, while Mahoning Valley falls to 1-7.
