Football class 4A regional
Jordan rules
Jusevitch makes return on offense as Lowell wins first regional since 2009
Jordan Jusevitch is back on offense for Lowell.
Watch out world.
The Red Devils defeated Hobart 44-23 Friday in a Class 4A regional championship game at the Brickyard.
It was the first regional title for Lowell (9-4) since 2009. The Red Devils will play NorthWood at home next Friday in the semistate.
Jusevitch had the play of the game on a spectacular 60-yard punt return for a touchdown with 2:48 left in the second quarter. After a rocky start against Hobart (10-3), that gave Lowell a 28-23 lead.
Jusevitch reversed field on the punt, broke through a pack of Hobart defenders and ran over one of his own players en route to the TD.
Lowell coach Keith Kilmer had said that he planned on using Jusevitch, a defensive back, more on offense. He missed two games early in the season, and the Red Devils have used him almost exclusively on defense to protect him.
Kilmer sensed that Jusevitch would play well. Jusevitch rushed for 26 yards on six carries and also had a 3-yard TD run.
“I told someone that (No. 6) was going to have a game,” Kilmer said of Jusevitch. “The cream rises to the top.”
Trevor Espravnik was the workhorse on offense for Lowell, rushing for 175 yards on 38 carries.
Lowell turned the ball over twice in the first half. That put the Red Devils in a hole.
Adrian Cantos started the scoring, making a 22-yard field goal with 9:11 left in the first quarter.
The score was set up after Lowell muffed a punt. Hobart got the ball at the 7.
It didn't take long for Lowell to strike back. The Red Devils went on an 80-yard drive that ended with a 2-yard TD run by Espravnik.
Brandon James then took the Lowell kickoff and scored from 75 yards. The Brickies took a 17-7 lead on a 43-yard run by Jared Zanolla.
After Hobart grabbed a 23-14 lead on an 8-yard TD run by Nick Ray in the second quarter, Lowell took control.
Jusevitch scored on a 3-yard run with 4:48 left and added another on his punt return. Hobart muffed a punt in the end zone to start the second half for a Lowell safety.
A 15-yard TD run by Espravnik with 7:01 left in the third quarter gave the Red Devils a 37-23 lead.
Lowell rushed for 302 yards, and the Red Devils were solid defensively, holding the Brickies to just 30 yards passing and 59 yards rushing.
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