"They’ve put themselves in those opportunities.": Green vs. Louisville Essential Guide
As Louisville aims to shake off past struggles with the versatile Owen DiMarzio, Green looks to showcase its strong fundamentals and balanced offensive attack in a pivotal non-league matchup.
Louisville comes into this matchup looking to shake off past struggles, leaning heavily on their do-it-all playmaker Owen DiMarzio. But Green, riding high with a defense built on fundamentals and a balanced offensive attack, is ready to prove they still own the upper hand. With both teams hungry for a win, this game will be a test of which squad can impose their style first.
Tomorrow, October 11th, Green (Uniontown) will travel to Louisville. Here’s everything you need to know before their non-league matchup.
Versatility Fuels Louisville's Offense
Louisville’s offense is driven by junior receiving back Owen DiMarzio, who’s racked up 787 yards. On the ground, he’s been a workhorse with 494 rushing yards, averaging 4.3 yards per carry and finding the end zone five times. He’s averaging 112 all-purpose yards a game.
In terms of their passing game, junior receiver Quin Burick stands out as the top target with 22 receptions, totaling 221 yards and two touchdowns. He leads a group of five Leopards who’ve each recorded over 100 receiving yards. Senior quarterback Tate Aljancic has completed 60.8% of his passes, amassing 1,037 yards, six passing touchdowns, and five interceptions so far this season. Aljancic has 112 yards on his feet, with two rushing touchdowns.
Aljancic has an abundance of weapons in his receiving core. Five of their receivers have over 100 receiving yards. Seniors Ashton Marshall and Austin Wade make timely grabs, and junior Gabe Stoffer has almost 200 receiving yards.
However, Louisville has struggled against Federal League opponents, dropping 17 of their last 18 matchups. Their lone win came in 2022, where they beat Green 27-23. In their most recent meeting last year, Green dominated Louisville 42-7.
Green's Defensive Renaissance
According to Green’s head coach Mark Geis, their dominant secondary thrives on fundamentals. Headed by junior Anthony McMichael III at safety, have combined for ten interceptions through seven weeks.
“Sometimes they’ve been in the right spot at the right time, but they’ve put themselves in those opportunities.” Geis said.
The boost in defensive performance could be linked to their solid fundamentals, but it might also be a result of Green's off-season coaching adjustments, with Monte Board stepping in as the new defensive coordinator following a recent departure.
“[Coach Board is] more of a technique type of guy. He’s fundamentals, all about the fundamentals. He’s doing a great job; I couldn’t ask for a better coach in any situation.” senior All-Ohio Antonio Martin said.
Speaking of Martin, he still leads Green in receiving yards (289) despite missing the first three weeks of the season. Averaging 14.5 yards per catch, he’s found the end zone three times.
Junior Evan Reed has been one half of the catalyst behind Green’s balanced offensive approach. He had two rushing touchdowns against GlenOak in week seven.
“We’re always going to play to the styles of our players. We’re going to put our kids in a position that they can be successful at, and we’re going to coach them really hard to play very hard.” Geis said.
Reed’s playmaking has proven to be not only explosive, but consistent. He’s scored a touchdown in almost every game he’s seen the field.
“I’ve always been confident coming to the game, knowing that I can be a good player. I can contribute to the team, no matter the situation or scenario. Just being able to trust my guys; the O-line, the fullbacks—it really makes my job easy.” Reed said after his performance against GlenOak.
The other half is Anthony McMichael III, previously mentioned, who is used slightly less than Reed; however, he still finds success when he’s playing offense.
Junior quarterback Tyson Hunka continues to be a steady presence for Green’s offense, completing 57.1% of his passes for a league-leading 1,176 yards, nine touchdowns, and four interceptions so far this season.
Junior Dario Lombardi has elevated his game in the trenches line this season. After missing nearly all of the 2023 season due to injury, only playing two quarters, he's made a strong comeback. As a two-way lineman, Lombardi has recorded four sacks, ranking him third in the Federal League in that category.
Louisville's game plan will likely revolve around getting the ball to Owen DiMarzio early and often, using him as both a runner and a receiver to stretch Green’s defense. Expect them to test Green’s front seven with inside runs while mixing in short passes to keep the pace fast and control possession. Louisville might also take a few deep shots to catch Green off guard, but their main focus will be on sustaining drives and keeping the game within reach.
Green’s approach will center on their balanced attack. They’ll likely start with Evan Reed and Anthony McMichael III on the ground to establish the run game, wearing down Louisville’s defensive front. This will set up Hunka to take advantage of play-action and find Antonio Martin and his other targets downfield. On defense, Green’s secondary, led by Anthony McMichael III, will focus on shutting down Louisville’s passing game, forcing them into uncomfortable situations. Up front, Dario Lombardi and seniors Cam White and Nolan McKendry will look to disrupt Louisville’s offensive rhythm by applying pressure, making Aljancic hurry throws or scramble out of the pocket.
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