VANLUE — Leetonia’s long football losing streak is over.

Using plenty of offensive firepower the Bears overwhelmed the outmanned Value Wildcats in a 47-0 win in a matchup of teams that have struggled in recent seasons.

Leetonia — which had seven different players score touchdowns — shattered a 30-game losing streak. The Bears last won on Oct. 29, 2021, with a 20-8 victory over Sebring.

Vanlue, which had 13 available players, has lost 18 straight. Leetonia had 21 in uniform.

The game started at 5:55 p.m. and is thought to be the first high school football game played in the state this season.

Leetonia collected 396 total yards, while hold Vanlue to 7 total yards, all passing, and one first down.

The Bears racked up 276 yards of offense in the first half en route to a 40-0 lead at the break.

Leetonia got on the board on its first offensive play from scrimmage as Dylan Brown raced 64 yards untouched to make it 7-0.

Donnie Smith added Leetonia’s second touchdown with a 5-yard rumble up the middle to make it 13-0. Johns then hit Brayden Gainey on a 52-yard bomb to make it 19-0 by the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter, Johns hit pay dirt on a 34-yard touchdown run to push it to 26-0. Ethan Mathia tacked on a 65-yard romp to extend the lead to 33-0.

Before the half, Grayden Henderson had a 22-yard scamper for a touchdown to make it 40-0.

Offensively Vanlue had little success doing anything and the Bear defenders routinely tackled the Wildcats behind the line of scrimmage.

Leetonia added a late touchdown in the fourth quarter on a 27-yard run by Devon Randolph.

It was Leetonia’s biggest margin of victory since the Bears beat East Palestine 48-0 in 2019.

Leetonia hosts Mathews next Friday.

LE: 19-21-0-7–47

VL: 0-0-0-0–0

LE–Dylan Brown 64 run (Dylan Johns kick)

LE–Donnie Smith 5 run (kick failed)

LE–Brayden Gainey 52 pass from Dylan Johns (kick failed)

LE–Johns 34 run (Johns kick)

LE–Ethan Mathia 65 run (Johns kick)

LE–Grayden Henderson 22 run (Johns kick)

LE–Devon Randolph 27 run (Johns kick)

——

LE VL

First downs 11 1

Total Yards 396 7

Rushes-yards 19-260 27-0

Passing 136 7

Comp-Att-Int 7-8-0 1-3-0

Punts 0 4-27.3

Fumbles-Lost 0 5-2

Penalties-Yards 6-45 2-10

——

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

RUSHING–Leetonia, Ethan Mathia 3-96, Devon Randolph 6-59, Grayden Henderson 4-35, Jeremiah Falk 3-25, Donnie Smith 1-6.

PASSING–Leetonia, Dylan Johns 4-5-124-0, Grayden Henderson 3-3-12-0.

RECEIVING–Leetonia, Brayden Gainey 2-67, Dylan Brown 1-59, Jeremiah Falk 1-11, Kadyn Taylor 1-3.

FUMBLE RECOVERIES–Leetonia, Armani Young, Camden Price.

East Palestine wins

SHADYSIDE — Sophomore Clark Rutledge accounted for five touchdowns in his first start at quarterback and the East Palestine defense took over from there Thursday.

The Bulldogs — with Rutledge throwing for four touchdowns and running for another — rolled over Shadyside, 40-7, in the season opener.

Rutledge threw three touchdown passes in the second quarter and ran for another in the third quarter to help the Bulldogs build a commanding 26-0 lead.

East Palestine first two scores came on consecutive offensive plays.

On the second play of the second quarter, RJ May scored on a 53-yard pass from Rutledge with a downfield block by Tanner Morrow.

May had a 32-yard punt return and, on the next play, hauled in a 30-yard touchdown pass from Rutledge.

The Bulldogs held the Tigers and took over at their own 49-yard line late in the second quarter. A scrambling Rutledge hit Braydon Plum for a 24-yard gain and then Rutledge threw his third touchdown pass of the quarter, hitting Morrow from 25 yards out to make it 20-0.

East Palestine converted two fourth-down defensive stops in the third quarter into touchdowns — a 1-yard run by Rutledge and a 31-yard run by Zach Schnelle, to up the lead to 33-0.

The Tigers were stopped at their own 20 on fourth down, setting up East Palestine’s final score — a 25-yard pass from Rutledge to Plum on a fourth-and-15 play.

Shadyside scored late on a 13-yard run by Ace Nelson.

Both teams play next Friday as East Palestine hosts Windham and Shadyside travels to Southern Local.

E. PALESTINE: 0-20-13-7–40

SHADYSIDE: 0- 0- 0-7– 7

SCORING

EP–RJ May 53 pass from Clark Rutledge (Nate Mead kick)

EP–RJ May 30 pass from Clark Rutledge (kick failed)

EP–Tanner Morrow 25 pass from Clark Rutledge (Nate Mead kick)

EP–Clark Rutledge 1 run (kick failed)

EP–Zach Schnelle 31 run (Nate Mead kick)

EP–Braydon Plum 25 pass from Clark Rutledge (Nate Mead kick)

SS–Ace Nelson 13 run (Kelsyn West kick)