​BOARDMAN, Ohio (WKBN) – History has officially arrived for the Youngstown Defenders. In a down-to-the-wire defensive clinic, the newly formed program captured a monumental 13-10 victory over Boardman on Friday night, cementing their first victory.Youngstown (1-0) will travel to Harding next week while Boardman (0-1) will take on Lake on the road in week two.The defenses stole the show early, turning the matchup into an absolute battleground as both units stood tall in a scoreless stalemate.Both Boardman and the newly formed Defenders stared down early trouble, but both teams earned plenty of praise by shutting down their opponent’s first two drives with bruising fourth-down stops and forcing punts.Boardman finally broke the ice early in the second quarter, capitalizing on a spark from special teams to seize a hard-fought 3-0 lead over Youngstown.After Aidan Moore ignited the Spartans with a 14-yard punt return, Isaiah Payne exploded for back-to-back big gains on the ground, slicing through the Defenders’ defense behind a wall of blockers. While the Youngstown defense recovered to stall the drive deep in their own territory, the Spartans called upon kicker Oswaldo Salinas, who calmly drilled a 35-yard field goal right through the uprights to put the game’s first points on the board.History was made at Spartan Stadium.With just 4:16 remaining in the opening half, quarterback Asuante Mickel delivered an absolute dart on fourth-and-13, finding DaShaun Matlock in the end zone for a 14-yard touchdown pass to secure the first-ever score in Youngstown Defenders program history.The historic, game-changing drive ignited after a Boardman punt gave Youngstown prime real estate at the Spartans’ 40-yard line. The Defenders wasted no time as Daylon Ferrell hauled in a 15-yard completion, followed immediately by Mickel flashing his elite vision on a 14-yard scramble deep into enemy territory.Facing a fourth down, Mickel and Matlock connected for the unforgettable moment, sending Youngstown to snatch the lead.The Defenders carried all that first-half momentum right out of the locker room, staging a flawless opening drive to extend their lead.The second-half surge was highlighted by Tristan Pollard’s 20-yard scamper, slicing through the Spartans’ defense and shifting the field. Once again, the Defenders proved completely fearless on fourth down; quarterback Mickel delivered a strike to Chris Bricker for an 11-yard conversion, setting up a first-and-goal at the Boardman 2-yard line. From there, Pollard showcased his elite speed, racing to the pylon for a 2-yard touchdown run to cap off the drive.Boardman refused to back down, mounting a ferocious response to cut into the deficit and breathe new life into the season opener. After Boardman’s gritty defense made a heroic, back-to-the-wall stand on fourth down deep in their own territory, the offense took the field with pure determination. The Spartans marched toward the goal line behind the punishing, physical running