Crusaders Meet OVAC Foe Barnesville For First Time
Written by Mario Saggio
The Steubenville Catholic Central Crusaders return home Saturday night for a first-time matchup with fellow OVAC member Barnesville at Harding Stadium. Both teams will be looking to rebound from setbacks last week. The Crusaders were shut out 41-0 by Wheeling Central Catholic, while the Shamrocks suffered a 41-13 loss to undefeated Shadyside.
Barnesville enters Saturday night’s game at 4-2 and is currently 11th in Ohio Division 5, Region 19. The ‘Rocks have beaten John Glenn (21-13), Meadowbrook (47-20), Buckeye Trail (39-7) and Shenandoah (48-18). Besides falling to Shadyside last week, their other loss came in week three against 5-1 Caldwell (24-21).
Luke Johnson is in his seventh year as head coach of the Shamrocks, and brings a veteran team to face the Crusaders. Despite losing 15 seniors from last year’s 5-5 squad, Barnesville returned 16 lettermen, including eight starters on offense and six on defense.
6-1, 195-pound senior Tyler Kurtz is the ‘Rocks field general, having shifted from receiver, where he caught 18 passes for 251 yards and three touchdowns in ’09. This season, he has thrown for over 500 yards and three touchdowns. Kurtz is a dual threat, as evidenced by his 69-yard scoring run vs. Shadyside.
145-pound senior wideout Tyler Moore and 6-5, 200-pound junior tight end/wideout Tyler Fitzpatrick have been Kurtz’s main targets through six games.
Tailback Preston Dornan, a 160-pound junior, headlines the Barnesville rushing attack, with over 600 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground. He also set up a Barnesville score last week with a 74-yard kickoff return.
160-pound senior Brandyn Shaw has added 300 yards and four touchdowns on the ground, while Jesse Stoudt, a 190-pound junior, is the starting fullback.
Barnesville boasts a huge and experienced offensive line, with three players near or over the 300-pound mark. Senior tackles Adam Inherst and Jacob Houston weigh in at 325 and 295, respectively, while junior center Ian Wells also checks in at 325.
The guards are "small" in comparison. 265-pound junior Colin Hallstrom is a returning starter, as is three-year letterman Dustin Starr, a 195-pound senior.
Defensively, 6-5 senior Bryson Stephen lines up at one end, along with Fitzpatrick. Inherst and Houston are the starting tackles, backed by Hallstrom and Andrew Burkhead, another 325-pound senior.
Stoudt, Starr and 195-pound senior Kyle Morris see time at inside linebacker, while Kurtz and Shaw start on the outside.
Dornan patrols the secondary at safety, while Moore and 155-pound junior Zach Dornan are the corners.
Kurtz handles the placekicking and punting duties for Barnesville.
After moving the ball well in their previous two outings, the Crusaders suffered a frustrating night on Wheeling Island last Friday. Central turned the ball over three times, while only mustering 164 yards in total offense.
Freshman quarterback Brenton Colabella did manage to total 91 yards passing, hitting improving sophomore wideout Michael Carapellotti three times for 33 yards. Junior tight end Collin Valero and wideout Brannt Pieniazek both added two catches each, as did tailback Jon Emmerling.
Emmerling and fellow junior Jordan Piergallini paced the Crusader ground game.
Defensively, Catholic Central stood firm on a third-quarter goal-line stand, stopping Wheeling Central several times inside the Crusader five-yard line.
Kickoff for Saturday’s contest is set for 7:30 p.m.