Weir High Spoils Crusaders’ Homecoming Celebration

The Weir High Red Riders garnered their initial win of the 2010 season Saturday night at Harding Stadium, spoiling Homecoming for Catholic Central by pinning a 14-12 loss on the Crusaders. The victory was the Riders’ first after opening the season with six straight losses. Central falls to 1-7 on the year.

Weir High rolled up 249 yards on the ground, led by quarterback Hunter McLaughlin, who accounted for 140 yards and a score on 16 carries. Fullback Andy Marshall bulled his way for another 81 yards on 17 carries, and tailback Brandon Zapotoczny added 34 yards and a touchdown on nine attempts.

Things didn’t start off well for the visitors after taking over on their own 35 when the opening kickoff rolled out of bounds. The Red Riders coughed the ball up at midfield on their fourth play from scrimmage, with the Crusaders coming up with the loose pigskin.

Central used a 10-play drive to move the ball inside the Weir High 10-yard line, before the drive stalled at the Rider six as a fourth-down pass attempt failed.

Two plays later, it looked as if McLaughlin got the Riders on the board first, as he faked a handoff to Marshall up the middle, veered right and outran the Crusader defense to paydirt. A block in the back penalty negated the score, though, and brought the ball back to the Crusader 41-yard line.

The drive ended six plays later at the Crusader 23 when Central’s Brannt Pieniazek broke up a McLaughlin pass attempt on fourth down.

Freshman quarterback Brenton Colabella, who would finish the night with 249 yards on 16 of 31 passing, led an eight-play Crusader drive to the Weir High 30 before another fourth-down pass attempt failed to connect in the end zone.

On the next play, though, Central linebacker Jon Emmerling recovered a Red Rider fumble at the visitors’ 39. Nine plays later, Colabella hit Pieniazek for a 10-yard touchdown with 6:41 left in the half. The conversion attempt failed.

The lead only lasted 23 seconds, though, as McLaughlin darted up the middle for a 61-yard score on second down. Josh Hixson’s PAT gave the visitors a 7-6 lead.

After a three and out by the Crusaders, Weir High took over on their own 31. On second down, Marshall burst through the middle of the Crusader defense before being dragged down from behind by Pieniazek at the Central 22.

For the second time in the contest, McLaughlin scored on a keeper to the right only to have it called back, this time on a holding penalty. The Crusader defense stiffened from there and a 32-yard field goal attempt by the Riders was done in by a muffed snap, leaving their lead at 7-6 at intermission.

Central returned the second-half kickoff to their own 21, but five plays later the Crusaders fumbled and Red Rider James Owens recovered the loose ball at the Central 26. Several plays later, Zapotoczny found a gap up the middle and bolted to his right on the way to an 11-yard scoring run. Hixson’s second PAT of the night gave Weir High a 14-6 lead just over four minutes into the third quarter.

Undaunted, Central began their next possession at their own 30 and mounted an eight-play drive that took them to the Weir High 18. Trying to catch the Red Rider defense off guard, the Crusaders lined up Pieniazek in the shotgun. Taking the snap, he faked a run to his left and then tried to hit Colabella, who had lined up at wideout, in the corner of the end zone.

Rider Cody Mullens was not fooled, however, and ended the Central threat by intercepting Pieniazek’s pass.

Weir then moved from their own 20 to the Crusader 37 before a Red Rider punt bounded into the end zone. The two teams then traded three-and-outs before the Crusaders took over on their own 15 midway through the final stanza.

Several plays later, Central landed the big strike they needed, as Colabella connected with Pieniazek, who had gotten behind the Rider secondary, for a 52-yard gain to the four-yard line.

Two plays later, Emmerling punched it in from the one, pulling the Crusaders within 14-12 with 3:39 remaining. On the two-point conversion attempt to tie the game, Colabella faked to his left before rolling right.

Finding his primary receiver covered, the Crusader signal-caller lofted a pass toward the back of the end zone but the Rider secondary was up to the task and batted the ball down, preserving their lead.

The Crusaders attempted an onside kick, but Weir recovered on their own 42 and were able to manage one first down to take valuable time off the clock. Only 36 seconds remained by the time Central took over at their own 16-yard line after a Rider punt.

Forced to throw deep against a well-stocked secondary, Colabella’s last-gasp pass was intercepted at the Weir 36 by Clarence Bennett, who returned it to the Crusader 42 as time expired.

In addition to his rushing exploits, McLaughlin added 40 yards passing to the Rider attack, completing three of six attempts, two to Aaron Foglio for 30 yards and one to Brad Hubbard.

Colabella connected with seven different Crusader teammates on the evening, with Pieniazek again being his main target, snaring five passes for 93 yards. Emmerling was targeted four times for 63 yards, while fullback Cody Lynskey and wideout Zach Herrington landed two catches each. Collin Valero and Jimmy Panella also had receptions.

Emmerling tallied 45 yards on 22 carries for Central, with Lynskey adding another 21 yards on three rushes.

Weir High now leads the all-time series between the two schools 11-9-1.

Both teams take to the road this Friday with the Red Riders heading South on Route 2 to battle arch-rival Brooke, while the Crusaders will travel to the upper part of the Northern Panhandle for their first-ever battle with another Hancock County foe, Oak Glen.