CRUSADERS VENTURE ON FIRST ROAD TRIP TO TORONTO
Written by Mario Saggio
The Crusaders of Steubenville Catholic Central take to the road for the first time in 2012 when they visit the newly renovated Clark Hinkle Stadium to take on arch rival Toronto Friday night at 7.
Central enters the contest at 1-2 after suffering a heart-breaking loss this past Saturday. A late Crusader rally fell short as Columbiana held on for a 38-35 win, covering an onside kick with less than a minute to play to preserve the victory.
Toronto has yet to taste victory through three games, dropping road games against Wellsville (42-13) and Bridgeport (20-19) before falling at home last Friday to Shadyside by a 54-13 count.
This will mark the 41st meeting between the two rivals. Central leads the all-time series by a count of 29-10-1, and had rattled off 10 straight wins before Toronto rallied for a 22-14 win at Harding Stadium last year.
Eric Meek and the home-standing Red Knights will look to make it two in a row against their Route Seven rivals but they will need a stellar effort on both sides of the ball to do so.
Offensively, Toronto will try to spread things out with freshman quarterback Blaze Glenn (5-7, 150) triggering the attack. Through the first three weeks, he has rushed for 137 yards while completing 20 of 38 pass attempts for 252 yards.
His brother Chez, a 5-7, 160-pound junior, leads the Red Knights in rushing with 238 yards on 389 carries.
Adding to the versatility and athleticism in the backfield are slotbacks Joey Chadwick, a 5-10, 165-pound senior, and Charles Ross III, a 5-5, 160-pound sophomore. The former leads Toronto in receiving with seven catches for 80 yards.
The wideouts are senior Kyle White (5-7, 135) and sophomore Nate Stewart (5-9, 155), with depth provided by 5-5, 115-pound freshman Donnie Starkey.
Senior Zach Price (5-9, 150) holds down the center of the offensive line, with a pair of juniors - 6-2, 220-pound Jordan Allen and 6-0, 190-pound Billy Solomon - starting at guard. The tackles are 5-9, 205-pound senior Jake Haynes and 5-10, 160-pound junior Josh Roche.
The Red Knight’s 4-4 defense will be challenged by a potent Crusader passing game. The secondary must come up big against a deep and talented Central receiving corps. Chez Glenn will patrol the last line of defense at safety, with Blaze Glenn and Chadwick holding down the corners.
Stewart and White are penciled in at outside linebacker, with help from Ross and Starkey. The inside linebackers are Solomon and 5-6, 145-pound freshman Drew Lowery.
Up front, Haynes is joined on the interior by his brother Alec, a 6-2, 280-pound sophomore. They are flanked by ends Derick Lawrence, a 5-10, 165-pound junior and Tyler Miller, another junior, who measures 5-6, 160.
The Red Knight stop troops will be challenged by Steve Daley and his Crusaders’ wide open offense that has been impressive through the first through weeks of the season.
Junior quarterback Brenton Colabella has thrown for 832 yards and 11 touchdowns, completing 52 of 85 attempts. He threw his first two interceptions of the season last week.
Senior wideouts Zach Herrington and Michael Carapellotti have each hauled in 14 receptions so far this season. Herrington has amassed 293 yards and three touchdowns, while Carapellotti has gained 147 yards and scored twice.
Classmate Kyle Laukert leads the squad in touchdown receptions with four among his 10 catches and 191 receiving yards.
Junior Ryan Fletcher has reached the end zone twice while hauling in eight receptions for 119 yards.
Speedy senior Doug Maslowski paces the Crusaders with 206 rushing yards and a touchdown on 30 attempts. Sophomore Stone Romano has provided a change of pace between the tackles, notching 38 yards on eight carries.
Defensively, junior defensive back Aleks Porreca leads the team in tackles with 21, including a team-leading five for lost yardage.
Romano and junior cornerback Khalil Jones are next in line with 18 tackles apiece. The former has added a fumble recovery, a sack, and one tackle for lost yardage from his linebacker spot.
Other leaders among the secondary include Fletcher with 16 tackles, an interception and fumble recovery, and Herrington with eight tackles and a theft.
Sophomore Chris Murphy has been a stalwart at linebacker, notching 12 tackles, two sacks and two fumble recoveries. Laukert has stood out, as well, with 10 stops and two pickoffs. Senior Kevan Zapolnik has three tackles for lost yardage among his eight stops.
Along the front line, junior Jake McCann leads the way with 11 tackles. Classmate Marty Engle has added seven stops (two for negative yardage) from his tackle spot.
Senior end Geno Taglione, and tackles Stephen Butto, a senior, and Jimmy Joe Mort, a junior, have made solid contributions, as well.
The Central kicking game has been solid. Romano has been successful on five of six conversion attempts, while Maslowski has made three of four.
Colabella has averaged 35 yards per punt on his 10 attempts.