CCHS Football Game Results

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Steubenville Catholic Central 63, Barnesville High 14

WRAP-UP from steubenvillecentralcrusaders.com, published 10/12/2012

CRUSADERS LOOK TO CONTINUE MOMENTUM VS. BARNESVILLE

Written by Mario Saggio

Steubenville Catholic Central will be looking for it’s fourth straight win Saturday night when they host Barnesville. The Crusaders enter the contest with a 4-2 record after a 54-7 rain-shortened rout of the Conotton Valley Rockets.

The hosts currently stand seventh in Ohio Division VI, Region 21. After starting the season 1-2, Central has reeled off victories in each of their last three outings - against Toronto (49-7), Oak Glen (28-6), and Conotton Valley.

Despite a 25-7 upset loss to previously winless Caldwell last Friday, the visiting Shamrocks are also battling for a playoff berth, sitting ninth in Division V, Region 17.

Steve Daley’s Crusaders were impressive in last week’s win, rolling up 350 yards of offense, recording four takeaways and a touchdown on defense, and logging both a long kickoff and punt return, each setting up touchdowns.

Junior quarterback Brenton Colabella threw for over 300 yards and five touchdowns. On the season, he has completed 96 of 158 attempts for 1,605 yards and 21 touchdowns, with only three interceptions.

He ranks atop Ohio Division VI in completions, attempts and scoring passes, and ranks second in passing yardage.

Senior Zach Herrington leads the division in touchdown receptions with eight, is tied for first in receptions with 27, and stands second in yardage with 489.

Senior Kyle Laukert and junior Ryan Fletcher both are among the top ten in receiving yardage. Laukert is eighth with 365 and Fletcher 10th with 307. Both players have each tallied 18 receptions, with four of Laukert’s and three of Fletcher’s going for scores.

Senior Michael Carapellotti has caught 15 passes for 161 yards and three scores.

Junior Khalil Jones has added 108 yards and a score on four catches, while classmate Johnny DiCarlantonio hauled in two passes, including a 73-yard score, last week.

Although not nearly as prolific, the Crusader running game has brought more balance to the offensive attack, notching 554 yards and nine scores on 141 attempts.

Senior Doug Maslowski leads the way with 410 yards and five touchdowns on 64 carries.

Sophomore Stone Romano and junior Luke Potenzini have solidified the fullback spot. Romano has rushed 18 times for 82 yards, while Potenzini has scored both on the ground and through the air.

Defensively, the Crusaders have only allowed one score in each of their four wins, and have forced 18 turnovers through six games.

Junior end Jake McCann is the leading tackler up front with 18, while senior tackle Marty Engle is next with 15, including three for negative yardage. Two other seniors, end Geno Taglione and tackle Steve Butto have solidified the front line.

Romano leads the team in tackles with 35 from his linebacker spot. Six of his tackles have been behind the line of scrimmage. He also has two sacks and a fumble recovery to his credit.

Fellow sophomore linebacker Chris Murphy leads the team in sacks with three, and fumble recoveries with four, including one returned for a touchdown. Among his 30 tackles, three have been for lost yardage.

Seniors Kevan Zapolnik is next among linebackers in tackles with 23, and ranks second on the team in tackles for lost yardage.

Fletcher is second on the team in both tackles, with 34, and interceptions, with two, from his safety spot. He also has four tackles for lost yardage and a fumble recovery to his credit.

Junior Aleks Porreca leads the team in tackles for negative yardage with nine among his 32 stops, while picking off one enemy pass. Also at safety, Herrington has 14 stops (one for lost yardage), two sacks, an interception, and a fumble recovery that he returned for a touchdown.

Central has also gotten solid play at the corners. Laukert is the team leader in interceptions with three, adding 22 tackles (two for lost yardage), and a fumble recovery for a score.

Jones has added 24 tackles and an interception. Carapellotti also has an interception to his credit.

The Crusader kicking game has been consistent, with Romano converting 14 of 15 extra points. Maslowski has been successful on eight of his 11 attempts, while booming many of his kickoffs deep, including several touchbacks.

Colabella has averaged over 33 yards each on 18 punts.

Jones leads the team in punt return yardage with 66 yards on five attempts, while Fletcher has totaled 211 yards on nine kickoff returns.

The Shamrocks, under first-year head coach Matt Johnson, had rattled off four straight wins after a season-opening 49-6 loss to New Concord John Glenn before last week’s loss to Caldwell. Barnesville’s wins came against Meadowbrook (36-32), Union Local (21-7), Buckeye Trail (21-14), and Shenandoah (51-20).

Directing the Barnesville offense will be 5-0, 210-pound senior Kyle Yaquinta at quarterback. He has thrown for seven touchdowns and nearly 700 yards, including a 13-yard touchdown last week.

When the Shamrocks do go to the air, 6-0, 145-pound senior Kyle McIntire and 6-1, 190-pound junior Chase Huntsman line up at split end.

Senior fullback Colton Pritchard (5-9, 155) is another key target out of the backfield and a stalwart in the running game.

Manning the slot positions for the Shamrocks are the Burkharts - senior Brandon (6-1, 180) and freshman Dylan (5-10, 165).

The Barnesville offensive front isn’t quite as back as in recent years but still boasts size. Sophomore center Mitchell Wells is the biggest of the starters at 6-0, 260 pounds.

Juniors Joey Fuller (6-2, 230) and David Brown (5-10, 235) are the guards, with classmates Brandon Collins (5-11, 210) and Zach Houston (5-11, 230) lining up at tackle.

On the other side of the ball, Yaquinta will start at one end of the Shamrocks’ four-man front. 5-7, 160-pound junior Josh Schnegg lines up opposite him. Wells and 5-10, 310-pound junior Ryan Myers are the starting tackles.

Collins and Brown are the starting inside linebackers, while the Burkharts roam the outside.

Pritchard starts at one corner for Barnesville, while 5-4, 115-pound sophomore Collin Wilson occupies the other side. David Stewart, a 5-7, 120-pound junior, patrols the secondary from his safety spot.

Saturday’s game will mark the third meeting between the two programs, Barnesville owning 27-9 and 27-7 wins in each of the past two seasons. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m.

CRUSADERS ROUT BARNESVILLE FOR FOURTH STRAIGHT WIN

Written by Mario Saggio

Steubenville Catholic Central used a balanced offensive attack and an opportunistic defense to rout visiting Barnesville 63-14 Saturday night at Harding Stadium.

The win was the fourth straight for head coach Steve Daley’s Crusaders, improving their record to 5-2 and vaulting them to third in the Ohio Division VI, Region 21 playoff chase.

The Crusaders rolled up 487 yards in total offense, while picking off three Shamrock passes in securing the win. Barnesville had pulled to within 28-14 at intermission and took over on their own 29 following the second-half kickoff. Central cornerback Khalil Jones stepped in front of a quick slant on second down, giving his team possession at the Shamrock 38.

Six plays later, Doug Maslowski’s two-yard jaunt up the middle extended the hosts’ lead and started a 35-point second-half onslaught.

Central opened the scoring with a five-play, 64-yard drive that culminated in a nine-yard slant from Brenton Colabella to Zach Herrington. Colabella’s 54-yard strike to Kyle Laukert one play earlier highlighted the drive. A failed PAT left the score 6-0 just 1:52 into the contest.

After a Barnesville punt, Central moved to the Barnesville 29 before turning the ball over on downs. Another Shamrock punt gave the hosts possession at their own 39-yard line.

A 14-yard Maslowski run preceded his 47-yard scoring burst on a sweep around the left side. Despite an illegal motion penalty, Chris Murphy hit Ryan Fletcher for the two-point conversion, pushing the lead to 14-0 with 4:57 to play in the opening quarter.

Maslowski got his second rushing touchdown on a 10-yard option run with 1:06 left in the first quarter. The 59-yard drive following another punt saw Colabella completions of 16 yards to Laukert and 33 to Herrington set up the score. Stone Romano’s ensuing PAT split the uprights.

The visitors mounted a seven-play, 65-yard drive of their own, denting the scoreboard with 9:34 left in the half on a 14-yard Colton Pritchard effort. David Brown’s conversion attempt was on the mark.

A failed onside kick attempt put Central at their own 37 before Colabella and Herrington hooked for a 27-yard gain. The two tried hooking up again on the next play but Barnesville intercepted at their own one-yard line.

Fletcher stepped in front of a first-down Shamrock pass and rambled 15 yards for another Crusader touchdown. Maslowski’s PAT staked Central to a 28-7 lead with 8:55 to play in the second quarter.

An exchange of punts led to the visitors most impressive drive of the night. The Shamrocks went on a 14-play, 80-yard trek that resulted in a five-yard scoring toss from Kyle Yaquinta to Brandon Burkhart. Brown’s conversion kick was again on target, cutting the Central lead to 28-14 with 1:08 remaining before intermission.

The Crusaders nearly closed out the half with another score after Jones’ 35-yard kickoff return put them at the Shamrock 46. As time expired, Fletcher was brought down near the Barnesville 10-yard line after a 30-yard reception.

After Jones’ interception set up Maslowski’s score to open the second half, his tackle on the ensuing kickoff pinned Barnesville back on their own seven-yard line. Heavy pressure on first down forced an incomplete pass from the end zone that resulted in a safety when the officials ruled intentional grounding on the play.

Fletcher’s 59-yard return of the following free kick brought Central to the visitors’ 10-yard line. A nine-yard toss from Colabella to Herrington set up Luke Potenzini’s one-yard touchdown run at the 3:18 mark. Romano again converted, boosting the lead to 44-14.

The Crusader defense continued their onslaught after the ensuing kickoff as Herrington pilfered another enemy pass attempt at the Barnesville 22. Maslowski raced 19 yards on first down, before skirting around the left side for the score one play later. The Shamrocks blocked the extra point attempt.

Barnesville moved from their own 37 to the Crusader 23 before a penalty pushed them back and Romano stopped the drive with a fourth-down sack at the 42. Eleven plays later, Maslowski scored his fifth and final touchdown of the night on a nine-yard option play around the left side. Romano converted his fourth PAT of the night for a 57-14 lead less than a minute into the final stanza.

The Crusader reserves made their mark, recording a defensive stop at their own 41 before embarking on a 10-play, 59-yard drive that saw Cedro Parise score from five yards out with 1:58 left. The freshman running back accumulated 37 yards on eight carries, while Gabe Erickson added 22 yards on two carries.

Maslowski paced the Crusader ground game with 195 yards on 17 carries, including his impressive five-touchdown effort. Colabella carried three times for 25 yards as Central totaled 277 yards rushing.

The junior quarterback completed 11 of his 23 pass attempts for 210 yards. Herrington was again his main target, snagging five passes for 84 yards. Laukert hauled in three passes for 73 yards, while Fletcher, Maslowski and Carapellotti each had one catch.

Yaquinta paced the Shamrocks, completing 11 of 26 passes for 124 yards, and rushing 17 times for 47 yards. Barnesville falls to 4-3 with their second straight loss. They will look to rebound Friday night at Monroe Central.

The Crusaders take to the road that same night to face Weir High.