By Ed Farrell
Herald Assistant Sports Editor
Farrell was feeling it Friday night ... at least 16 seconds into its District 10 Region 1-A showdown with Sharpsville.
Nate Titus’ touchdown — a 61-yard scoring sprint from a double-tight, double-wing formation on the game’s 1st play from scrimmage — seemed to silence the Steelers’ skein of recent success ... then it served the Steelers as something of a wakeup call.
Danny Odem orchestrated an offense that averaged 12.2 yards per play, almost evenly dividing 379 total yards, as Farrell forged a 49-14 win at Anthony J. Paulekas Stadium.
Odem was overwhelming, tossing TDs of 72, 47 and 11 yards to Kevin Brodie, Malcolm Hailstock and Norman Blue, respectively, while also running 3 yards in response to Titus’ TD. In addition, Malcolm and Lamont Hailstock split 120 yards rushing, as the former contributed a 49-yard scoring sprint, while the latter tallied 1- and 11-yarders.
“We were flat coming out,” admitted Steelers’ skipper Jarrett Samuels, who related, “It’s been a struggle this week for me personally. My wife (Tracey) is recovering from neck surgery, and I’m just glad my coaches kept things intact while I was out. My coaches (Troy Harrison Sr., Paul Muhammed, Danté “Bucky” Newell, Victor Phillips, Lamont Samuels, Omar Stewart and Robert Townsend) I appreciate them, and I loved it that these kids performed for them (Friday) night.”
Farrell (4-1 Region 1-A, 5-2 overall) finished with 191 yards rushing and 188 passing on southpaw sharpshooter Odem’s 5-for-6 marksmanship. He also added a team-high 61 yards running behind center Terry Perfilio, guards Ervin Hill, Leon Avery and Idrais Alexander, and tackles Robert Trudo and James Strozier.
In dropping its 2nd straight region affair Sharpsville (4-2, 4-3) actually attempted twice as many plays from scrimmage (63-31) as Farrell and the Blue Devils delivered more 1st downs (15-14). However, after the Steelers adjusted to Sharpsville’s unorthodox formation, Sharpsville secured only 214 yards (3.3 yards/play) — and more than half of that occurred during the 1st frame.
“Our team’s so young, and (the Steelers are) so quick to begin with. And they’ve got a nice team, there’s no doubt about it. And if they have all their players against Mercer (a 20-0 Week-2 loss) I think it’s a different story, too,” praised Paul Piccirilli, Sharpsville’s skipper.
Sharpsville showed up approximately 16 minutes prior to kickoff, but the Blue Devils demonstrated no ill-effects as Titus tallied his TD 16 ticks into the tilt. He ended with a game-high 134 yards rushing on 19 totes. However the battered Blue Devils had only 28 players dressed, and stalwarts Josh Taylor and Marcus Llewellyn were not healthy coming into the contest.
“They’re young ... and this is a good learning experience,” Piccirilli philosophized. “They’re doing a great job so far this year, and what we need is next week’s game, hopefully to get the fourth (playoff) slot from our league.”
Since a 2-game season-opening skid owing to player suspensions, Farrell forged its 5th straight success during which time the margin of victory has been no less than 27 points.
After receiving a kiss on his clean-shaven pate from Trudo, Jarrett Samuels said, “We have to get healthy. We had twenty-four players (Friday) night dressed, and we’ve got 36 total. We’ve got a lot of starters banged up, so we’ve gotta get healthy and get healthy fast and continue to stay focused in the classroom — that’s where it starts for us.
“If we can stay eligible, stay out of trouble and come out and perform on the field. ... They can perform for me on the field; we’ve just gotta get ’em on the field,” Samuels concluded.
Notes: Dion Eilam pilfered a pass and kicked 3 PATs, ran for another, and passed to Preston Jefferson for a 5th. ... Cam Christopher connected for the other Sharpsville score, and Marcus Llewellyn lent a 2-point converion.
———
SHARPSVILLE 6 0 0 8 14
FARRELL 7 23 13 6 49
Scoring plays
S — Titus, 61 run (kick failed)
F — Odem, 3 run (Eilam kick)
F — Brodie, 72 pass from Odem (Eilam kick)
F — L. Hailstock, 1 run (Eilam run)
F — L. Hailstock, 11 run (Jefferson pass from Eilam)
F — M. Hailstock, 47 pass from Odem (Eilam kick)
F — Blue, 16 pass from Odem (kick failed)
S — Christopher, 1 run (Llewellyn run)
F — M. Hailstock, 49 run (kick failed)
Team stats
SHARPSVILLE FARRELL
15 First downs 14
202 Rushing yards 191
12 Passing yards 188
7-3-1 Att-comp-int 6-5-0
214 Total yards 379
3-2 Fumbles-lost 1-1
3-15 Penalties-yards lost 6-60
Individual stats
Rushing: SHARPSVILLE — Titus 19-134, Taylor 19-43, Llewellyn 7-31, Christopher 5-28, Bland 2-0, Joseph 1-(-1), Henwood 2-(-10), Wilson 1-(-23); FARRELL — Odem 7–61, M. Hailstock 5-60, L. Hailstock 10-60, Eilam 1-18, Pinkins 1-1, Brodie 1-(-9).
Passing: SHARPSVILLE — Totin 1-1-0, 14; Joseph 6-2-1, (-2); FARRELL — Odem 6-5-0, 188.
Receiving: SHARPSVILLE — Titus 2-(-2), Christopher 1-14; FARRELL — Eilam 2-43, Brodie 1-72, M. Hailstock 1-47, Blue 1-16.
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