Herald Staff reports



Area teams went a perfect 4-for-4 on Friday as the District 10 playoffs kicked off.

Farrell rolled past Eisenhower, 53-0, Mercer shocked Region 2 champion Mercyhurst Prep, 28-20, and Sharpsville notched a 27-14 win over Cambridge Springs.

In Class AAA, Region 5 champion Grove City notched a thrilling 19-13 victory over Strong Vincent.

ä Farrell 53, Eisenhower 0 — Last fall, Farrell’s lone foible was focus – or lack thereof — with 66 ticks to play in a PIAA western regional championship game setback to Clairton (24-21).

That was not the case as the Steelers ended Eisenhower’s season at New Wilmington and commenced defense of their District 10 crown.

Kevin Brodie broke loose for a trio of touchdowns on a 42-yard punt return, 18-yard run from scrimmage, and 28-yard reception from Danny Odem. Also for Farrell (11-0), Dion Eilam eluded Eisenhower tacklers en route to an electrifying 73-yard punt return while also hauling in a 53-yard scoring strike from Odem. Other Steelers’ scores included 1- and 4-yard runs from Jamar Whitman and Malcolm Hailstock and Devonte Goudy’s blocked punt and subsequent recovery in the end zone.

Defensively, Ervin Hill had a pair of quarterback sacks and Ramon West added another, while Odem and Brodie pilfered passes. Eisenhower (5-6) ended with only 29 total yards on 40 snaps.

Linemen Vincent Gibson, Devante Goudy, Jamel Jordan, Matthew Carter and Robert Trudo also were dominant.

The Steelers’ special teams were so superb, Farrell finished with only 243 total yards from scrimmage on just 35 plays (203 on 20 first-half snaps). Steelers’ skipper Jarrett Samuels said his squad’s dozen penalties for 86 lost yards was his lone disappointment. Otherwise ...

“ ... the only team that’s gonna beat Farrell right now is Farrell, if we stay focused like this.

“Overall, my guys came out with that fire we’ve asked them to come out with. It was an excellent job, and a total team effort. Defensively, we got after the quarterback (Cody Crosby), and I’m just proud of these guys,” Samuels assessed, adding,

“I told my guys, ‘Stay focused, stay healthy and just make sure we execute our game plan every time we come out.’

“We’ve got to get back to work,” Samuels insisted, relating, “Stage one is over, so it’s game by game, and hopefully our guys stay focused on our mission.”

Farrell will face Linesville (9-2) — a 48-7 winner over Union City — next Friday at a site and time to be announced. Farrell defeated Linesville (28-7) in last year’s title tilt. — By Ed Farrell, Herald assistant sports editor.

ä Sharpsville 27, Cambridge Springs 14 — Bender Field may be the home of the Meadville Bulldogs, but Friday night in the D-10 opener it belonged to the Sharpsville Blue Devils — at least for the 1st half.

Sparked by an unstoppable running game led by Marcus Llewellyn, Sharpsville was so impressive in building a 20-0 halftime lead, if you had looked in the dictionary under “domination” their team photo could have been there. But after moving ahead 27-0 early in the 3rd period, things somewhat fell apart, although the locals easily won the battle of Blue Devils to advance to a meeting with rival Mercer next weekend in the D-10 A semifinals.

“I don’t know what I can do to get this team to play 100 percent of a game,” said a bewildered Sharpsville mentor Paul Piccirilli. “It seems like every time we get a big lead, we turn it off.”

But it was good enough to win and while Sharpsville (9-2) advanced to the D-10 semis as a team effort, there were a couple of key individual milestones reached as well. Llewellyn and Nate Titus both went over the magical 1,000-yard rushing plateau for the season. Llewellyn put up 205 yards on 17 carries and has 1,068. Titus picked up 82 yards on 12 carries for a season total of 1,056.

“That’s a great accomplishment,” acknowledged Piccirilli. “It’s the first time I think that we’ve ever had two 1,000-yard rushers in one year. We’ve had 1,000-yard rushers, but never two in one season. We have Llewellyn going inside and Titus outside. You can’t stop them both.”

Of course a lot of credit also goes to the offensive line of David Bain, Brian Shaw, Dylan Hogue, Alex Pustinger, Brad Marstellar and Justin Dunlap who set the table up front.

Sharpsville got off to a relatively slow start as its 1st drive of the game stalled because of penalties. But on the 2ond push it was clear that this game might be no contest. Starting at its own 31, Sharpsville drove to paydirt in 11 plays as Llewellyn went the final 12 yards. The Sharpsville junior, a lethal combination of power a speed, tacked on two more TDs before half on runs of 12 and 45 yards as he ran around and over defenders. Jon Wilson made good on all 3 PAT kicks for a 21-0 lead at intermission.

In that half, Llewellyn rambled for 180 yards on 13 carries and the team amassed 252 total yards.

On the 3rd play of the 2nd half, Titus broke loose for a 44-yard score, but the PAT failed, and Piccirilli admitted,

“After that we could sense (the collapse) was coming.”

The local Devils definitely seemed to lose a little bit of focus, giving away a pair of fumbles in the 3rd period. Even the defense, led up front by Cameron Christopher and Matt Redfoot inside, faltered in the later going after a brilliant 1st half.

And the Spa did get moving when  Jay Felton broke free for a 56-yard score midway through the final frame. Then the Region 2-A representatives (7-4) added a final tally with 10.5 seconds left on a 1-yard pass from Steve Kargol to Nate Delycure.

“I don’t know how we get in that mode (of falling apart),” said Piccirilli, “but it has to stop. It’s not that I want to be in close games, but we can’t give up big leads either. Monday is usually an easy practice, but not after this.”

For Sharpsville, Chad Piccirilli and Dewayne Odem both had interceptions, although Kargol did connect on 12 of 23 passes. -- By Herald sports editor Lynn Saternow.

ä Mercer 28, Mercyhurst Prep 20 — A familiar fight in Class A ended with the team usually on the short end of the battle pulling off a huge upset, as Coach Pat McLearn’s Mercer Mustangs (8-3) stunned unbeaten Mercyhurst Prep in the Lakers’ backyard at Paul Weitz Stadium in Harbor Creek.

Since 2006, Prep has beaten Mercer 4 times in 7 tries, and earlier this season mounted a 28-14 win over the Mustangs in Mercer.

Andrew Erdos, Rawlins Huntley and Kyle Mariacher each found the end zone on long touchdown runs.

“Like we said before the game, we're trying to make this rivalry a little bit more competitive,” McLearn said. “My guys played hard tonight. I'm so proud of them.”

After forcing the Lakers to punt on the game’s opening drive, Mercer struck early on just the Mustangs’ 3rd play from scrimmage as Huntley broke a 67-yard run for a 6-0 lead.

In the 2nd quarter, the Mustangs then put together an 11-play, 82-yard drive before Huntley added another rushing TD to the tally from 17 yards out. Huntley then added a 2-point conversion score on a pitch from Erdos to the left of the end zone.

Prep answered with a 13-play, 69-yard drive, scoring on an 11-yard pass from Tony Cordovano to Dwayne Kanady, leaving just 1:18 left in the half after Tyler Helffrich booted the extra point. But just 22 seconds later, Mariacher cut loose of the Laker defense, running for a 59-yard score. A Will Juergens kick gave the Mustangs another 14-point lead.

The Lakers weren’t ready to letdown though before the half. Three plays later, Cordovano found Kanady again for a long 64-yard TD pass, momentarily quieting the mighty Mercer faithful as the Lakers cut their halftime deficit to 21-14.

On Mercer’s 1st play from scrimmage in the 2nd half, Erdos sneaked through the Laker defense and ran for a 78-yard score. Another Juergens’ extra-point returned the Mustang lead to 14.

Later in the 3rd, Cordovano found Kanady yet again on a 46-yard TD pass. Prep botched the extra point as the score sat at 28-20. Cordovano and Kanady connected 5 times in the game for 153 yards.

A back-and-forth final frame left the Mustangs with the ball last with 5:35 remaining, and Erdos and Mariacher combined to pick up 60 yards as Mercer milked the clock to lock up the win. Erdos led the Mustangs’ ground game with 162 yards on 17 carries.

The loss shattered the Region 2-A champion Lakers’ (10-1) shot at a District 10 title, while Mercer moves on to a second rematch in as many games, this time with Sharpsville. Mercer topped the Blue Devils 28-14, picking up its 2nd of what is now 7 straight wins. — By Patrick J. Connelly, Allied News sports editor.

ä Grove City 19, Strong Vincent 13 — At Slippery Rock University’s N. Kerr Thompson Stadium, Grove City proved there’s a reason why you don’t play games on paper, as the Region 5 champion Eagles upset the highly favored Strong Vincent Colonels (8-3).

With the win, the Eagles (8-3) will square off with Region 6 champion Cathedral Prep (9-2) — which downed Corry 56-7 — Friday at a site and time to be determined.

“I think they took us lightly,” Grove City coach Jeff Bell related after the game. “They were already talking about (Cathedral) Prep. They were saying (the Prep-Strong Vincent rematch) would be a lot closer this time …. I guess they won’t get that opportunity.”

Grove City senior running back Marty Phipps scored the eventual game-winner with 5:24 left in the 3ird quarter

“I’m estatic for these kids,” Bell said. “I have some of the hardest-working kids and coaches around. I’m very lucky. All I do is try to make them happy.”

The upstart Eagles stayed right with the favored Colonels the entire 1st half with the teams trading scores, fumbles and punts.

After the teams traded lost fumbles deep in Colonel territory, Strong Vincent got on the board first on its 2nd possession when Kevin Green capped a 9-play, 5-yard drive with a 6-yard score. Undaunted, the Eagles answered with sophomore Wesley Phipps’ 19-yard run around left end just under 2 minutes later.

The teams traded scores again, with Brandon Atkins putting Strong Vincent up 13-7 at the end the first 12 minutes. Wesley Phipps knotted the score at 13-all 2:14 into the 2nd quarter with a 16-yard score. From there on out, the teams traded punts and fumbles before Grove City’s B.J. Johnston picked off a Steve Uplinger to end the half.

“This is probably our second-biggest win in the history of the program,” Bell said. “No one picked us to win. We play better when we’re the underdog …. Pick (Cathedral) Prep I don’t care.”

It was a tough night for the Colonels, who dropped 8 passes, committed 9 penalties and had 4 turnovers.

“We couldn’t make a play,” Strong Vincent coach Tom Cacchione said. “They made the bigger plays. They made the plays when they had to and we didn’t.”

Grove City was led Jamarr Patterson (79 yards rushing), Wes Phipps (55), Marty Phipps (52) and Tyler Dagres (47) despite being outgained 307-276.

Notes: GC had 2 extra-points blocked, while Strong Vincent had one. … The game snapped Strong Vincent’s 6-game winning streak. — By Corey J. Corbin, Herald correspondent.

———

CLASS A

EISENHOWER 0 0 0 0 0

FARRELL 13 34 6 0 53

Scoring plays

F — Whitman, 1 run (West kick)

F — Brodie, 42 punt return (kick failed)

F — Brodie, 18 run (West kick)

F — Brodie, 28 pass from Odem (kick failed)

F — Eilam, 53 pass from Odem (Whitman run)

F — D. Goudy, recovered blocked punt in end zone (kick failed)

F — Eilam, 73 punt return (West kick)

F — Hailstock, 4 run (kick failed)

Team stats

EISENHOWER FARRELL

4 First downs 10

16 Rushing yards 162

13 Passing yards 81

14-4-2 Att-comp-int 5-2-0

29 Total yards 243

4-1 Fumbles-lost 3-0

1-15 Penalties-yards lost 12-86

Individual stats

Rushing: EISENHOWER — Huntoon 11-32, Rulander 10-16, Crosby 5-(-34); FARRELL — Whitman 6-56, Hailstock 9-40, Odem 2-36, Brodie 1-18, Eilam 3-10, Jackson 1-6, Shorts 1-5, Venable 4-3, Davis 1-2, J. Goudy 1-(-1), White 1-(13).

Passing: EISENHOWER — Crosby 14-4-2, 13; FARRELL — Odem 5-2-0 81..

Receiving: EISENHOWER — Huntoon 3-10, Honhart 1-3; FARRELL — Eilam 1-53, Brodie 1-28.

———

SHARPSVILLE 0 21 6 0 27

C. SPRINGS 0 0 0 14 14

Scoring plays

S — Llewellyn 12 run (Wilson kick)

S — Llewellyn 12 run (Wilson kick)

S — Llewellyn 45 run (Wilson kick)

S — Titus, 44 run (pass failed)

CS — Felton, 56 run (Landers kick)

CS — Delycure, 1 pass from Kargol (Landers kick)

Team stats

SHARPSVILLE C.SPRINGS

14 First downs 12

307 Rushing yards 159

86 Passing yards 75

10-5-0 Att-comp-int 23-12-2

393 Total yards 234

2-2 Fumbles-lost 1-0

9-70 Penalties-yards lost 4-20

Individual stats

Rushing: SHARPSVILLE — Llewellyn 17-205, Titus 12-82, Totin 4-(-1), Joseph 4-21; CAMBRIDGE SPRINGS — Dunton 14-50, Felton 12-96, Kargol 4-8, Delycure 4-5.

Passing: SHARPSVILLE — Joseph 10-5-0, 86; CAMBRIDGE SPRINGS — Kargol 23-12-2.

Receiving: SHARPSVILLE — Stafford 1-30, Piccirilli 1-24, Totin 1-17, Dunlap 1-13, Llewellyn 1-2; CAMBRIDGE SPRINGS — Turner 3-39, Delycure 4-21, Flick 2-14, Felton 2-1, Dunton 1-(-2).

———

MERCER 6 15 7 0 28

MERCY. PREP 0 14 6 0 20

Scoring plays

M — Huntley, 67 run (kick failed)

M — Huntley, 17 run (Huntley run)

MP — Kanady, 11 pass from Cordovano (Helffrich kick)

M — Mariacher, 59 run (Juergens kick)

MP — Kanady, 64 pass from Cordovano (Helffrich kick)

M — Erdos, 78 run (Juergens kick)

MP — Kanady, 46 pass from Cordovano (kick failed)

Team stats

MERCER MERCY.PREP

13 First downs 12

419 Rushing yards 132

0 Passing yards 163

3-0-0 Att-comp-int 12-7-0

419 Total yards 295

2-0 Fumbles-lost 0-0

5-45 Penalties-yards lost 2-8

Individual stats

Rushing: MERCER — Erdos 17-162, Mariacher 18-151, Huntley 7-103, Hennegan 1-3 ; MERCYHURST PREP — Horton 18-70, Kurzik 10-30, Cordovano 5-17, Kaiser 3-13, Schwenk 4-2.

Passing: MERCER — Erdos 2-0-0, Hennegan 1-0-0; MERCYHURST PREP — Cordovano 12-7-0-163.

Receiving: MERCER — none; MERCYHURST PREP — Kanady 5-153, Kaiser 2-10.

———

CLASS AAA

VINCENT 13 0 0 0 13

GROVE CITY 7 6 6 0 19

Scoring plays

SV — Kevin Green, 6 run (McBride kick)

GC — W. Phipps, 19 run (Hershberger kick)

SV — Atkins, 2 run (kick blocked)

GC — W. Phipps, 16 run (kick failed)

GC — M. Phipps, 5 run (kick failed

Team stats

VINCENT GROVE CITY

15 First downs 17

287 Rushing yards 233

20 Passing yards 43

18-4-1 Att-comp-int 9-4-0

307 Total yards 276

6-3 Fumbles-lost 4-2

9-63 Penalties-yards lost 5-35

Individual stats

Rushing: STRONG VINCENT — Atkins 17-157, Green 11-92, Tangle 12-36, Pullium 1-16, Harden-Pullium 1-(-2); GROVE CITY — Patterson 11-79, W. Phipps 11-55, M. Phipps 13-52, Dagres 13-47, Reddick 2-0.

Passing: STRONG VINCENT — Uplinger 18-4-1 20; GROVE CITY — Dagres 8-3-0 36, DePeal 1-1-0 7.

Receiving: STRONG VINCENT — Harden-Pullium 2-7, Bell 1-16, Evans 1-13; GROVE CITY — M. Phipps 2-30, W. Phipps 1-7, Patterson 1-6.