Week 3 of the season produced some eye-popping numbers in District 2, most notably Riverside’s 57-47 win over North Pocono provided some incredible individual and team totals.
Looking inside those numbers, Riverside quarterback Nick Dranchak, who threw for 474 yards, averaged 29.6 yards per completion. He also averaged a staggering 65.6 yards per touchdown pass and finished with an NCAA passer rating of 200.9. He wasn’t alone, though.
Riverside wide receiver David Sweetman scored a touchdown every 4.4 times he touched the ball. He averaged 11.5 yards per carry and 35.3 yards per rushing touchdown. As a receiver, the all-region sprinter raced for two more scores. He averaged 26.6 yards a reception and 68 yards per touchdown reception and finished with 359 yards of offense.
Teammate Jim Tucker, who had 192 yards receiving, averaged 64 yards a reception and 78 yards per touchdown reception.
DISTRICT 2
» In Scranton’s win over Wyoming Valley West, sophomore running back Jake McCarthy averaged 43.6 yards on his five touchdowns. He is scoring a touchdown every 5.2 times he carries the ball and is averaging 34.8 yards on his eight touchdown runs.
» Old Forge senior Brian Tomasetti has also been efficient. The senior has scored a touchdown on every sixth carry. He is averaging 10.8 yards per carry and has 11 total touchdowns, having returned two interceptions for scores this season.
DISTRICT 3
» Pequea Valley, a longtime cellar-dweller in Lancaster-Lebanon League circles, is off to a 2-1 start for the second year in a row, and the Braves are getting it done with an opportunistic defense. Pequea Valley is already a plus-12 in turnover ratio with 15 takeaways in three games.
» Lancaster Catholic had its 18-game winning streak snapped Saturday when the Crusaders fell to Erie McDowell 49-20 in a nonleague game at Altoona’s Mansion Park. Catholic’s Roman Clay, who had 691 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns in the Crusaders’ first two games, was held to 63 yards on 19 carries and did not score. It was Catholic’s first loss since a 21-14 setback to Wyomissing on November 19, 2010, in a District 3-AA semifinal game in Hersheypark Stadium.
» Manheim Twp. senior Brennan Scott became the 15th Lancaster-Lebanon League quarterback to pass for more than 5,000 yards. He joined the club in Week 3 in the Blue Streaks’ non-league win at Carlisle.
» Pottstown and Boyertown combined for a whopping 1,164 total yards in the Trojans’ 51-47 shootout victory over the Bears last week. Pottstown’s Monroe Hampton rushed for 306 yards and three touchdowns as the Trojans piled up 653 total yards. Boyertown is ranked first in Berks in total yards per game (478) and last in total defense (440). The 98 points was the fourth-highest total in a game involving a Berks County team.
» When Eryk Cerankowski, Schuylkill Valley’s leading rusher, went down early Friday with an ankle injury, Ryan Matthews took over the load and rushed for a career-high 244 yards in 26 carries as the Panthers beat Annville-Cleona 28-6 to reach 3-0. Matthews took over the Berks rushing lead from Cerankowski; each rushed for more than 1,000 yards last season.
» Wyomissing continues to roll. It topped unbeaten Muhlenberg 34-7 last week and now has outscored its three opponents 113-14. The Spartans have yet to turn the ball over. Wyomissing meets Blue Mountain, its biggest threat in Section 2 of the Berks Football League, on Saturday.
DISTRICT 4
» The controversy that led to 13 Montgomery players leaving the team Aug. 21 continues. A group of disgruntled parents attended Tuesday night’s school board meeting to discuss their concerns about head coach Randy Boone — including allegations he hid injuries from trainers. However, no one spoke after the meeting and the board said it cannot discuss personnel matters in which names are used in public. The coach’s contract will be reviewed at the end of the season, the audience was told. Boone is a prison guard, not a teacher. Montgomery, with only 21 players, is 0-3 this year.
DISTRICT 5 and 6
» Bald Eagle Area and Somerset haven’t had a lot to cheer about for a couple of decades, but both teams are off to rare 3-0 startsn. Tanner Stull had 115 yards rushing and 107 passing as Somerset stunned Bishop McCort 19-13. BEA was a big favorite in their Iron Bell game with Penns Valley, but needed Dion Barnard and Jordan Kobularcik to force a fumble at their own 1 with a second left to preserve a 21-20 victory and the Eagles’ first 3-0 start since 1993.
» The Mountain League clash between undefeated Central and undefeated Clearfield lived up to its hype; the host Bison eked out a 34-33 win on Spencer Herrington’s 29-yard field goal with 3:58 left. Clearfield’s Christian Lezzer had 279 yards of total offense, running for three touchdowns and passing for another. Central quarterback Austin Cunningham ran for a touchdown, threw for two and caught two more. Cunningham and Lezzer are just juniors.
» Cunningham wasn’t the only Blair County athlete for put on a huge performance in defeat. Claysburg-Kimmel’s Zach Helsel scored six touchdowns — four rushing, one receiving and one on an interception return — but it wasn’t enough as Juniata Valley twice erased 17-point deficits to stay unbeaten, 51-44, heading into its battle of unbeatens at Bellwood-Antis this week.
» Tyrone scored its most points in 80 years in crushing Huntingdon 71-6 for its first win of the year. Golden Eagle junior tailback James Oliver ran for 247 yards and four touchdowns and also caught a 30-yard TD pass. It was Oliver’s second 200-yard rushing performance and gives him 590 yards through three weeks.
» Penn Cambria, led by returning all-state linebacker Mack Behe, continued to live up to its postseason hype, moving to 3-0 with a 38-0 win over neighboring Central Cambria in the Goal Post Trophy game. It’s the Panthers’ second 38-0 shutout this season; they’ve outscored the opposition 108-7 and are giving up 188.7 yards per game while forcing 11 turnovers.
DISTRICT 7
» West Shamokin ended its lengthy losing streak Friday night. The Wolves, who dropped from Class AA to A this fall, had lost 46 in a row dating back to 2007 before defeating Riverview 25-6 last week. The players are now talking about possibilities of a winning streak, starting tonight against Avonworth.
» First-year program Vincentian Academy picked up its first win Saturday, a 62-8 drubbing of Geibel. The Royals got three touchdowns from Michael Pappe, including a pair of interception returns, to improve to 1-2. Geibel was playing its first game after forfeiting the first two weeks because it couldn’t field the minimum amount of healthy players.
» Three-time defending PIAA champion Clairton added to its nation-long winning streak Friday with its 50th straight win, which also was the 600th in school history. Tyler Boyd, who is fielding offers from more than 25 Division I schools, rushed for 129 yards and two touchdowns, caught two passes for 54 yards and returned a punt for a score. This week, the Bears face their stiffest challenge to date in Monessen, which features quarterback Chavas Rawlins, a West Virginia recruit.
DISTRICT 8
» Allderdice entered the season as the favorite in the Pittsburgh City League, but after the first league game, a new leader has emerged. Perry earned a 12-0 win over Allderdice Friday night, although the Dragons did plenty to lose the game. They lost three fumbles, had a punt blocked and had a bad snap on another punt that led to a 9-yard loss, all in the first half. Allderdice plays Westinghouse this week, while Perry takes on Carrick.
DISTRICT 10
» Mercyhurst Prep star running back Cornelius Barclay released two weeks of frustration in a big way Friday. The Lakers, who were routed 36-13 in Week 1, didn’t play in Week 2 after a late forfeit by Union City. After the extended time off, Barclay rushed for 279 yards and six touchdowns on only 17 carries in a 41-34 win over Cochranton. Each of the six touchdowns were 25 yards or longer, including runs of 54, 57, 49 and 39 yards. Barclay also kicked four extra points. His 40 points was the sixth-highest performance for a single game in District 10 history.
» North East coach Matt Shesman became the seventh active coach in District 10 to reach 100 career wins when the Grapepickers held off rival Harbor Creek 24-6 this past week. Shesman’s record currently stands at 100-87-1 as he becomes the district’s third coach in the past two seasons to reach 100 wins. Mike Mischler (Cathedral Prep) reached the milestone in a Week 3 win over Strong Vincent last fall, while Jeff Bell (Grove City) picked up win No. 100 as the Eagles beat East in the District 10-AAA playoffs. What makes Shesman’s accomplishment even more interesting is another coach on the list of 28 coaches to reach 100 wins with current District 10 schools. Joe Shesman, Matt Shesman’s father and current assistant coach, is 14th all-time at 148-76-9. Joe Shesman picked up all 148 wins as the head coach of Fort LeBoeuf.
» Speaking of coaching milestones, Wilmington’s Terry Verrelli is in the process of chasing down the District 10 wins record. He has a record 264-110-3 in 34 seasons with the Greyhounds. Longtime Warren coach J.B. Leidig is District 10’s all-time winningest coach with 270 wins, 124 losses and 27 ties.
DISTRICT 11
» Bethlehem Liberty is 0-3 for the first time since 2009, the year after it won the PIAA Class AAAA title. The Hurricanes bounced back that season to qualify for the Districts 2-4-11 Class AAAA playoffs before losing to East Stroudsburg South in the quarterfinals.
» Bethlehem’s three Lehigh Valley Conference programs — Liberty, Freedom and Bethlehem Catholic — have struggled so far. Those teams are a combined 1-8, with Freedom’s comeback victory over Allentown Central Catholic in Week 2 the lone win.
» After researching Nazareth’s 49-point second quarter in its Week 2 win over Northampton, District 11 stat maven Duke Helm discovered that the Blue Eagles set two state records. The 49 points Nazareth registered are a Pennsylvania record for points scored in one quarter. McKeesport scored 48 against Connellsville in the first quarter of their 2008 meeting. Nazareth kicker Ben Wieczorek kicked seven extra points in that quarter, becoming the first player in state history to achieve that feat.
» Two days after the death of his father, Wilson senior quarterback Ryan Dailey did it all in a 27-20 loss to Northwestern. He ran for 66 yards and three touchdowns, threw for 221 yards, had 10 tackles and recovered a fumble.
» Pen Argyl won its 17th consecutive regular-season game when it downed Notre Dame-Green Pond 22-7 last week. Green Knights senior running back Mikey Racciato ran for 200 yards and three TDs in the win.
» Shenandoah Valley senior quarterback Chris Palubinsky became the most prolific passer in the program’s 100-plus year history last Friday night. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound senior threw for 161 yards last week to increase his career total to 3,705 yards. That total surpassed the previous record of 3,636 yards held by Mike Reese since 2006. Averaging 156.3 yards per game, Palubinsky could potentially reach 5,000 career yards should the Blue Devils reach the District 11-A playoffs as predicted.
» The announcer at Kutztown probably grew tired of calling Richie Smith’s name last Friday. Smith, a senior at Panther Valley, scored seven touchdowns during the Panthers’ 54-25 win over Kutztown. The 6-foot, 220-pound running back scored on runs of 10, 43, 50, 3, 36 and 51 yards and added a 35-yard interception return for a touchdown. He finished the night with 14 carries for 219 yards.
DISTRICT 12 and 1
» Philadelphia Catholic League member St Joe’s Prep invaded Crawford Stadium last Friday night and spanked the North Penn Knights 31-3. It marked the first time since 2007 that North Penn (1-2) failed to find the end zone. The Prep’s Vince Moffett returned the opening kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown and the Hawks never looked back.
» Junior running back Mike Class kept rolling along, leading the Pennridge Rams (2-1) to a 31-7 thumping of winless Council Rock North. Class carried 29 times for 274 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
» Central Bucks South sophomore running back Josh Adams scored three rushing touchdowns and returned a punt for a fourth as the Titans ripped Norristown 42-0. Adams is averaging 13.6 yards per carry and has scored 14 touchdowns.
» Led by freshman Tom Garlick, defending PIAA Class AAA state champion Archbishop Wood rebounded from last week’s loss with a 35-6 win over Frankford of the Public League. Garlick’s first-ever varsity pass, and the first of the game, went to wideout Joe Santaspago for a 51-yard touchdown. Garlick finished with three touchdowns.
» Playing one of their only two home games, the Explorers of LaSalle improved to 3-0 with 38-6 blowout of fellow Catholic League member Cardinal O’Hara. After intermission, LaSalle’s defense shut down the Friars. Senior quarterback Chris Kane hit wideouts Jimmy Herron and Sean Coleman for scoring strikes in the second half. Defensive back Ryan Coonahan finished the job when he stole the ball from an O’Hara ballcarrier and rumbled 34 yards for the score.
↧
Pennsylvania high school football notebook: Week 4 nuggets from around the state
↧