With Davis in Mind, Hurricanes Score Comeback
Win
John Davis may be gone. But in a way, it
seems, he still may be guiding Schuylkill Haven.
Friday night, in the Hurricanes' first game
at Rotary Field since Davis' untimely August 18 death, the Canes' came up
with a gritty and gutsy performance that would have made their longtime head
coach proud.
Trailing upset-minded Marian 12-7 late in the
third quarter, Haven pounded out a 15-play, nine-minute touchdown drive
that gave the Canes a pulsating Anthracite 8 win.
"We knew (Coach Davis) was with us the whole
time tonight, and he'll always be with us," QB Jon Miller told The
Pottsville Republican and Herald following the 13-12 victory. "This is his
team, and it will always be his team."
Elsewhere in week two, Jim Thorpe and
Shenandoah Valley improved to 2-0, Minersville put a mark in the win column,
and Mahanoy Area, Marian, and Tamaqua all fell to 0-2.
Schuylkill Haven 13, Marian 12
At Schuylkill Haven, the Hurricanes (2-0)
eeked out their exciting home opener, edging the Colts (0-2.)
Marian jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the first
quarter on a 66-yard scoring run by QB-turned-TB Travis John. Haven then
pulled ahead 7-6 in the second frame, following a 19-yard TD toss from
Miller to WB Jared Barket.
Marian regained the lead, 12-7, in the third
quarter on a 17-yard TD toss from QB Adam Agosti to SE Kevin McNavage.
Haven then set out on its game-winning drive, which was capped by a six-yard
TD toss from Miller to TE Joe McCarthy.
For Haven, Miller completed 10-of-18 passes
for 111 yards, while Barket (16 carries, 75 yards) and Dave Reber (9-61)
keyed the ground attack.
For Marian, Agosti completed nine-of-21
passes for 111 yards; John rushed for 70 yards on six carries, and McNavage
had two receptions for 58 yards and an interception.
Jim Thorpe 31, Mahanoy Area 6
At Jim Thorpe, the Olympians (2-0) turned in
another solid performance and turned back the Golden Bears (0-2.)
Offensiveny, QB Craig Zurn and TB Tyler
O'Shura paced Thorpe. Zurn completed five-of-10 passes for 102
yards, including a 28-yard TD toss to SE Tony Shortway; rushed for 111 yards
and a TD on nine carries, and returned a third quarter punt 66 yards for a
score. O'Shura returned the opening kickoff 85 yards for a score and rushed
for 54 yards and score on 14 carries.
Defensively, Thorpe's Red Swarm registered
eight tackles for loss and forced six turnovers.
For Mahanoy Area, QB Trevor Strenchock
completed 13-of-24 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown, while TB Matt
Sullivan added 74 yards rushing and 55 yards receiving.
Shenandoah Valley 21, Nativity 6
At Shenandoah, the Blue Devils (2-0) turned
in another fine all-around performance and topped the Green Wave (0-2.)
Junior TB Josh Metkus had a banner day for
Shenandoah Valley, racking up 154 yards and three TDs on 23 carries.
Sophomore TB Nick Varga and junior SE Brian Rooney pitched in, too; Varga
adding 52 yards rushing and 45 yards receiving, and Rooney, 41 yards yards
receiving.
Junior QB Mike Reese continued to impress,
too, completing 11-of-18 passes for 142 yards.
Nativity got its only score when DB Joe Brennan
picked up a Metkus fumble in the second quarter and returned it 80 yards to
paydirt.
Minersville 7, North Schuylkill 6
At Fountain Springs, the Battlin' Miners
(1-1) scored first and held off the host Spartans (0-2.)
Minersville took a 7-0 lead late in the first
quarter when QB Ryan Weachock caught a throwback pass from FB Matt Rose and
rambled 75 yards for a score. The Miners had several other scoring chances
in the second quarter, but were stymied by penalties and turnovers.
North Schuylkill got on the board in the
fourth quarter when QB Chad Marquardt capped a 12-play drive with a one-yard
TD run. However, PK Dan Phillips' PAT to tie sailed wide left.
Weachock led Minersville with 99 yards
rushing and 89 yards passing; Marquardt and SE Robbie Clews paced North
Schuylkill, Marquardt with 92 yards passing, and Clews with five catches for
77 yards.
Pine Grove 50, Panther Valley 25
At Lansford, the Cardinals (2-0) exploded for
36 points in the second quarter en route to doubling up the Panthers (0-2.)
Senior QB Alex Landis and junior SE Billy
Sisko keyed the second quarter surge, which saw Pine Grove find the end zone
five times. Already leading 14-7, Landis and Sisko hooked up for a 65-yard
score that pushed the lead to 21-7. Then, Landis broke free on a keeper and
raced 63 yards for another score, upping the advantage to 27-7.
The Panthers responded when senior TB Emanuel
Vega raced 62 yards for the first of his two TDs, cutting the defecit to
27-13. However, Landis and Sisko stepped up again; Landis finding Sisko for
an 83-yard TD bomb that made it 35-13, and Sisko returning an interception
40 yards on the ensuing PV possession to make it 43-13.
Vega paced PV, rushing for 155 yards on 25
carries, with FB Chas Field adding 51 yards on 10 totes.
Lehighton 16, Tamaqua 6
At Lehighton, the Indians (2-0) defeated
their second A8 opponent in as many weeks, topping the Blue Raiders (0-2.)
Lehighton QB Thad Kosciolek directed both
Indian scoring drives, tossing TD passes of 21 yard to SE Shane McEvoy and
72 yards to TB Robbie Frey. On the night, Kosciolek completed five-of-14
passes for 148 yards, while Frey racked up 198 yards in total offense (127
rushing, 74 receiving.)
Tamaqua got its lone TD on a 17-yard run by
TB Josh Zukas early in the fourth quarter. Later in the quarter, the
Raiders had another apparent TD nullified by a penalty.
Week 2 Standings
Team League Overall
Jim Thorpe 2-0 2-0
Schuylkill Haven 1-0 2-0
Shenandoah Vy 0-0 2-0
Minersville 0-0 1-1
Panther Vy 0-0 0-2
Mahanoy Area 0-1 0-2
Marian 0-1 0-2
Tamaqua 0-1 0-2
Week 3 Schedule (*League Games)
*Jim Thorpe @ Panther Valley
*Schuylkill Haven @ Minersville
*Shenandoah Vy @ Tamaqua
*Marian @ Mahanoy Area