Crowning effort
Shenango (42) vs. Riverside (14)
Written: Oct 24, 2015
  By Andrew Koob
New Castle News
Three plays.
That’s all it took for the Shenango High football team to make a statement Friday night, one that proved it was the best the Big Seven Conference has to offer.
Not even a minute into the game, Vinnie Turco stripped the ball away from Riverside quarterback Jason Dambach and Wildcats cornerback Brett Hoover scooped it and ran back for a 22-yard touchdown.
It was the start of a long, memorable night for the Wildcats in an easy 42-14 win over the visiting Panthers that gave Shenango its first outright Big Seven title since 2003.
The Wildcats’ defense dominated beyond the scoop-and score, especially in the first half. Shenango (7-0 Big Seven, 7-1 overall) forced another fumble on the ensuing drive, which led to a 25-yard Jason Wallace score.
In the first 24 minutes, Shenango allowed no points and 84 total yards. When Riverside (1-5, 2-6) started to drive, the Wildcats held strong and forced two turnover on downs in their own territory.
“Our defense has been outstanding all year,” Shenango coach Mike Commesso said. “They set the tone once again and set us up with a score and then field position after that. The defense was just awesome. It’s hard to ever feel comfortable, but that was a great start. I think it really gave our guys a lot of confidence and we just rallied from there.”
Added Hoover, who also added a one-yard rushing touchdown on his only carry of the game, “Our defense is always ready to go. They had the mindset that we’re going to win every play, give it our all for four seconds. We did that and we came out with the victory. We were playing fast, we came out hard and we were just there to play. We really wanted to be section champs.”
With just one game remaining in the regular season, a nonconference meeting next week against Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic, the Shenango defense has allowed just 20 first-half points, only six in conference play.
The Wildcats’ offense was just as efficient as their defense, amassing 237 total yards in the first half and scoring five touchdowns to put the mercy rule into effect at the beginning of the second half.
Quarterback Evan Kendall continued to look for tight end Brandon Ryder, who caught four passes for 100 yards and two scores.
Kendall finished the game with 108 yards and two scores and completed five of his six passing attempts before giving way to backup Brandon Reamer in the second half.
“We have a lot of chemistry together, we’ve been with each other for the past four years,” Ryder said.” I think it’s starting to show, he knows where I’m going to be and I know where he wants me to be.”
Wallace led Shenango on the ground with 79 yards on seven carries, while Hunter Waskin (seven carries, 42 yards) and Tyler Root (42 yards and a 14-yard score on 12 carries.) helped change the pace.
The Panthers finally got on the board with a Garrett Bishop seven-yard scoring rush in the third quarter, but not before the Wildcats built a sizable 42-point cushion.
Ricky Wass scored on a two-yard run in garbage time to cut into the Shenango lead two minutes before the final whistle.
(Email: AKoob@ncnewsonline.com)
RIVERSIDE SHENANGO
11 First downs 11
176 Yards Rushing 205
5 Yards Lost 10
171 Net Rushing 195
19 Passes Attempted 9
7 Passes Completed 6
0 Passes Intercepted 0
104 Yards Passing 157
275 Total Yards 352
2-4 Fumbles-Lost 0-0
3-34 Punts-Average 4-27
0-0 Penalties-Yards 2-10
RIVERSIDE 0 0 7 7 — 14
SHENANGO 21 14 7 0 — 42
Scoring plays
SHENANGO — Brett Hoover, 22-yard fumble recovery (Dylan Kleckner kick).
SHENANGO — Jason Wallace, 25-yard run (Kleckner kick).
SHENANGO — Brandon Ryder, 12-yard pass from Evan Kendall (Kleckner kick).
SHENANGO — Hoover, 1-yard run (Kleckner kick).
SHENANGO — Ryder, 24-yard pass from Kendall (Kleckner kick).
SHENANGO — Tyler Root, 14-yard run (Kleckner kick).
RIVERSIDE — Garrett Bishop, 7-yard run (Adam Saunders kick).
RIVERSIDE — Ricky Wass, 2-yard run (Saunders kick).
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