Neshannock routs Serra Catholic
Neshannock (60) vs. Serra Catholic (21)
Written: Nov 04, 2016
  By Ron Poniewasz Jr.
New Castle News
Bob Bleggi Stadium has been kind to the Neshannock High football team during coach Fred Mozzocio's five-year tenure.
The Lancers came into Friday night's game against Serra Catholic with wins in all 25 of their home games with Mozzocio at the helm.
Make it 26.
Neshannock rolled up 533 yards of total offense and cruised to a 60-21 WPIAL Class 2A home win over Serra Catholic.
"Our kids love playing here," Mozzocio said. "They want to defend this place and they do a great job of it."
Senior Sean Doran amassed 201 rushing yards on just 12 carries and a pair of scores.
"It's a great honor to never lose on this field," Doran said. "We work real hard every year. It's great playing at home in front of our home fans in the playoffs, too."
Neshannock (10-1) has won 28 straight home games dating back to 2011. Sto-Rox was the last visiting team to invade the Lancers' home field and come away with a victory, posting a 43-11 verdict in 2011 with Pat Cuba at the helm.
Doran got the scoring started on a 1-yard run and he later added a five-yard run. Last year, Doran was an all-Big Seven Conference center on the offensive side of the ball.
"Sean just keeps gaining momentum every week," Mozzocio said. "We moved him to running back and people were looking at me like I was a little bit crazy.
"But I know Sean's work ethic and I know what kind of football player he is. I knew he would be a guy that would step up for us this year. We needed him and he just continues to get better and better. He learned how to play that position."
The blocking was a big key for Neshannock, as the hosts notched 384 rushing yards.
"The line just did a great job tonight," Doran said. "They opened up the holes for me all night long.
"Tonight was definitely the finest performance by the offensive line. They stepped it up a notch for the playoffs."
Said Mozzocio of the line play, "Our line has been working real hard and they were crisp. They were snapping off of their traps and the different things that we do. Our backs just found open field once they got in the secondary. They know they're undersized. We played a huge team tonight."
Ty Sear caught two passes for 23 yards from quarterback Frank Antuono, both going for touchdowns from 9 and 14 yards.
Danny Welker reached the end zone twice as well for the Lancers. Welker hauled in a 10-yard scoring pass from Antuono and then picked off an Evan Honick pass and raced 86 yards for a score. Both touchdowns came in the second period and the interception pushed the count to 33-0.
"Danny is just a beast," Mozzocio said. "He's all over the field on defense. Offensively, he's a big-play man for us.
"He's had a phenomenal year as well and we'll need more of that moving forward. Danny just has a knack for the ball."
Billy Presnar posted a seven-yard scoring run late in the second quarter to increase the lead to 40-0 and initiate the mercy rule at the start of the second half.
The Eagles (5-6) scored all 21 of their points in the fourth quarter.
Neshannock's Jared Staph closed the scoring when he raced 99 yards for a touchdown with 2:02 remaining. The Lancers were facing a third-and-25 from their own 1. Staph found some running room up the middle and he was off to the races. A Serra Catholic defender tried to bring him down around the Lancers 40, but Staph kept his balance and raced into the end zone for the score.
Staph finished with 103 yards rushing on five carries.
"That was a great run by Jared," Mozzocio said.
Neshannock will square off against Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic (6-4) at a time, date and site to be determined in the quarterfinals. The Trojans knocked off Burgettstown, 14-7.
The Lancers breezed to a 36-0 home decision over Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic on Sept. 2.
"That game is long gone," Mozzocio said. "It feels almost like it's from another season. We know Cardinal Wuerl has become a better football team throughout the year.
"I'm sure they will correct mistakes and we're expecting an old fashioned slugfest. We're looking forward to it."
Said Doran on the rematch, "We just love playing North Catholic. It's a big rivalry game for us. We're just going to come out and play as hard as we can."
(Email: rponiewasz@ncnewsonline.com)
SERRA NESHANNOCK
11 First downs 20
120 Yards Rushing 401
20 Yards Lost 17
100 Net Rushing 384
23 Passes Attempted 14
11 Passes Completed 10
4 Passes Intercepted 0
111 Yards Passing 149
211 Total Yards 533
2-0 Fumbles-Lost 2-0
2-38 Punts-Average 0-0
8-95 Penalties-Yards 4-51
SERRA 0 0 0 21 — 21
NESHANNOCK 13 27 7 13 — 60
Scoring plays
NESHANNOCK — Sean Doran, 1-yard run (Tristan Tuck).
NESHANNOCK — Ty Sear, 9-yard pass from Frank Antuono (kick blocked).
NESHANNOCK — Danny Welker, 10-yard pass from Antuono (kick failed).
NESHANNOCK — Sear, 14-yard pass from Antuono (Antuono run).
NESHANNOCK — Welker, 86-yard interception return (pass failed).
NESHANNOCK — Billy Presnar, 7-yard run (Tuck kick).
NESHANNOCK — Doran, 5-yard run (Tuck kick).
SERRA CATHOLIC — JaQuae Jackson, 11-yard pass from Evan Honick (Nate Lentz kick).
SERRA CATHOLIC — Joe Houston, 3-yard run (Lentz kick).
NESHANNOCK — D.J. DeBlasio, 53-yard run (Tuck kick).
SERRA CATHOLIC — Malik Edmundson, 78-yard kickoff return (Lentz kick).
NESHANNOCK — Jared Staph, 99-yard run (run failed).
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