Milestone victory
New Castle (48) vs. Riverside (14)
Written: Sep 10, 2012
By Ron Poniewasz Jr.
New Castle News
NORTH SEWICKLEY TOWNSHIP — The wait is over for the New Castle High football program.
The Red Hurricane conquered the elements and Riverside last night, posting the program’s 700th victory.
Julian Cox returned from a one-game suspension to account for four touchdowns in New Castle’s historic 48-14 nonconference win over the Panthers.
The win also was Joe Cowart’s first as the ’Canes coach. Cowart, in his first season at the helm, is a 1999 New Castle graduate.
“It’s a weight off my shoulders,” Cowart said of the milestone. “It’s a great feeling. I’m proud of the guys. I’m proud of everything they’ve done.
“Getting the 700th win means the world to me. Just growing up and being a New Castle kid, knowing the tradition and being a part of a family that was a big part of New Castle football my whole life, it’s really a big deal to me. It’s special to me. I was a kid for 600, and I work with people that were on that team. It’s a big deal, not only to me but our community and especially our kids. It has a special place in my heart.”
The teams weren’t sure if they would start promptly at 7 p.m. because of lightning in the area prior to kickoff. But they kicked off at 7 and played until the 4:39 mark of the opening period when lightning again was spotted. The teams were ushered off the field and they waited through a 42-minute delay.
WHERE THEY STAND
New Castle (1-1) is one of 39 schools around the country to earn 700 football victories.
“We talk about a lot of things, not just the milestone of 700 but the tradition of what New Castle football really is,” Cowart said. “To us, as young men in New Castle, it’s a passage into manhood. You’re a part of something special that thousands of guys have been successful turning from adolescence into men and being a part of a football program that is one of the greatest in the United States of America.
“It’s a big deal and we try to let our kids know how special it is to be a part of something like this.”
’Canes assistant coaches Craig Anderson, Pat Cain, Sam Holmes, Bill Humphrey, Nick Marmo and Tyrone Rice all competed for New Castle when they were in high school.
Jalen Holmes, Sam’s son, rolled up 107 yards and two touchdowns in the win over the Panthers (0-2).
“My dad told me a lot about the program,” Jalen Holmes said. “He told me about Lindy Lauro and how he was a great coach. And he told me he was part of a rich tradition, too.
“There’s not a lot of teams with 700 wins, so I’m glad to be a part of it.”
STARTING STRONG
Jalen Holmes got the ’Canes rolling in the first quarter when he raced 45 yards for a touchdown with 4:56 left. Holmes hurdled Riverside defenders three different times en route to the end zone.
Holmes competes on the track and field team, but doesn’t participate in the hurdle events.
“I knew not to go down,” he said. “I just used the ability that God gave me and leaped over him.
“I don’t know where (those hurdles) came from, it’s just instincts.”
Cowart, who serves as a track coach at New Castle, was impressed by the acrobatic run.
“I think we’re going to have to put him on the hurdles now,” Cowart said with a laugh. “I’ll be honest, I’ve never seen anything like that. The first one, when he went up over a kid, you usually just see a guy fall down after that. He’s athletic enough to get up over a guy. He knows, as a big back, that guys like to go low on him.
“His work in the spring and in the summer has put his body in a position to be a much more athletic guy this year than the last two years. It certainly paid off on that run.”
DEBUT
Cox, a quarterback who transferred from Ellwood City Lincoln, was 9 of 19 for 175 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions after sitting out the opener against Central Valley. He had 87 yards rushing on six carries and a score.
“I feel good. I’m happy to be back here with my team,” Cox said. “We needed this victory and we knew it was going to be big. We came in here and fought hard.”
Said Cowart, “I’m very proud of Julian. He has really worked hard to not only mature as a football player, but as a man. That showed tonight. He’s paid his dues through an adverse situation. He really led us from gun to gun and made some spectacular plays.”
Cox found Malik Hooker on scoring passes of 18 and 53 yards. Hooker hauled in three passes for a team-best 85 yards. He snared a long bomb from Cox on the second score over a Riverside defender, kept his balanced and waltzed into the end zone for a 41-8 advantage in the third period.
“Every time we run a pass play he comes to me and tells me I have to catch this,” Hooker said of Cox. “I don’t want to let my teammates down.
“I’m glad to actually come out and go to war with these guys. I wouldn’t want to go to war with any other team but these guys. I’m having fun playing with these guys.”
With the chase for the milestone over, New Castle can now turn its sights over to Parkway Conference rival Ambridge. The ’Canes host the Bridgers at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Taggart Stadium.
“Now we go into the grind of Parkway Conference football again,” Cowart said. “We have to get better every day. We have seven Friday nights that are guaranteed to us and we have to prepare and be ready for them.”
(Email: rponiewasz@ncnewsonline.com)
NEW CASTLE RIVERSIDE
20 First downs 8
265 Yards Rushing 66
22 Yards Lost 23
243 Net Rushing 43
23 Passes Attempted 12
12 Passes Completed 7
0 Passes Intercepted 0
205 Yards Passing 103
448 Total Yards 146
0-0 Fumbles-Lost 2-2
3-34.7 Punts-Average 6-35.8
10-89 Penalties-Yards 10-75
NEW CASTLE 13 14 14 7 — 48
RIVERSIDE 0 8 0 6 — 14
Scoring plays
NEW CASTLE — Jalen Holmes, 45-yard run (kick failed).
NEW CASTLE — Jake McPhatter, 15-yard pass from Julian Cox (Khalil Huddleston kick).
RIVERSIDE — Aaron Tedys, 38-yard pass from Zach Gould (Dylan Marketich pass from Gould).
NEW CASTLE — Holmes, 17-yard run (kick blocked).
NEW CASTLE — Malik Hooker, 18-yard pass from Cox (Cox run).
NEW CASTLE — Cox, 12-yard run (kick failed).
NEW CASTLE — Hooker, 53-yard pass from Cox (Holmes run).
RIVERSIDE — Kolby Wolf, 8-yard pass from Gould (pass failed).
NEW CASTLE — Ryan Fitzpatrick, 7-yard run (Huddleston kick).
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