Ellwood closes season with a big play and a win
Ellwood City (27) vs. Quaker Valley (16)
Written: Oct 26, 2013
 By Shawn Fox
New Castle News
To say the Ellwood City Lincoln High football team likes to run the football would be an understatement.
Last night against Quaker Valley, however, the Wolverines cashed in on a pass play that helped lift them to a 27-16 victory in the non-conference season finale on Senior Night at Helling Stadium.
“It’s a great victory for our kids,” Ellwood City coach Don Phillips said. “Obviously, we were hoping we would be playing next week (in the WPIAL playoffs), but that’s not the case. We wanted to get out on a positive note, not only for the seniors, but for the underclassmen. It’s a great victory also for these kids because in our conference, we’re not going to the playoffs. In (Quaker Valley’s) conference, they’re the No. 2 seed. They’re a good football team.”
Trailing 16-14 with under five minutes remaining in the game, Ellwood City took over at the Quakers 44-yard line after a defensive stand. On first down, Jared Meyers connected with a wide-open Paul Lutz for the touchdown that gave the Wolverines the lead for good and ended a three-game losing streak.
“Coach Phillips came up with it on the sideline, and it was a genius play,” Meyers said. “We never practiced that. Paul’s got some speed. Paul might be faster than me. When I saw him out there, I was pumped up.”
Phillips had a little different take on the scoring pass.
“I have to clarify it this way: Is it a made-up play that we run? No,” the coach said with a laugh. “Was it redirected on the fly to Paul? Yes. We run that pass a lot. It’s usually run to Keaton (Docchio) or Seth (Mley) or somebody else. We felt they would neglect Paul because he was out on the wing blocking. It’s not a new play, it’s an adaptation of what we do. I’ll say it that way.”
Things got off to a bit of a rocky start for the Wolverines, as Quaker Valley got on the board in the first quarter after Aaron Cunningham blocked a Mley punt and teammate John Bernard returned it 20 yards for the score. Bernard’s kick gave the visitors a 7-0 with 2:05 remaining in the first quarter.
Ellwood City answered on its next possession. Meyers, who set up the drive with a 55-yard kickoff return on a reverse, scored on a 5-yard run on the first play of the second quarter. Brandon Magnifico was stopped on the conversion run, and the hosts trailed, 7-6.
The Quakers (7-2) took a 14-6 lead into the locker room at halftime, as quarterback Dane Johnson faked a handoff and raced 45 yards for a touchdown.
That would be it for Quaker Valley offensively in the game. Elwood City forced five turnovers on the night and limited the Quakers to just 43 yards of total offense in the second half. Jeff Fallabel, Tyler Maine and Magnifico had sacks for the Wolverines in the second half.
“We played a little more aggressive, especially in the second half,” Phillips said. “We really felt that we could pressure up inside with our linebackers. Always somebody was on a blitz. I can’t say enough about our defensive ends. Their role was to string everything, make (Quaker Valley) run sideways. Our kids executed very well.”
Ellwood City took the second-half kickoff and drove 65 yards in 11 plays, with Nick Ioanilli capping the drive with an 11-yard touchdown run. Meyers ran in the conversion to tie the game at 14-all at the 5:17 mark of the third quarter.
Quaker Valley made its way to the Ellwood City 6 early in the fourth quarter, but the Wolverines held when Johnson’s pass was dropped by Chris Conlan on fourth down.
Two plays later, disaster struck for the hosts as they fumbled the ball out of the end zone to give the Quakers a safety and a 16-14 lead.
Setting up shop at the Ellwood City 42 following the free kick, Quaker Valley drove to the Wolverines’ 35 before Magnifico sacked Johnson for a nine-yard loss on fourth down.
On the next play, Meyers and Lutz hooked up to give the Wolverines the lead.
Ellwood City’s defense again forced a turnover on the Quakers’ ensuing possession as Maine recovered a Johnson fumble at the Quaker Valley 24.
Meyers sealed the Wolverines’ victory by scoring on a 17-yard run, which featured the Ellwood City senior stiff-arming Gennaro Trovato at the 10 en route to the end zone.
“This is our last game ever,” Meyers said. “It feels awesome.”
Ellwood City closed the season at 4-5. The team honored its 20 seniors prior to the game.
“The seniors have been great,” Phillips said. “Their leadership all season long has been outstanding. They hung together and that unity among them trickled down to the underclassmen.”
(Email: ncsports@ncnewsonline.com)
QUAKER VALLEY.... ELLWOOD CITY
9 First downs 11
142 Yards Rushing 199
28 Yards Lost 12
114 Net Rushing 187
16 Passes Attempted 7
6 Passes Completed 4
2 Passes Intercepted 0
97 Yards Passing 74
211 Total Yards 261
3-3 Fumbles-Lost 2-1
1-37 Punts-Average 3-11.7
1-5 Penalties-Yards 11-111
QUAKER VALLEY 7 7 0 2 — 16
ELLWOOD CITY 0 6 8 13 —27
Scoring plays
QUAKER VALLEY —John Bernard, 20-yard punt block return (Bernard kick).
ELLWOOD CITY — Jared Meyers, 5-yard run (run failed).
QUAKER VALLEY — Dane Johnson, 45-yard run (Bernard kick).
ELLWOOD CITY — Nick Ioanilli, 11-yard run (Meyers run).
QUAKER VALLEY — Safety, Ellwood City fumbled out of end zone.
ELLWOOD CITY — Paul Lutz, 44-yard pass from Meyers (Seth Mley kick).
ELLWOOD CITY — Meyers, 17-yard run (kick failed).
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