Lindsey steps up in Lancers’ opening win
Neshannock (52) vs. South Side Beaver (13)
Written: Aug 30, 2014
 By Shawn Fox
New Castle News
HOOKSTOWN — There may have been some questions about Neshannock High’s offense heading into its season opener last night.
But after one game. at least, the Lancers answered any doubts. In a big way.
Coach Fred Mozzocio’s squad roared out to a 39-7 lead at the half and never looked back, rolling to a 52-13 mercy rule victory over South Side Beaver in a WPIAL Class A Big Seven Conference game at the Richard J. Ashcroft Athletic Complex.
“It was a huge start for us,” junior running back Robert Lindsey said. “We wanted to prove the doubters wrong.”
Neshannock, which is ranked seventh in the state in Class A by the Pennsylvania Football News, lost several key players from last year’s explosive squad and was without standout senior running back Eli Owens due to an injury. But, the Lancers hardly missed a beat against the Rams.
A big reason why was the play of Lindsey, who finished with 92 yards in a little more than a half of work. The 6-0, 215-pound back carried the ball just 10 times in the game, but scored four touchdowns on the ground. He also hauled in a 32-yard screen pass from Frank Antuono for a score.
“The offensive line blew them up and gave me room to run,” Lindsey said.
The Lancers wasted little time taking control of the game. After holding South Side to a three-and-out on the opening possession, Neshannock drove 59 yards in just four plays for the score. Lindsey capped the drive by going in from a yard out. The PAT kick was short, but the Lancers held a 6-0 lead less than four minutes into the game.
Antuono, a sophomore making his first varsity start, was 2 of 2 through the air for 43 yards on the drive. He also was on the receiving end of a 9-yard pass from Rocco Fazio.
“We worked hard in the offseason, and we were ready to get the season started,” said Antuono, who completed 8 of 16 passes for 164 yards. “The O-line played well today, and we executed very well.”
Matt Natale’s interception of a Robert Heberle pass gave the Lancers the ball on the Rams 24 to start their next possession. After Fazio broke free for a 23-yard run on first down, Lindsey bulled his way into the end zone. Seth Dueitt added the kick, and Neshannock had a 13-0 lead with 4:35 remaining in the first quarter.
Following another South Side punt, Neshannock drove 50 yards in seven plays with Lindsey capping the drive with a 3-yard run. Dueitt’s kick gave the Lancers a 20-0 lead two minutes into the second half.
The Rams, who have now lost 12 straight games, finally had something go their way on their next possession as Quae’Shawn Thompson broke loose for a 64-yard TD run. Jesse Romanchak tacked on the extra point, cutting the deficit to 20-7.
Neshannock answered with its longest drive of the night, a 10-play, 71-yard march, with Lindsey scoring on a 10-yard run. Antuono hooked up with Dueitt on a pair of 20-yard pass plays to set up Lindsey’s TD.
“It’s very important we mix it up on offense,” Mozzocio said. “We want to be 50-50 run and pass.”
After forcing South Side to punt, Neshannock hiked its lead to 33-7 when Antuono scrambled under heavy pressure and found Lindsey on a screen pass that the junior back turned into a 32-yard touchdown.
“I saw Frank was in trouble, but he got away and made a big play,” Lindsey said.
Antuono closed out the Lancers first-half scoring, as he scooped up an errant pitch from Heberle to Nate Block and returned the fumble 9 yards for a touchdown.
“Jimmy Medure made the play because he’s was the one who tackled the back,” Antuono said. “I just had to run it in.”
Already trailing 39-7, things went from bad to worse for the host Rams, as Neshannock’s Tyler Perry returned the second-half kickoff for an 80-yard touchdown to bring the mercy rule into play.
Steven Phillips closed out the Lancers’ scoring with a 5-yard TD run in the third quarter.
Block scored on a 2-yard run for South Side midway through the fourth quarter. As the night had gone for the Rams, Neshannock’s Danny Welker blocked the PAT kick.
While the Lancers were racking up the points, they were also piling up the penalties. Neshannock was whistled 11 times for 134 yards.
“That’s definitely something we’ll have to address,” Mozzocio said.
The Lancers will host Shenango Saturday night.
“It’s a new tradition,” Mozzocio said of the Saturday home game.
(Email: ncsports@ncnewsonline.com)
NESHANNOCK SOUTH SIDE
12 First downs 6
171 Yards Rushing 150
26 Yards Lost 39
145 Net Rushing 111
17 Passes Attempted 10
9 Passes Completed 4
1 Passes Intercepted 1
173 Yards Passing 40
318 Total Yards 151
2-0 Fumbles-Lost 3-2
1-35 Punts-Average 5-38.4
11-134 Penalties-Yards 8-60
NESHANNOCK 13 26 13 0 — 52
SOUTH SIDE 0 7 0 6 — 13
Scoring plays
NESHANNOCK — Robert Lindsey, 1-yard run (kick failed).
NESHANNOCK — Lindsey, 1-yard run (Seth Dueitt kick).
NESHANNOCK — Lindsey, 3-yard run (Dueitt kick).
SOUTH SIDE BEAVER — Quae’Shawn Thompson, 64-yard run (Jesse Romanchak kick).
NESHANNOCK — Lindsey, 10-yard run (kick failed).
NESHANNOCK — Lindsey, 32-yard pass from Frank Antuono (Dueitt kick).
NESHANNOCK — Antuono, 9-yard fumble return (kick failed).
NESHANNOCK — Tyler Perry, 80-yard kickoff return (Dueitt kick).
NESHANNOCK — Steven Phillips, 5-yard run (kick blocked).
SOUTH SIDE BEAVER — Nate Block, 2-yard run (kick blocked).
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