Lancers make history in big way
Neshannock (48) vs. Union (19)
Written: Oct 25, 2014
 By Andrew Koob
New Castle News
Nothing could stop the Neshannock High football team on its way to program history.
The Lancers lit up the scoreboard early and often last night, topping Union 49-18 to finish off the regular season undefeated and take sole possesion of the Big Seven Conference crown.
Both accomplishments are a first for the Neshannock program.
“It’s one of the goals that we wanted to achieve and we’ll take it at that,” Neshannock coach Fred Mozzocio said. “It’s the first stop to where we want to be. We’re very happy, we’ll celebrate tonight and have a good time but, at the same time, we’re focused on one goal. We all know what that is. We’ll just take it one game at a time, we have some very tough opponents ahead of us and we understand that. But tonight, we’re going to have a good time and celebrate this Big Seven championship.”
Lancers quarterback Frank Antuono completed six of his nine pass attempts for 169 yards and four touchdowns, all to different receivers, while tailback Eli Owens netted 178 yards and a score on the ground. All of that damage came in the first half as Neshannock took a 42-0 lead into the break.
Antuono didn’t start the night off well. His first pass attempt, after he was hit by a Scotties defender, was intercepted. Union went three and out and, on the ensuing Neshannock drive, Antuono tossed a 41-yard pass to Jimmy Medure for the Lancers’ first score.
Owens went on the next trip to the end zone, taking a 24-yard run for the score. Antuono hit Rocco Fazio on a bubble screen on the next drive and Fazio raced 68 yards to give Neshannock a 21-0 advantage 12 minutes into the game.
The first Union play in the second quarter went Neshannock’s way as well. Seth Dueitt fought with Scotties receiver Cornell Charles for possession of the ball, finally taking it and sprinting 65 yards for a pick six.
Antuono added touchdown passes of eight yards to Jeff Sanfilippo and 30 to Tyler Perry to end the half up six scores.
“I’m really happy to see us come out and execute the way we did and be able to mercy-rule them,” Mozzocio said. “We wanted to go in healthy, into the playoffs. So it was important that we got out to a good start and we were able to get the clock running in the second half.”
The backup Lancers took the field out of the break, but had trouble holding onto the ball. Two fumbles led to two Scotties touchdowns.
A bad snap over backup quarterback Jared Staph’s head resulted in a 77-yard scoop and score for Union’s Garrison Bell. Another bad snap put the Scotties at the Lancers’ 1-yard-line, where quarterback Anthony Rush dove in for the score.
The miscues forced Neshannock to return its first-stringers, sans Owens. Jonah Vitale shouldered the rushing load on the drive, running the ball six times for 47 yards and the score.
“You have to be a realist, it was against their second team,” Union coach Stacy Robinson said. “Their first team came back in and was able to march right down the field, so it could’ve been back-and-forth at that. You have to be smart as a football coach and know what to do at the right time. We just tried to keep it on the ground and keep it respectable.”
Union tailback Tre’von Charles ran in a 26-yard score on fourth and 15 to end the scoring.
Charles finished with a team-high 74 rushing yards on 12 carries.
“We knew we’d have to play a flawless game in order to even have a chance to beat them and we didn’t play flawless,” Robinson said. “They’re a pretty good team, I threw the kitchen sink, the cabinets and whatever else was in the kitchen at them and it didn’t matter. I think they’re going to have a shot, as good as anybody in the tournament, to win it all.”
The conference championship and undefeated season for the Lancers certainly is sweet. Neshannock has rolled through its schedule, with its closest margin of victory at 27 points in a 41-14 win over Our Lady of Sacred Heart in September.
“It’s something that you think about that can happen, but until it does happen, you don’t realize how gratifying it is,” Mozzocio said. “We’re all pleased, the kids just play phenomenal, it’s all on them. From start to finish, everything that they do for this program, the time and effort they put into it, it’s all on these young men. They’ve achieved it, they’ve done it and all of the praise and all of the glory goes to these guys. We’ll just try to keep it going.”
(Email: A_Koob@ncnewsonline.com)
UNION NESHANNOCK
7 First downs 12
130 Yards Rushing 268
18 Yards Lost 13
112 Net Rushing 255
12 Passes Attempted 9
5 Passes Completed 6
1 Passes Intercepted 1
26 Yards Passing 169
191 Total Yards 424
1-0 Fumbles-Lost 6-4
7-30.4 Punts-Average 0-0
8-70 Penalties-Yards 4-20
UNION 21 21 0 6 — 48
NESHANNOCK 0 0 13 6 — 19
Scoring plays
NESHANNOCK — Jimmy Medure, 41-yard pass from Frank Antuono (Seth Dueitt kick).
NESHANNOCK — Eli Owens, 24-yard run (Dueitt kick).
NESHANNOCK — Rocco Fazio, 68-yard pass from Antuono (Dueitt kick.)
NESHANNOCK — Dueitt, 65-yard interception return (Dueitt kick).
NESHANNOCK — Jeff Sanfilippo, 8-yard pass from Antuono (Dueitt kick).
NESHHANOCK — Tyler Perry, 30-yard pass from Antuono (Dueitt kick).
UNION — Garrison Bell, 77-yard fumble recovery (Bell kick).
UNION — Anthony Rush, 1-yard run (kick failed).
NESHANNOCK — Jonah Vitale, 1-yard run (kick failed).
UNION — Tre’von Charles, 26-yard run (kick failed).
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