Quips too much for hard-luck Spartans
Laurel (6) vs. Aliquippa (31)
Written: Sep 04, 2010
  By JOHN D’ABRUZZO
ncsports@ncnewsonline.com
A lot of factors were working against the Laurel High football team last night.
Besides the fact the Spartans were making their first Class AA appearance since the demise of the Tri-County North Conference, they had to open against perennial powerhouse Aliquippa.
And it was a conference game.
Oh, yes, and Laurel lost a key starter early in the contest.
After coming within six points early in the third quarter, the Spartans were unable to rebound in a 31-6 Midwestern Athletic Conference loss.
“The truth is, first games are tough, no matter who you play and how good you’re supposed to be,” Aliquippa coach Mike Zmijanac said. “We won. That’s what counts, so I’m pleased.”
The Quips (1-0) entered the first week of the season as the top-ranked Class AA team by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and were listed No. 4 in the Harrisburg Patriot News’ state poll.
Laurel, however, was looking for a repeat performance similar to the upset it posted last year against Clarion during Week One.
“We wanted to play with the same fire we had last year (against Clarion),” Laurel running back Dylan Jones said. “All week, we worked hard and wanted to play like the same caliber team (as Aliquippa).”
With the game scoreless midway through the first quarter, Laurel senior quarterback/linebacker Stuart Bartoshek was carted off the field with an apparent injury to his left leg after trying to take down Aliquippa’s Ben Cobb.
“That’s the sad thing, when a senior works hard and is not able to play,” Laurel coach Jerry Holzhauser said.
Before leaving the game, Bartoshek and sophomore Brandon Ritchie had taken turns taking snaps for the Spartans. Ritchie finished the game at quarterback and completed 2 of 10 attempts for 27 yards.
“He’s a sophomore and I’m real proud of his performance,” Holzhauser said. “He’ll learn from any of the miscues.”
Laurel relied heavily on Jones to carry the offensive workload.
The junior running back rushed for 93 yards on 19 carries and scored the Spartans’ lone touchdown. Jones scampered 65 yards, criss-crossing his way through defenders before falling into the end zone just 57 seconds into the third quarter.
“We knew we weren’t going to get too far running on the outside because of their speed,” Holzhauser said. “We figured we’d pound the ball and control the clock, so we could try to keep the game close.”
The Quips used a swarming defense that limited Laurel to a mere three first downs and 122 yards of total offense.
“Kids from Laurel always play hard,” said Zmijanac, who is in his 13th year as the Quips coach. “They lost some kids from last year, but they still have a good, young bunch.”
Zmijanac has his own stars in quarterback Mike Hall, receiver Haetuan Mathis and Cobb.
Hall completed 11 of 14 passes for 152 yards and three touchdowns.
“He better have a game like that; he started 13 games for us last year,” Zmijanac said. “If he isn’t playing like that, then I’m playing the wrong guy.”
Mathis caught Aliquippa’s first touchdown on a 24-yard reception. He also scored on a 35-yard punt return late in the third quarter.
“He’s a good player,” Zmijanac said. “We don’t have many seniors on this team, and he’s one of them. He’s fast.”
Cobb, a Center transfer, led the Quips’ rushing attack with 60 yards on 10 carries.
“This is a talented football team and it’s hard to contain that caliber a team,” Holzhauser said. “The kids will learn from it, I know that.”
ALIQUIPPA LAUREL
20 First downs 3
186 Yards Rushing 114
10 Yards Lost 19
176 Net Rushing 95
14 Passes Attempted 10
11 Passes Completed 2
0 Passes Intercepted 0
152 Yards Passing 27
328 Total Yards 122
4-2 Fumbles-Lost 1-1
32.5 Punts-Average 7-28.1
6-45 Penalties-Yards 4-20
ALIQUIPPA 6 6 13 6 — 31
LAUREL 0 0 6 0 — 6
Scoring plays
ALIQUIPPA — Haetuan Mathis, 24-yard pass from Mike Hall (kick failed).
ALIQUIPPA — Kevin Johnson, 15-yard pass from Hall (pass failed).
LAUREL — Dylan Jones, 65-yard run (kick failed).
ALIQUIPPA — Davion Hall, 30-yard pass from Mike Hall (run failed).
ALIQUIPPA — Mathis, 35-yard punt return (Deonte Smith kick).
ALIQUIPPA — Dravon Henry, 3-yard run (kick failed).
|