Laurel dominates statistically, but loses
Laurel (12) vs. Jeannette (38)
Written: Sep 10, 2011
By Dave Aromatorio
New Castle News
JEANNETTE — It’s pretty much a given in high school football.
Outgain your opponent and roll up more than twice as many first downs, and you have a pretty good chance of coming away with a win.
The Laurel High football team found out the hard way last night that sometimes statistics can be deceiving.
Jeannette handed the Spartans their second defeat in as many games, 38-12 in nonleague action.
The Jayhawks scored on a 43-yard run on their fifth play from scrimmage.
“We were a little disappointed in the way we started the game. That can’t happen against good teams,” Laurel coach Jerry Holzhauser said after the game.
But big plays were to be the theme of the night. After falling behind 19-0 in the second quarter, the Spartans seemed to find their legs, particularly senior running back Dylan Jones, who finished the night with 129 yards rushing on 24 carries. After picking up three first downs and finding itself in Jayhawks territory, the big play hit the Spartans hard in the form of a 75-yard interception return for a touchdown.
Laurel regrouped in the second half and scored on its first two drives. Jones took it in from the 11 for the Spartans’ first TD, but Jeannette answered with a 63-yard run on their first play after Laurel’s score.
The Spartans scored again later on a long drive, highlighted by a 62-yard hook-up from quarterback Brandon Ritchie to Josh Dando.
“We’ll look at the film and see what we can improve on, but I was OK with the way the second half went,” Holzhauser said.
The Spartans won't find much help from the schedule-makers as they host Beaver Falls in Midwestern Athletic Conference action Friday.
(Email: ncsports@ncnewsonline.com)
LAUREL JEANNETTE
12 First downs 5
204 Yards Rushing 210
20 Yards Lost 17
184 Net Rushing 193
10 Passes Attempted 4
6 Passes Completed 3
1 Passes Intercepted 0
111 Yards Passing 23
295 Total Yards 216
3-1 Fumbles-Lost 0-0
4-27 Punts-Average 1-44
6-35 Penalties-Yards 2-15
LAUREL 0 0 12 0 — 12
JEANNETTE 7 18 6 7 — 38
Scoring plays
JEANNETTE — Jordan Edmunds, 43-yard run (Seth Miller kick).
JEANETTE — Demetrious Cox, 2-yard run (kick failed).
JEANNETTE — Shavonta Craft, 7-yard run (pass failed).
JEANNETTE — Craft, 75-yard interception (pass failed).
LAUREL — Dylan Jones, 11-yard run (kick failed).
JEANNETTE — Jermayne Ramsey, 63-yard run (kick failed).
LAUREL — Jones, 2-yard run (kick failed).
JEANNETTE — Edmunds, 50-yard run (Miller kick).
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