Sto-Rox rolls over Lancers
Neshannock (11) vs. Sto-Rox (43)
Written: Sep 17, 2011
  By Dan Irwin
New Castle News
Teams ranked fifth in their states don’t often face adversity.
At least, not for long.
Sto-Rox — No. 5 among Pennsylvania’s Class A teams, according to the Harrisburg Patriot-News — cleared every hurdle Neshannock raised last night en route to a 43-11 win in both teams’ WPIAL Class A Big Seven Conference opener.
The Vikings (3-1 overall) were stopped on fourth-and-2 at the Lancers 14 on their opening drive. Three plays later, though, Neshannock turned the ball over at its own 29, and Sto-Rox needed just two passes to go up 8-0.
The Lancers (2-1 overall) backed Sto-Rox up again late in the first quarter and seemingly forced a punt on fourth-and-seven from the Vikings’ 31. But Sto-Rox came out passing instead of punting, gaining 19 yards on the fake and setting the stage for a 16-0 lead two plays later.
The Vikings also responded to Neshannock’s third-quarter, 37-yard John Fennick field goal with a three-play touchdown drive, and to the Lancers’ 7-yard, Michael Sanfilippo-to-Ernie Burkes touchdown pass in the final stanza with an 83-yard kickoff return by Joshua Beverly.
“That’s what it’s about, you gotta figure it out as you go,” Sto-Rox head coach Ron Butschle said. “Neshannock’s a good football team, they played very hard. Each series, there’s always going to be adversity that you’ve got to overcome.
“That’s the mark of a good team — you get stopped, you turn around, you make something happen.”
NCAA Division I prospects also tend to be a hallmark of successful squads, and the the Vikings have three consensus ones — receiver/cornerback Marzett Geter, who will go to Pitt; wide receiver/safety Dontez Ford, who has committed to Syracuse; and receiver/linebacker Deaysean Rippy, who has received multiple major college offers but who has yet to accept one.
“I think they actually have five or six (Division I players),” Neshannock coach Pat Cuba said. “They’re athletes, they are so good everywhere.
“But I love my kids, they played hard, they played physical. They didn’t back down, and I think they gained their respect.”
Neshannock quarterback Michael Sanfilippo ended up rushing for 95 yards on 10 carries, while fullback Kienan Owens carried 12 times for 86 rugged yards.
For Sto-Rox, Beverly complemented his long kickoff return with 103 yards rushing and one touchdown on 11 carries. Quarterback Lenny Williams completed 13 of 17 passes for 263 yards and three touchdowns, and Rippy caught five of those aerials for 114 yards.
Many of Williams passes were simply quick outs that his speedy receivers turned into big plays.
“That’s kind of what our offense is predicated on, short passes, long runs, “Butshle said. “That’s kind of what we do, and eating the clock up when we need to on the ground.”
Cuba expected as much.
“Get the ball in the space — that’s what they do,” he said. “And if you go the wrong way, you pay for it. And we did.”
STO-ROX NESHANNOCK
17 First downs 10
160 Yards Rushing 225
25 Yards Lost 25
135 Net Rushing 200
19 Passes Attempted 6
15 Passes Completed 4
1 Passes Intercepted 0
293 Yards Passing 33
428 Total Yards 233
0-0 Fumbles-Lost 2-2
0-0 Punts-Average 4-26.5
10-70 Penalties-Yards 8-47
STO-ROX 16 8 6 13 — 43
NESHANNOCK 0 0 3 8 — 11
Scoring plays
STO-ROX — Marzett Geter, 18-yard pass from Lenny Williams (Dontez Ford pass from Williams).
STO-ROX — Williams, 4-yard run (Kevin Hooper pass from Williams).
STO-ROX — Deaysean Rippy, 69-yard pass from Williams (Dontez Ford pass from Williams).
NESHANNOCK — John Fennick, 37-yard field goal.
STO-ROX — Hooper, 22-yard pass from Williams (run failed).
STO-ROX — Joshua Beverly, 4-yard run (pass failed).
NESHANNOCK — Ernie Burkes, pass from Michael Sanfilippo (Alex Welker pass from Sanfilippo).
STO-ROX — Beverly, 83-yard kickoff return (Chris Dean kick).
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