Talent-laden Quips rout Mohawk
Mohawk (8) vs. Aliquippa (56)
Written: Sep 28, 2013
 By Joe Sager
New Castle News
ALIQUIPPA — Consider Mohawk a believer.
After last night’s 56-8 loss at Aliquippa, the Warriors are on the bandwagon with those who think the Quips can win a third-straight WPIAL Class AA championship.
Aliquippa scored 21 points in the first quarter and added 29 more in the second to cruise to the Midwestern Athletic Conference victory at Carl A. Aschman Memorial Stadium.
“We have to erase it and move on. We’ll try to correct our mistakes and get better,” Mohawk coach Joe Lamenza said. “That’s what we talked about all week. This was an opportunity to play the best team in Double-A and we’re going to try to be a better team because of tonight.”
The Quips (3-0 conference, 4-0 overall) are the Post-Gazette’s top-ranked team in WPIAL and PIAA Class AA. They showed why against Mohawk (2-2, 2-3).
“I have really good players,” Aliquippa coach Mike Zmijanac said. “There’s nothing you can do. Mohawk was outmanned tonight and that’s just the way it is. Sometimes, that happens. Their kids played tremendously hard all the way to the end.”
Aliquippa is loaded with major-college talent and Pitt head coach Paul Chryst was on hand to see for himself. He certainly left impressed as two of the team’s top prospects — Dravon Henry and Terry Swanson — starred. Henry carried the ball eight times for 145 yards and two touchdowns, while Swanson toted the pigskin four times for 152 yards and a pair of scores.
“I think we’re getting better. Our quarterback is getting better. I, obviously, have very talented players. Our linemen, a lot of rookies are playing there and they’re getting better,” Zmijanac said. “Wins are wins. We’re where we want to be.”
Aliquippa scored on its first six possessions. Mohawk senior Shane McFarland broke the shutout with an 85-yard kickoff return for a touchdown late in the second quarter. Ricky Malutic hauled in the 2-point conversion pass from Gio Menichino.
McFarland was held in check rushing the ball (0 yards on 7 carries) by a stout Quips defense. However, he shined on special teams and defense. He made two touchdown-saving tackles, including one when he caught Swanson from behind on a 37-yard dash.
“Shane was a bright spot, which is what we expect. He did a nice job in the pass protection, too,” Lamenza said. “We were a little more aggressive in our play-calling when we got down. We tried to open up the passing game and the offensive line did a nice job protecting. Shane was in there, too, a lot of the times. Gio was able to stand in the pocket and make some nice completions. That was a bright spot.”
In addition to the skill players, Lamenza was impressed with Aliquippa’s linemen.
“They are a big, physical football team up front,” he said. “Everybody thinks of Aliquippa as being a fast team. To me, their biggest strength is their guys up front. They are big; they are strong. They are very physical.”
Mohawk returns home for a key battle against Ellwood City (2-2, 3-2) on Friday.
“That’ll be a big one,” Lamenza said.
(Email: ncsports@ncnewsonline.com)
MOHAWK ALIQUIPPA
4 First downs 17
43 Yards Rushing 436
39 Yards Lost 6
4 Net Rushing 430
15 Passes Attempted 6
7 Passes Completed 6
0 Passes Intercepted 0
64 Yards Passing 110
68 Total Yards 540
2-0 Fumbles-Lost 0-0
4-30 Punts-Average 0-0
2-20 Penalties-Yards 7-47
MOHAWK 0 8 0 0 — 8
ALIQUIPPA 21 29 0 6— 56
Scoring plays
ALIQUIPPA — Dravon Henry, 35-yard run (Jyier Turner run).
ALIQUIPPA — Terry Swanson, 3-yard run (Dennis Moreland kick).
ALIQUIPPA — Swanson, 55-yard run (kick blocked).
ALIQUIPPA — Donovan Cobb, 15-yard pass from Darrien Fields (Moreland kick).
ALIQUIPPA — Kazeon Pugh, 6-yard run (Moreland kick).
MOHAWK — Shane McFarland, 85-yard kickoff return (Ricky Malutic pass from Gio Menichino).
ALIQUIPPA — Henry, 43-yard run (Swanson run).
ALIQUIPPA — Pugh, 14-yard run (Moreland kick).
ALIQUIPPA — Rashard Pugh, 5-yard run (run failed).
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