Laurel shows some muscle against Rochester
Laurel (42) vs. Rochester (0)
Written: Oct 12, 2013
By Joe Sager
New Castle News
ROCHESTER — Gang Green is back — and hungry.
Laurel’s swarming defense and strong line play was too much for Rochester to handle last night. The Spartans outmuscled and outmatched the Rams in a 42-0 WPIAL Class A Big Seven Conference road win.
Laurel (5-1 conference, 6-1 overall) limited Rochester (2-4, 2-5) to 27 yards of positive offensive yardage. Meanwhile, the Spartans churned out 368 yards of their own — including 340 on the ground.
“The offensive line did a great job again this week. All around, it was just a great team effort. No one is being selfish,” Laurel coach Pat Cuba said. “What we try to preach is being a team. Individual things will come and be accomplished if they were within the framework of a team.”
Collectively, Laurel overwhelmed the Rams. Four different Spartans (Josh Dando, Matty Conway, Dalton Rosta and Jacob Wilson) found the end zone and four different players (Clayton Sharek, Dando, Conway and Wilson) had at least 46 yards rushing.
“We knew what we had to do,” senior lineman Aaron Vanasco said. “We were physical and staying low. That’s what our coaches preach to us, that we’ll practice how we play, so we have to play like we practice and we were physical.”
The Spartans’ linemen didn’t let up, either.
“We didn’t stop. We pushed them until the end,” senior lineman Eric Leasure said. “We owe it to coach (John) McFarland. Every day, we’re practicing with him and working hard.”
Laurel scored on its first two possessions. Dando had a 2-yard TD run, while Conway went 15 yards for a TD to give the Spartans a 14-0 lead after the first.
Rosta and Conway sandwiched scoring runs around Noah Wertz’s 37-yard field goal to give Laurel a 29-0 halftime edge.
Dando broke loose for a 61-yard scoring run early in the third quarter to enact the running-clock mercy rule. Wilson capped the scoring later in the quarter, when he knifed his way through the Rams en route to a 79-yard TD jaunt.
“The kids bought into what we’ve told them and they seem to be getting a little better each week. We just have to continue to make strides,” Cuba said. “I am very, very proud to be associated with this group of kids. They’ve done a great job and done everything we’ve asked them to do.”
The woes continue for Rochester and coach Gene Matsook, a 1981 Shenango graduate. In 14 seasons as Rams coach, he has claimed four WPIAL and two PIAA crowns as well as two state runner-up finishes. This marks the first time he’s lost more than four games in a season.
Laurel returns home Friday for a key matchup with first-place Sto-Rox (5-0, 6-0), which plays at Western Beaver today.
“We can’t get too balloon-headed here because we have Sto-Rox and we have to have our nose to the grindstone and keep going,” Leasure said. “It’s a really big test for us. We can’t slack at all.”
After falling to Neshannock, 34-12, in Week 2, the Spartans have won their last five games and outscored their opponents, 173-39.
“It feels great to get the foot on the gas pedal and keep going,” Vanasco said. “Sto-Rox is going to be hard, but if we play like we’ve been playing, it’ll be a good game.”
(Email: ncsports@ncnewsonline.com)
LAUREL ROCHESTER
16 First downs 5
354 Yards Rushing 71
14 Yards Lost 60
340 Net Rushing 11
6 Passes Attempted 13
2 Passes Completed 3
0 Passes Intercepted 0
28 Yards Passing 16
369 Total Yards 27
2-1 Fumbles-Lost 2-2
1-30 Punts-Average 7-28.9
5-37 Penalties-Yards 5-30
LAUREL 14 15 13 0 — 42
ROCHESTER 0 0 0 0 — 0
Scoring plays
LAUREL — Josh Dando, 2-yard run (Noah Wertz kick).
LAUREL — Matty Conway, 15-yard run (Wertz kick).
LAUREL — Dalton Rosta, 1-yard run (kick blocked).
LAUREL — Wertz, 37-yard field goal.
LAUREL — Conway, 17-yard run (kick failed).
LAUREL — Dando, 61-yard run (kick failed).
LAUREL — Jacob Wilson, 79-yard run (Wertz kick).
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