DT pick-6 helps Union roll over ’Cats
Union (27) vs. Shenango (0)
Written: Oct 12, 2013
 By Dan Irwin
New Castle News
When consistent, move-the-chains offense is lacking, big plays come in handy.
Once-in-a-lifetime efforts — such as a pick-6 by a defensive tackle — will do as well.
Union junior Jullian Johnson turned in one of those, intercepting a Shenango screen attempt and rambling 65 yards for a touchdown. That and a 49-yard scoring pass from Anthony Rush to Benjamin Young — one of Young’s two TD catches — helped the Scotties pin a 27-0 Class A Big Seven loss on the Wildcats last night at Socs Roussos Stadium.
“Those are things, when you see it going on, you’re just like, ‘Go, go — please go,’” Union coach Stacy Robinson said of Johnson’s interception, “because it’s the unexpected, and if it puts six points on the board, it really puts you ahead even more.”
Johnson credited assistant coach John Bertolino with helping him turn in the play that gave the Scotties (2-4 in the conference, 3-4 overall) a three-touchdown, third-quarter lead.
“Coach Bert told me before half that they were going to do that play once again, and he says stay home,” Johnson said. “So when I saw that play and they didn’t block me, I knew right there that it was my time to shine, that I could get that ball.
“I was thinking six all the way — I think it all day, every day.”
Union had taken a 12-0 halftime lead on Rush’s 10- and 49-yard touchdown passes to Young. Overall, Rush completed 7 of 12 passes for 113 yards to help offset a ground game that managed just 107 yards, including 43 through the first three quarters.
“I like throwing to Ben,” Rush said of Young. “He’s a good athlete. Coach (Robinson) just told me to make my reads and Ben was open.
“Ben, he gets on the line, I sprint out to the right, and he crosses over the middle and goes to the back pylon and I throw it up to him, and he’s always wide open.”
Senior Robert Clark helped inflate Union’s rushing numbers late in the game with 76 yards on seven carries, including an 18-yard TD run, all after the midway point of the third quarter. He also caught three passes for 33 yards after intermission.
“We’ve got some people who know what to do with the ball when they get it in their hands — they get in the end zone,” Robinson said. “Rob Clark, he’s come a long way, he’s got a knee injury, he wears a brace. Believe it or not, he’s got a torn ACL, but he’s still coming out to play.”
Shenango (1-5, 2-5) was victimized not only by Union’s big play capability, but also but its own mistakes. It turned the ball over five times, including four fumbles (each recovered by Union’s Dakota Cameron). The first of those fumbles came at the Union 10 on Shenango’s opening drive.
Also in the first quarter, the Wildcats were assessed a 15-yard facemask penalty on what appeared to be a drive-ending, third down sack of Rush. Instead, the penalty kept Union’s drive alive and set up the Scotties’ first score, which came two plays later on fourth down.
Union’s second score — Young’s 49-yarder — occurred on a third-and-17 situation.
“The first drive, we were clicking, then we turned it over inside the 20, then the next possession we turned it over again and gave them a very short field,” said Shenango coach Mike Commesso, whose team managed just 74 yards total offense. “Seems like that set the tone tonight, we just never bounced back from that.
“Then they completed a couple of long third downs and even a fourth down, and that just breaks your back. Between turnovers and letting them convert on third down, we just let it slip away.”
(Email: d_irwin@ncnewsonline.com)
SHENANGO UNION
5 First downs 11
62 Yards Rushing 157
41 Yards Lost 50
21 Net Rushing 107
12 Passes Attempted 12
3 Passes Completed 7
1 Passes Intercepted 1
53 Yards Passing 113
74 Total Yards 220
5-4 Fumbles-Lost 1-1
4-38.5 Punts-Average 2-33.5
8-65Penalties-Yards 7-45
SHENANGO 0 0 0 0 — 0
UNION 0 12 8 7 — 27
Scoring plays
UNION — Benjamin Young, 10-yard pass form Anthony Rush (Kick failed).
UNION — Young, 49-yard pass from Rush (Run failed).
UNION — Jullian Johnson, 65-yard interception return (Young pass from Jordan Best).
UNION — Robert Clark, 18-yard run (Young kick).
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