Lancers’ ground game wears down Wolves
Neshannock (42) vs. West Shamokin (14)
Written: Sep 04, 2010
 By DAN IRWIN
d_irwin@ncnewsonline.com
Neshannock High’s passing game soared for 1 1/2 quarters last night.
But when it crashed to the ground late in the first half, that’s where the Lancers decided to stay.
Neshannock rolled up 272 yards rushing — 209 over the final two quarters — en route to a 42-14 season-opening nonleague win over West Shamokin at Bob Bleggi Stadium.
Senior Asa Davies led the onslaught with 100 yards and three touchdowns on 13 carries. He also caught two passes for 40 yards, including one TD.
“It felt great,” Davies said. “It’s about time we got that going. It’s been a while since we could actually establish a run game.
“But once one person starts running hard, the whole team starts running hard. And our offensive line, I’ve got to credit them. We don’t go anywhere without them.”
Neshannock opened the game looking to get first-year quarterback Michael Sanfilippo some confidence, and the sophomore signal-caller responded. Throwing mainly quick-outs and balls into the flat, he completed six of his first seven attempts. Davies hauled in one of those, cut around a block by wide receiver Sam Giangiuli at the line of scrimmage, and raced 22 yards for a 7-0 Lancers lead.
Sanfilippo also connected on three straight throws during the Lancers’ next possession, sparking a seven-play, 67-yard drive capped by Davies’ 7-yard scamper.
Yet as quickly as success arrived, it vanished.
On his next three possessions, Sanfilippo was intercepted each time by Jared Hollibaugh, who returned two of the picks for touchdowns and a 14-14 halftime tie.
“(The short passes) were to get him some confidence and get him working in the right direction,” coach Pat Cuba said. “But they started looking for that after a while.
“That’s my fault, I probably went to it once too often. That’s not his fault. He’s trying to learn, and I probably should have simplified a bit more and given him some other options. I’ll take the blame for that.”
More trouble seemed to be brewing when Davies fumbled away the second-half kickoff, giving the surging Wolves possession at the Lancers’ 17. But on fourth and 21, senior Lou Pasquarello ended the threat by picking off Hollibaugh’s halfback pass at the 9.
“When he did that, everybody went wild,” Davies said. “He’s a player.”
Pasquarello’s reprieve provided the impetus Neshannock needed to put its running game in high gear. The Lancers took the turnover and marched 91 yards in eight plays, all on the ground, with Davies’ 11-yard run capping the drive.
“I thought that’s where we showed some guts and composure, because (the Wolves) recovered the ball about the 18 yard line,” Cuba said. “In the past, we would have gone in the jar and folded up and got on our heels, but they didn’t do that tonight.
“I was very proud of them for that. They showed some composure and they responded very well.”
The Lancers never went to the air again in the second half, but the offense continued to roll. Davies posted TD No. 4 on an 8-yard run — set up one play earlier by Pasquarello’s 51-yard breakaway — and backup QB David Burkes went in from 4 yards out one play after an 11-yard fumble return by sophomore linebacker Alex Welker.
Welker’s older brother also got into the act, intercepting Wolves quarterback Tony DeVivo and steaming 35 yards to the end zone early in the final period.
That pick-six was just part of an overall defensive effort that limited the Wolves to 27 rushing yards, and just 81 overall.
“They did a good job,” Cuba said of his D. “We made some mistakes but it’s a new defense we’re working with. But I was very proud. We’re hitting a little bit better than we have, a little more physical.”
W. SHAMOKIN NESHANNOCK
6 First downs 18
61 Yards Rushing 276
34 Yards Lost 4
27 Net Rushing 272
10 Passes Attempted 11
3 Passes Completed 6
2 Passes Intercepted 3
47 Yards Passing 86
81 Total Yards 358
3-1 Fumbles-Lost 3-2
6-32.2 Punts-Average 0-0
10-76 Penalties-Yards 5-65
W. SHAMOKIN 0 14 0 0 — 14
NESHANNOCK 7 7 7 21 — 42
Scoring plays
NESHANNOCK — Asa Davies, 22-yard pass from Michael Sanfilippo (Mark Bleggi kick).
NESHANNOCK — Davies, 7-yard run (Bleggi kick).
WEST SHAMOKIN — Jared Hollibaugh, 30-yard interception return (Zack Cloak kick).
WEST SHAMOKIN — Hollibaugh, 60-yard interception return (Cloak kick).
NESHANNOCK — Davies, 11-yard run (Bleggi kick).
NESHANNOCK — Davies, 8-yard run (Bleggi kick).
NESHANNOCK — Erik Welker, 35-yard interception return (Bleggi kick).
NESHANNOCK — David Burkes, 4-yard run (Bleggi kick).
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