Shenango explodes for rout for Leechburg
Shenango (38) vs. Leechburg (0)
Written: Sep 11, 2008
By DAN IRWIN
d_irwin@ncnewsonline.com
Perhaps Ryan Mayo could get used to this after all.
Following Shenango High’s season-opening win on Aug. 30, the Wildcats’ head coach was thrilled to have a win, but a bit concerned that both of his team’s touchdowns had been of the big-play variety.
But after the ’Cats exploded for five touchdown plays of 40 or more yards in a 38-0 home field win over Leechburg on Saturday, Mayo seemed to be warming to the idea.
“I think we have a couple athletes at the skilled positions who are pretty good,” he said, “and they’ve got a chance to break it anytime they get a little bit of daylight.
“That’s the nice thing about having them both. You really can’t key on one of them because the other one will burn you. It’s definitely a luxury for us to have, and hopefully, we can continue to take advantage of it.”
Mayo was speaking of junior Ricky Mathews and sophomore Anthony Kosciuszko, who accounted for four of the Wildcats’ lightning strikes. Mathews rushed for 164 yards on just eight carries, including scoring runs of 41, 45 and 53 yards. Kosciuszko, who topped the century mark in Week One, contributed 90 yards on 12 carries, highlighted by a 46-yard touchdown scamper on Shenango’s opening series.
Mathews put up all his points in the second quarter, with two of his TDs coming on consecutive Wildcats snaps. Actually, they were even the same play.
With Shenango’s offense lined up in a spread formation, Mathews, the lone running back, took a handoff from quarterback Joe Colavecchia and bolted over right guard for a 41-yard score. And after Drew Morici got the ball back for the ’Cats with an interception three plays later, Shenango lined up on first down at the Leechburg 45 and did the whole thing over again.
“They were the exact same play,” Mayo confirmed, adding that he was “a little” surprised that it would work two times in a row.
So was Mathews.
“Yeah, I was,” he said. “But our line was doing some really good blocking, especially (guard Vince) Sorbo. That’s who I was running behind on that play.
“Our line showed big improvement today, that’s probably the reason all our backs did so good.”
Mathews’ third TD — the 53-yarder — came two series later and, like his previous two, also started out right up the gut.
“Our line did a good job all night,” Mayo said, “and Ricky, he’s a big kid and he runs fast. Once he gets going, he’s hard to bring down.”
Shenango’s starters posted one other score, a 1-yard run by Colavecchia two plays after Jordan Razo’s interception return had set the ’Cats up just three feet from the goal line.
The mercy rule kicked in with 1:29 to go when freshman Andrew Butera slammed into a scrum, bounced off and went 80 yards around right end to pay dirt.
Shenango (2-0) already is just one win away from equaling its total from all of 2007. However, WPIAL Class A Big Seven Conference play starts next week, and Mayo isn’t celebrating anything yet.
“In my book, were 0-0,” he said. “That’s how we’re going to treat it. Our goal is, and always has been, to get to the playoffs, and that starts in Week Three with Neshannock.
“But it is good to be 2-0, because with young kids (Shenango starts five sophomores on defense and four on offense), confidence is such an important variable, and I think we’ve gotten that these first two weeks. Now I hope we can continue that into league play.”
LEECHBURG SHENANGO
9 First downs 14
154 Yards Rushing 416
26 Yards Lost 9
128 Net Rushing 407
16 Passes Attempted 6
7 Passes Completed 1
3 Passes Intercepted 1
52 Yards Passing 23
180 Total Yards 430
2-2 Fumbles-Lost 1-1
7-35.4 Punts-Average 3-43.3
2-20 Penalties-Yards 11-90
LEECHBURG 0 0 0 0 — 0
SHENANGO 6 20 6 6 — 38
Scoring plays
SHENANGO — Anthony Kosciuszko 46-yard run (Kick failed).
SHENANGO — Ricky Mathews 41-yard run (Mark Alberti kick).
SHENANGO — Mathews 45-yard run (Albert kick).
SHENANGO — Mathews 53-yard run (Kick failed).
SHENANGO — Joe Colavecchia 1-yard run (Kick failed).
SHENANGO — Andrew Butera 80-yard run (Run failed).
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