Mohawk nips Riverside
Mohawk (22) vs. Riverside (21)
Written: Sep 13, 2008
By STEVE TREU
ncsports@ncnewsonline.com
NORTH SEWICKLEY TOWNSHIP — Travis Schubert had little room to run against a stingy Riverside High defense most of the night.
On the game’s pivotal play, however, the Mohawk offensive line parted the Panthers like the Red Sea.
Schubert took an inside draw through a gaping hole and waltzed into the end zone on a 28-yard run to fuel Mohawk’s 22-21 victory over host Riverside in Midwestern Athletic Conference action.
Schubert also carried the game-winning two-point conversion, but it was the play before that was key: third-and-7, just over four minutes remaining and the Panthers leading 21-14.
“The hole just opened up,” Schubert said. “I love my line. Randy (Trosky), Tyler (French), Steve (Cowher), Andrew (Stambul) and Nathan (Murphy) are all amazing. They did everything I needed tonight.”
The Warriors improved to 2-1 by riding their 5-foot-11, 215-pound senior for 110 yards, two touchdowns and a pair of two-point conversions.
“Travis is our horse,” Mohawk coach Jason Long said. “We’re down to one running back and he had to carry the load again. He did a great job.”
Schubert and his teammates had a difficult go of it in the first half, falling behind 13-0 on touchdown runs by Jared Desensi and Cole Jackson.
Desensi’s 50-yard breakaway 91 seconds into the game accounted for Riverside’s first score of the season.
While the Panthers (0-3) were starting to think upset, the Warriors were slogging their way to a mere 3 rushing yards by halftime (including several sacks). Schubert knifed into the end zone on a 7-yarder midway through the second, but it was obvious that something needed to change at intermission.
“I don't think we started off too well,” Long said. “Riverside was taking it to us. I think they had a little bit more want ... but we had a change in attitude in the second half.”
“We got a speech in the locker room at halftime,” Schubert said, “and we came out ready to win the game.”
Trosky rivaled Schubert as player of the game, pouncing on a blocked punt after Riverside’s first possession of the third quarter to give the Warriors a 14-13 lead.
Sophomore Matt Vogel charged in from the right of the Panthers’ punter and blocked the ball straight up in the air. When it fell, there was a mad scramble in the end zone and Trosky came out the winner.
Trosky also sealed the victory with less than a minute remaining in the fourth quarter when he recovered a fumble near midfield on Riverside’s last possession of the game.
Earlier in the quarter, the Panthers took a 21-14 lead on a quarterback sneak by Dan Fredericks, but Mohawk quarterback Seth Powell countered by engineering a 12-play, 70-yard drive that consumed six minutes and concluded with Schubert’s winning TD run.
Powell completed 5 of 7 passes for 24 yards on the deciding march, including a fourth-and-3 strike for 6 yards to Colin Bredl. The sophomore receiver was temporarily trapped on the play, but he looped around to the outside and dove for the first-down marker to keep the drive alive.
Riverside ended with a 205-176 advantage in total yards, but the Warriors left with the win.
“We’re not picky,” Long said. “We’ll take the win.”
Powell, who showed a good arm on a few deep balls, finished 8 of 14 for 96 yards.
Bredl was his leading target with three catches for 21 yards, while Michael Henry had two receptions for 42 yards.
MOHAWK RIVERSIDE
9 First downs 5
126 Yards Rushing 163
46 Yards Lost 13
80 Net Rushing 150
15 Passes Attempted 14
8 Passes Completed 4
1 Passes Intercepted 0
96 Yards Passing 55
176 Total Yards 205
4-3 Fumbles-Lost 3-1
4-44 Punts-Average 6-39
4-20 Penalties-Yards 2-10
MOHAWK 0 6 8 8 — 22
RIVERSIDE 13 0 0 8 — 21
Scoring plays
RIVERSIDE — Jared Desensi, 50-yard run (kick failed).
RIVERSIDE — Cole Jackson, 4-yard run (Brady Price kick).
MOHAWK — Travis Schubert, 7-yard run (run failed).
MOHAWK — Randall Trosky, recovered blocked punt in end zone (Schubert run).
RIVERSIDE — Dan Fredericks, 1-yard run (Jackson run).
MOHAWK — Schubert, 28-yard run (Schubert run).
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