Laurel ready for another
conference test in Monaca
Written: Oct 15, 2009
  By JOE SAGER
ncsports@ncnewsonline.com
Another week, another huge Big Seven Conference game.
This is becoming a familiar storyline for the Laurel High football team.
The Spartans welcome Monaca at 7 p.m. tomorrow for a key clash. The winner will maintain a chance of securing a share of the conference title, while the loser will slip into a potential battle for postseason positioning down the final stretch.
“Anytime there is a Big Seven Conference game, it’s pretty big. But this one is a little bigger because of what is at stake here,” Monaca coach Sam Cercone said. “We’re looking forward to it. There’s always a pretty good atmosphere up there. Our kids know what is at stake. It should be a good one if both teams play to their capabilities.”
Laurel (5-1 overall) and the Indians (4-2) are tied for second in the Big Seven at 3-1, a game behind Rochester (4-0). The Spartans’ lone conference loss came to the Rams, while Monaca fell to Western Beaver in its first conference game. The Indians play at Rochester on Oct. 30.
“This is a huge game. For both teams, you have to look at it like you’re playing for a championship,” Laurel coach Jerry Holzhauser said. “We’re both only one game behind Rochester and that’s how we have to look at it.”
Laurel rebounded in a big way following its 14-7 loss at Rochester. The Spartans stormed past Union, 50-6, last week.
“I hope we’re getting better every week. You don’t want to take a step back,” Holzhauser said. “If you come out on the losing end, you still want to be progressing. I think we’ve done that.”
Monaca has continued to improve as well. The Indians, who graduated 17 seniors from last year’s WPIAL runner-up squad, dropped two of their first three games this fall, but have outscored their last three opponents, 116-45.
“You would have thought all their players have been starting for three years with the way they are playing now. They are a real good football team. If they have a weakness, I haven’t found it yet,” Holzhauser said. “It’ll be one of those games where field position and turnovers are a big factor. We want to keep the ball away from them because they do have a potent offense. In some ways, it’s similar to Rochester. They do a lot of interesting formations that you have to be ready for that could get you out of position. That’s what they are looking to do – get you out of position and attack the weakness in your alignment.”
Senior tailback Joe Colangelo leads the Indians’ attack. One of the WPIAL’s top rushers, he has racked up 871 yards and 13 TDs on the year and is a threat catching the ball as well.
“He is big, strong and fast. He is awesome,” Holzhauser said. “They will lull you to sleep with him and come back with their fullback. Their quarterback throws the ball well, too. They have it all.”
Laurel sports a potent attack with Dylan Jones (442 yards) leading the way on the ground. Tyler Forbes (290), Caleb Weisenstein (222) and Jake Dando (111) also contribute to the running game. Forbes has passed for 222 yards. Dando (102 yards), Kevin Zubasic (51) and Eric Wallas (45) are his top targets.
“They are very disciplined and well-coached. They have a balanced attack with their running and passing games,” Cercone said. “They have some great athletes and it seems like they have been there a while. I coached against them in baseball as well. They are doing a great job there.”
The Spartans are battling injuries. Fullback/linebacker Dan Poremski and tight end/linebacker Torrey Price both left the Rochester game with ailments. The two did not play last week and are listed as questionable for tomorrow.
“We had to make some adjustments with young people. They performed well for us. They are going to have to perform a lot better this week and I think they will,” Holzhauser said. “There was a definite void left with those two out of the lineup. The team has to pick it up a little when you lose kids like that. I think they did that at Rochester.”
This will be the last time Laurel plays Monaca, barring any potential postseason meeting. The Monaca and Center school districts have merged to form Central Valley. The high schools and athletic programs will consolidate next year.
“We don’t preach to them a lot about it. Deep down inside, you can hear in the locker room that they want to go out with a bang,” Cercone said. “They want to be remembered as a playoff team and they’re doing the things they need to do to be that team. It’s bittersweet. It’s bitter being the last year for Monaca football, but sweet in the same sense we’ll be starting something new. It’s definitely a motivational factor for us.”
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