Unbeaten Ellwood look to join MAC elite
Written: Sep 23, 2010
 
By JOE SAGER
News Correspondent
The usual suspects sit atop the Midwestern Athletic Conference football standings — Aliquippa. Beaver. Beaver Falls.
That’s nothing new. Those three teams are perennial powers.
Another team is near the top, though. It’s Ellwood City Lincoln High. Yes, the same program that snapped its 31-game losing streak last year. The Wolverines (2-0 conference, 3-0 overall) are proving they are a factor in the MAC race this year. They have won by an average 40-11.3 margin in three games to start the season.
Ellwood City will get a formidable test at 7:30 p.m. Friday when Beaver visits Helling Stadium for a conference clash.
“I am not surprised by their success. I don’t think anyone in the league really is,” Beaver coach Jeff Beltz said. “You could see the growth even though the wins and losses weren’t showing it. You can see the building blocks were in place. Coach Phillips and his staff have done a great job. Their kids are committed and getting rewarded right now.”
The Wolverines have cruised in their wins over Freedom, New Brighton and Mount Pleasant. However, they know beating the Bobcats (3-0, 3-0), regular playoff participants, won’t be easy.
“Beaver is very good. It’s not just this year. Beaver has been good every year. They’ve been to the playoffs and know what it takes,” Ellwood City coach Don Phillips said. “They are where we want to be. We want to get to that level and compete at that level. Their kids have always worked very hard. Coach Beltz and his staff have done a great job. The consistency is there. That’s what we want to do. Year in and year out, we want to be competitive. We’ll get an idea of where we are because Beaver is very good.”
It’s been awhile since Helling Stadium has played host to a key conference game. So, both coaches expect an exciting environment.
“It’s fun. This is why we are in the sport,” Beltz said. “It’s nice to get wins like we’ve had but we also know those weren’t going to occur all season. We’re looking at a test. Both teams want to make the playoffs and the one who comes out with the win has a better opportunity to reach that goal. It’s fun. Really, both teams mirror each other so well. This should be a pretty good football game.”
The learning process continues for Ellwood City. Now, the Wolverines are figuring out how to deal with success.
“We have been constantly monitoring that type of thing. Right now, it’s new territory,” Phillips said. “We want to make sure they understand where they are and stay focused. We’ve had some success, but if they want to continue, they have to be focused. The focus has to be harder and we have to take care of right now. They have been good about that and they understand. The objective is to work hard to win this game.
“There’s no doubt the kids are very excited, though. They’ve been excited all season long. They have worked hard to put themselves in this position. Now, it’s time to enjoy all the hard work they put in and see where it can go. They have earned it. It’s been a long three years.”
Senior Sam O’Neill, an all-MAC running back, leads the Bobcats attack. He has racked up 395 yards on just 36 carries so far. Darian Bradley (11 carries, 99 yards) and Curt Lanctot (24, 77) lug the pigskin, too.
“Sam O’Neill is a tremendous back, but they use a lot of kids back there. There’s always a new jersey number in there,” Phillips said. “Beaver has a very good offensive line. We have to step up and play very aggressive football and make no mistakes. If we have a breakdown here or there, they can get a big play and score. We have to play sound, solid football in every phase. We have to make sure we’re prepared in every area. I think the kids are looking forward to it. We plan to be ready.”
Like Ellwood City, Beaver has cruised to its three wins. The Bobcats have outscored their foes by an average 39.3-5 margin. However, the Wolverines have their own solid offensive attack with runners Kyle Crawford (25 carries, 292 yards), Garrett Thomas (30, 200), Alexander Grymes (19, 146) and Anthony Punzell (10, 143) toting the rock behind an experienced offensive line. Quarterback Gino Ceriani has been a factor, too, as he has completed 11 of 17 passes for 215 yards and three touchdowns.
“Ellwood is a very balanced team. They are impressive,” Beltz said. “If you look at the statistics, their backs are getting good yards per carry. We’ll definitely have our hands full. All of those guys can run. They mix in the pass, too. They truly have a diverse attack.
“This game is exciting for both communities. I am sure there will be a lot of folks there from both sides,” he continued. “We just have to take care of the football. We can’t turn it over and we can’t panic because we expect a close game.
“At the same time, we want to let the emotions play a part of this. It should be fun and you want your kids to compete.”
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