New Castle looks to win Shell game against Hopewell
Written: Oct 07, 2010
  By JOE SAGER
News Correspondent
Annually, it’s a game that plays a big factor in the Parkway Conference championship race.
This year, though, it’s a contest that could severely hurt a team’s WPIAL Class AAA playoff aspirations.
New Castle hopes to keep its postseason hopes alive at 7:30 p.m. Friday when it welcomes Hopewell to Taggart Stadium.
Last season, the Red Hurricane and Vikings were among the conference’s top teams. Hopewell claimed the Parkway Conference title and advanced to the WPIAL title game, while New Castle finished third in the standings and made it to the WPIAL quarterfinals.
This year, though, the ’Canes (1-2 conference, 3-2 overall) and Vikings (0-3, 1-4) are near the bottom of the Parkway pile.
For New Castle, it’s a matter of getting its offense in gear. The ’Canes won their first two nonconference games by a combined 70-7 count. However, they have dropped their last two conference games and been outscored 47-12 in the process, including last week’s 24-6 defeat at Montour. New Castle had several chances to score early in that game, but came away with one touchdown.
“Offensively, we have to find a spark. We need to make it count when we get in the red zone and start putting points on the board,” New Castle coach Frank Bongivengo Jr. said. “Three of our first four possessions were inside the 30-yard line and we didn’t score. If we start scoring TDs, then the other team maybe starts calling things differently offensively.
“We just have to get better at it. Right now, we’re not clicking and not blocking well. When we do get blocking, we’re not hitting the right hole. When those things are happening, the only thing to do is go to work every day and try to correct the small things,” he continued. “When we’re not scoring, that puts the defense in a bad situation and we’ve gotten behind. Then, offensively, you start to try to make the big play and that’s when it never happens.”
The hosts hope to be at full strength, too.
“We’re starting to get healthy right now. I don’t think we’ll have anyone out,” Bongivengo said. “I think going into Hopewell game, God willing, that we’ll be close to 100 percent all over the place.”
Hopewell coach Dave Vestal knows it’s just a matter of time before the ’Canes find the end zone on a consistent basis.
“We have our hands full,” he said. “It seems like they have been putting some things together, but when they really get going, they are tough to stop. We have to control the ball and control the tempo of the game by executing and getting first downs.
“New Castle is a very impressive team. Their quarterback is outstanding. They are physical. With all the supporting cast and all the weapons, there is a lot out there you have to stop. I think that’s what makes them so dangerous because there are so many ways the can get to you. Their passing game, in one play, can score on you. Their coaching staff does a great job. With the nature of their offense, they have you in binds. It’s going to be a great game. We have to play mistake-free football to have a chance.”
Errors have hurt the Vikings, who returned only one starter on both sides of the ball — dynamic junior running back Rushel Shell. Hopewell lost its first two Parkway games (Montour and Moon) and a nonconference battle against Class AAAA power Mount Lebanon by a mere touchdown before it dropped a 31-14 decision to Blackhawk last week.
“We were up on Montour 20-0 and it went to the last minute. It was the same situation with Moon. Against Mt. Lebo, we were right there in the fourth, too,” Vestal said. “It’s just a matter of trying to get over the hump and get that win and trying to continue to grow. That’s true especially on defense. We’re just trying to make sure we can stop people and get the ball back.”
When the Vikings have the ball, they are as dangerous as any team in the WPIAL. Shell, whose great-uncle is former Hopewell, Pitt and NFL great Tony Dorsett, continues his dominant career. He rushed for 132 more yards last week to move into seventh place on the WPIAL all-time rushing list with 5,269 yards.
“He is an excellent running back. He can make people miss. He can run with power. When he gets in the clear, he has great speed,” Bongivengo said. “He’s been producing for the last three years.”
Shell is a dangerous kick returner, too. He ran back the opening kickoff against New Castle last year in a 35-27 Vikings win.
“He can go the distance at any time, whether at running back or on special teams,” Bongivengo said. “He’s caught a couple TD passes this year, too. They try to move him around and get him the ball in different positions.”
The ’Canes hope to limit Shell’s damage.
“What you want to do is limit the big plays. If they score a touchdown, you want to make them drive down the field,” Bongivengo said. “We have to stay mistake free. We don’t want to give up a 50- or 60- or 70-yard run. We need to slow Shell down and try to make them go the length of the field to try to put points on the board.
“Overall, our defense didn’t play a bad game last game. They were just on the field so long. Our defense hasn’t played bad football, really. If you take a look at when most of the damage was done last week, it was done later in the game. We’ll make a couple tweaks to the defense and hopefully they can slow Hopewell down.”
Shell and Hopewell are just another challenge in the formidable Parkway Conference.
“It’s every year and it’s every week,” Bongivengo said. “You take a look and there’s always someone on that field that’s very good. The guys in this conference are quality running backs and quality football players.”
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