By Andrew Koob

New Castle News

The Shenango High football team is known for its power running, relying mostly on its ground game to will it to victory.

Thanks to tight end Brandon Ryder, opposing defenses may have to think twice about focusing mainly on stopping the run.

That’s the price Riverside paid last week in a 42-14 blowout to the Wildcats. Ryder didn’t have many opportunities to get onto the stat sheet, but made the most of it with 100 yards and touchdowns of 12 and 24 yards on four receptions, all in the first half.

“Adding this to the offense only makes our running game that much better,” Ryder said. “Now teams will have to worry about us throwing the ball, so I feel our running game will get better because of it.”

The performance earned Ryder Lawrence County Athlete of the Week honors, an award sponsored by Washington Centre Physical Therapy and selected by the New Castle News sports staff.

Ryder leads all Shenango receivers and is 10th in Lawrence County with 276 yards and four touchdowns on 17 receptions.

Shenango wide receivers and tight ends don’t usually get the opportunity to put up big numbers, with the Wildcats throwing the ball over 12 times just once (17 attempts in a 28-20 loss to Avonworth).

That just means Ryder, who says he blocks “75 to 80 percent of plays,” has to do what he can with the chances he’s given.

“It’s something I’ve been doing all year,” Ryder said. “When the ball is thrown to you and your number is called, you have to make the most of your opportunities and that’s just what I try to do.”

Added Shenango coach Mike Commesso, “I think it gets him excited to block. He knows the play-action passes come off of our runs, so the better we’re running the ball, the more wide open he’ll be when he does get a chance to catch it.”

The offensive versatility hasn’t gone unnoticed by Commesso. Ryder’s productivity, along with quarterback Evan Kendall’s accuracy the past two games (13 for 17, four touchdowns and no interceptions), has the coach thankful for an offense that isn’t as straight-forward as it has been in years past.

“We may average 10 passes a game so, when we throw, it’s been nice to be as efficient as we have been,” Commesso said. “Evan’s been great at getting the ball to Brandon and he’s been throwing the ball well. He’s raised his quarterback rating and he’s been efficient. It’s been another weapon for us.

“It just keeps the defense more honest. It gives us a chance to make big plays when we do throw it. Brandon and Ricky Lanigan have been stretching the field for us and Evan’s been tremendous with the play action and taking advantage of the opportunities to throw the ball. It makes us a better team, makes us less one-dimensional and forces the defense to play us a little more honest.”

(Email: AKoob@ncnewsonline.com)