by Matt Beltz
MOUNT CARMEL – It’s not every day that you can turn the ball over four times, lose the turnover battle by three and still win the game by 14. But thanks to an outstanding defensive performance, Loyalsock managed to do just that as the sixth-seeded Lancers beat third-seeded Mount Carmel 20-6 in the first round of the District 4 AA playoffs. The game was a rematch of a Week 1 battle in which the Red Tornados eked out a three-point win on a last-second field goal.
“This was a team effort. Everyone on the team really came through and took care of their jobs,” said Loyalsock coach Justin Van Fleet. “We really hammered this week on assignments and responsibilities. We stressed this entire week that we were trying to get one more week. We’re going to keep on playing until someone drags us off the field. The development from the beginning of the season to now really showed.”
The Loyalsock offense more than lived up to its high-flying reputation, as quarterback Kyle Datres ran for 188 yards and two touchdowns while Marty Clark went for 138 and a score on the ground, but it was the stout Loyalsock defense that was the story of the game. The Lancers held Mount Carmel to just 89 yards of total offense and recorded three sacks, which more than made up for Loyalsock’s four turnovers in the game. The Red Tornados remained within striking distance for much of the game, mainly due to the Lancers’ turnovers, three of which came in the first half. Despite being outgained 229-70 in the first half, Mount Carmel trailed just 12-6 at the half.
“I’m widely excited for the defense today. They had been taken advantage of a couple of times and the kids just stepped forward and rose to the occasion against one of the better offensive lines you’ll find around here or anywhere in District 4,” said Van Fleet. “It rose up, played hard up front and really took it to another level tonight. The defensive improvement is certainly the difference between the first game (between the two teams) and this one. I don’t think there’s a doubt about that.”
Loyalsock turned the ball over on three of its six first half possessions and Mount Carmel had nearly a four-minute edge in time of possession in the first half. The Lancers scored on two of their other possessions and ran into the end of the half on its other. But its defense stopped the Red Tornados on all but one of their five possessions to make up for it.
“We’re disappointed. We really were excited about having home field in the playoffs and playing a team that we played during the season and knew very well and we liked our chances coming in,” said Mount Carmel coach Carm DeFrancesco. “I think the whole key to the game was that in the first quarter we didn’t take advantage of all the opportunities (with turnovers) we had and our offense never got on track. I think if you hold a team like Loyalsock to 20 points you should win the game. We just didn’t produce on offense.”
The Lancers moved the ball 34 yards down the field on its first possession but a fumble gave Mount Carmel the ball at its own 32. The Red Tornados then went three-and-out and punted, giving Loyalsock the ball at its own 40. Three plays later, Marty Clark went up the middle for a 53-yard touchdown run, breaking several tackles along the way, to give the Lancers a 6-0 lead after the missed extra point.
On its ensuing possession, Mount Carmel got a 67-yard kickoff return by Blake Panko, setting themselves up at the Loyalsock 21. But the Red Tornados then went four-and-out. Loyalsock took over and Datres went for a 49-yard run on its first play from scrimmage but then fumbled, giving Mount Carmel the ball back and its own 27. The Red Tornados managed their first first down of the game but no more and the Lancers got the ball back with good field position once again at their own 40. From there, they marched 60 yards down the field in 10 plays, capped by Datres’ 21-yard run to take a 12-0 lead, although the PAT once again failed.
After being forced to punt on their next possession, Mount Carmel gained another turnover on its next possession as Dominic Farronato picked off his counterpart Datres to give the Red Tornados outstanding field position at the Loyalsock 48. Mount Carmel proceeded down the field for its lone score the game, taking 10 plays and nearly four minutes, capped by Panko’s three-yard run just before halftime.
The third quarter featured only two possessions, one by each team. Mount Carmel received the second half kickoff and seemed headed toward another successful long drive that might tie the game at least. But on the 10th play of the drive, an option pitch from Farronato went behind Panko for an 11-yard loss on a first down play. The Red Tornados were not able to recover from that loss and were forced to punt but they pinned Loyalsock deep in its own territory at the Lancer 13 after chewing up more than half of the quarter.
Loyalsock’s answer to Mount Carmel’s empty long drive was an even longer drive of its own and one that ended with a score early in the fourth quarter. The drive spanned 14 plays and took up 7:15, ending early in the fourth quarter. The highlight of the drive was a conversion on a fourth-and-12 play on the 11th play of the drive when Datres found Larry Van Stavoren for a 14-yard gain. That came just one play after a nine-yard loss when an option pitch from Datres went behind the running back but was recovered. Three plays later, Datres found the end zone on his second 21-yard scoring run of the night and then, after two previous missed PATs, the Lancers went for two and converted.
“If we’re on the other side of the 40 we usually go for it,” said Van Fleet. “Any time our offense has the ball, they’re a scoring threat. We really try to put pressure on the opposing defense and by going for it on fourth down more frequently it has given us great opportunities.”
Despite being down two scores, Mount Carmel remained in the game and even got still had some life, especially after Panko picked off a poorly thrown pass by Datres and returned it 6- yards to set up the Red Tornados at the Loyalsock 24 with 2:45 remaining. But on Mount Carmel’s first play, Farronato was picked off by Nasza Short in the end zone and the Lancers ran out the clock from there.
With the win, despite being the sixth seed, Loyalsock will now host a home game next Friday in the District 4 AA semifinals. The Lancers will host seventh-seeded Towanda, a 17-6 upset winner over second-seeded Troy. This will mark the second straight year that the Lancers will host the Black Knights in the playoffs. Last year, Loyalsock topped Towanda 48-20 in a AA first round contest.
Loyalsock 20, Mount Carmel 6
Loyalsock (8-3) 6 6 0 8 – 20
Mount Carmel (7-4) 0 6 0 0 – 6
First quarter
7:06 – (L) Marty Clark 53-yard run (kick failed), 3-60, 1:28
Second quarter
10:28 – (L) Kyle Datres 21-yard run (pass failed), 10-60, 4:03
:36 – (M) Blake Panko 3-yard run (kick blocked), 10-48, 3:55
Fourth quarter
10:38 – (L) Kyle Datres 21-yard run (Marty Clark pass from Kyle Datres), 14-87, 7:15
Statistics
L M
First downs 18 10
Rushes-net yards 48-356 36-56
Passing yardage 41 33
Passing 5-8-0-2 5-12-0-1
Fumbles-lost 4-2 2-0
Penalties-yards 5-40 3-15
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — Loyalsock: Kyle Datres (17-188-2), Marty Clark (17-138-1), Nate Rainey (11-41), TEAM (3-(-11)); Mount Carmel: Blake Panko (17-63-1), Kyle Karycki (8-10), Dominic Farronato (9-0), TEAM (2-(-17))
PASSING — Loyalsock: Kyle Datres (5-8-41-0-2); Mount Carmel: Dominic Farronato (5-12-33-0-1)
RECEIVING — Larry Van Stavoren (1-14), Fletcher Quigley (1-10), Nate Krizan (1-9), Marty Clark (1-5), Nasza Short (1-3); Mount Carmel: Blake Panko (3-14), Christian Kelley (1-16), Juwan Sullins (1-3)
