Nativity rolled into Alumni Filed hoping to upset the Golden Bears.
The Golden Bears made sure that didn’t happen.
The Green Wave’s stagnant offense and their inability to stop the run gave Mahanoy great opportunities all night as the Golden Bears dominated the Green Wave, winning 42-0 in the Eastern Conference Class A semifinals Friday night.
The Golden Bears advance to the Eastern Conference Championship game against Marian, which defeated Muncy 34-13 in Friday’s other semifinal.
Mahanoy Area (8-3) fans held their breath early in the second quarter as they watched star quarterback Dylan Mahmod leave the game. He would not return to action. In one quarter Mahmod carried the ball 11 times for 63 yards and a touchdown.
Sophomore backup Matt Yedsena stepped in to fill his shoes. Yedsena rushed the ball for 60 yards and threw for 45 yards.
Nativity’s offense rushed the ball 30 times for 29 yards as the Golden Bear defensive front was stingy all night. The Green Wave (4-7) also struggled to move the ball through the air only completing 7-of-21 passes for 57 yards.
The first score of the night came midway through the first quarter as Mahmod took it in from 11 yards out. Late in the first quarter, the Golden Bears added another score as wingback Mason Evitts ran 52 yards to find paydirt, making the score 14-0 after a quarter.
Midway though the second quarter, the Bears’ Jason Richmond ran it in from 35 yards out to give Mahanoy Area a 21-0 halftime edge.
Austin Forte started off the scoring in the third quarter as he took it in from 35 yards out, and Evitts added another score in the third to make it 35-0 after three quarters. Another rushing score for the Bears made the score 42-0.
For the Bears their season continues as they will face off against fellow Anthracite Football League opponent Marian. In Week 3, the Bears belted the Colts 40-6.
Nativity’s season comes to an end, and the future looks bright as freshman standout Dan Lozada was impressive all season, using his legs and arm to move the ball. Twelve seniors will hang up the Green and Gold this year.
