MOUNT CARMEL – If Warrior Run can get its passing game going, then it has the potential to put up chunks of yards in a hurry.
Mount Carmel made sure the Defenders weren’t able to do so on Friday night, as the Red Tornados recorded three interceptions in the first half alone, and four for the game, combined with a very efficient offense that had little trouble moving the ball itself while racking up nearly 500 yards of offense resulted in a 41-6 win for the Red Tornados, which improved them to 2-1.
“I think we have a pretty good team matchup-wise in defending the pass,” said Mount Carmel coach John Darrah. “Our secondary has been playing pretty well and we’ve been tested. We have some good pass rushers, so I think that kind of plays into our hands a bit when teams try to throw the ball against us.”
Mount Carmel limited Warrior Run to just 58 yards of offense in the first half, including -2 on the ground, and only 179 for the game, and Warrior Run had just three first downs in the first half.
“I think we’re definitely getting better. We still have some work to do. I’d say we’re pleased with a lot of things but we’re definitely not satisfied,” said Darrah.
“We were hoping to be a bit more competitive but it’s a meat grinder with Mount Carmel. They have the big boys up front and the skill guys and just players all around,” said Warrior Run coach Derek Zechman. “We had opportunities the first two weeks where we just didn’t find a way to get it done. We were in both those games despite turnovers and penalties. We knew going in the first three games was going to be tough, especially this week at Mount Carmel. It’s tough to start 0-3 but the effort has been there. It’ll make us better in the end. It’s tough right now but we’re going to see what type of football team we have next week.”
Mount Carmel scored touchdowns on three of its first four drives, and two of those scores came following interceptions, when added to an interception return for a touchdown late in the game, the Red Tornados scored over half their points (21) off Warrior Run turnovers.
The first came after Tait Adams picked off a Newton pass on Warrior Run’s third play from scrimmage. Adams returned it to the Warrior Run 43, and six plays later, Luke Blessing punched it in from seven yards out for his first of three touchdowns on the night. A 33-yard reception by Chase Balichik on a third-and-4 play set up Blessing’s run.
Blessing had another solid game for Mount Carmel as he reached the century mark for the third straight game with 102 yards on 14 carries to go with his three touchdowns.
After Warrior Run went three-and-out on its next drive, Mount Carmel took over at its own 24. On the first play from scrimmage, Cole Spears hit Xaviar Diaz for a short pass on a receiver screen. Diaz shed a few tacklers and then used his breakaway speed to turn the short pass into a 76-yard touchdown reception. Like the sprinter that Diaz is in the spring on the track in the early heat of a track meet, Diaz appeared to pull up into a jog for the last 25 yards or so of his run, having outrun all of Warrior Run’s defenders by that point to still make it into the end zone.
“He’s got some speed. He’s definitely one of the fastest kids around and is just dangerous with the ball in his hands,” said Mount Carmel coach John Darrah.
Diaz helped set up the Red Tornados with outstanding field position once again with a 26-yard punt return that ended Warrior Run’s next drive. From there, Mount Carmel put together an eight-play drive featuring seven rushes that was capped by another Blessing touchdown plunge from two yards out to go up 21-0.
Another pick, this one by Jon Morgante with 4:30 left in the half, set up Mount Carmel at its own 32 later in the second quarter. The Red Tornados put up back-to-back plays of 34 yards – a reception by Diaz and a run by Blessing, to take a 28-0 lead into the locker room.
“They were getting pressure up front and we dropped a ball or two early and we just couldn’t get into a rhythm,” said Zechman. “I thought we could make some plays in our passing game but we just couldn’t get a running game going and we were forcing the pass. There were a few misreads. When we thought we might have some momentum, they made a big play. They’re a really good football team and it was a tough matchup for us. They have us outsized in every aspect. They have the guys up front and the skill guys to go with it. I’m glad to be done with Week 3.”
The Red Tornados put the game into the mercy rule on their first drive of the second half, going 59 yards in nine plays, with Spears finding Jacob Schultz in a tight window in the corner of the end zone for a 10-yard touchdown. Schultz was one of two Mount Carmel receivers to put up a 100-yard receiving game, as he hauled in six catches for 107 yards, while Diaz also hit the century mark with 132 yards on five receptions.
Warrior Run go on the board midway through the fourth quarter to avoid the shutout when Denyn Beachel punched it in from a yard out after the Defenders recovered a Warrior Run run fumble, which followed Mount Carmel stopping the Defenders on the goal line on a fourth down play. Beachel had 50 yards rushing in the second half.
Later in the quarter, Mount Carmel capped the scoring when, with mostly each team’s second unit on the field, Dylan Poe picked off a James Keifer pass and returned it 90 yards for a touchdown.
“We just need to get a win to get us going,” said Zechman. “Once we get that first win, I think it could lead to a lot more, but just getting the first one is the toughest thing and getting our confidence back. We had a tough week of practice with the heat and lightning and being inside and it carried over to this game and we were out of sync, but credit to Mount Carmel. They’re a good team and I’m sure they’ll make a run in the postseason.”
Mount Carmel 41, Warrior Run 6
Warrior Run (0-3) 0 0 0 6 – 6
Mount Carmel (2-1) 21 7 7 6 – 41
First quarter
8:24 – (MC) Luke Blessing 7-yard run (kick failed), 6-57, 1:49
6:20 – (MC) Xaviar Diaz 76-yard pass from Cole Spears (Bailey run), 1-76, :15
1:44 – (MC) Luke Blessing 2-yard run (Schoppy kick), 8-43, 2:21
Second quarter
4:07 – (MC) Luke Blessing 34-yard run (Schoppy kick), 2-68, :23
Third quarter
9:29 – (MC) Jacob Schultz 10-yard pass from Cole Spears (Schoppy kick), 9-59, 2:31
Fourth quarter
6:24 – (WR) Denyn Beachel 1-yard run (kick failed), 1-1, :04
1:36 – (MC) Dylan Poe 90-yard interception return (run failed)
Statistics
WR MC
First downs 10 21
Rushes-net yards 29-41 29-188
Passing yardage 138 301
Passing 10-22-0-4 17-30-2-1
Fumbles-lost 3-0 1-1
Penalties-yards 6-55 5-35
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: Warrior Run: Denyn Beachel (9-50-1), Colby LeBarron (7-2), Thomas Robles (4-0), Samuel Hall (3-6), Ryan Newton (2-(-6)), James Keiser (2-(-4)), Maxwell Fogelman (1-0), TEAM (1-(-7)); Mount Carmel: Luke Blessing (14-102-3), Xaviar Diaz (4-56), Al Bailey (4-19), Cole Spears (3-24), Gavin Marshalek (2-(-4)), Cooper Karycki (1-7), TEAM (1-(-16))
PASSING: Warrior Run: Ryan Newton (6-14-58-0-3), James Keifer (4-8-80-0-1) ; Mount Carmel: Cole Spears (13-19-239-2-1), Gavin Marshalek (4-11-62-0-0)
RECEIVING: Warrior Run: Carter Marr (3-45), Gavin Getz (2-32), Samuel Hall (2-13), Cohen Zechman (1-47), Ryan Sperl (1-1), Colby LeBarron (1-0); Mount Carmel: Jacob Schultz (6-107-1), Xaviar Diaz (5-132-1), Chase Balichik (3-45), Tait Adams (3-17)
