Runner-up Mount Carmel Shines at Berwick 7-on-7

BERWICK, Pa. – Mount Carmel can think of 107 reasons to smile when it rides the team bus back down Route 61.

That’s the exact number of points the Red Tornadoes scored in all in the second annual Berwick 7-on-7 and Big Man Challenge held at Crispin Field.

On the day, Mount Carmel finished with an overall record of 5-1 in the 7-on-7 scrimmages, with the only loss coming to Berwick 21-14 in the championship game.

But the honors didn’t stop there for the red and white. The team finished second in the Big Man Challenge to Delaware Valley, and one of the MCA linemen completed 30 reps on the bench press station, easily the standard in that category.

Mount Carmel, a senior-laden District 4 “AA” playoff qualifier last season, looked impressive through its games.

In all, it was a good day to be a Mount Carmel football fan. Or, a good day to be the head coach, as Mike Brennan is.

“The kids gave a great effort today,” Brennan said. “Everybody is coming together because they’re all working so hard.”

The hard work obviously paid off – twice the Red Tornadoes downed Manheim Central, including a 21-14 victory in the semi-finals of the single-elimination portion of the 7-on-7. At one point in that semi-final, MCA held a commanding 21-7 lead.

The Red Tornadoes got off to a slow start, but defeated Berwick 7-6 in their first game, then outlasted Manheim Central 22-21 in the second.

“Offensively, we felt things out that first game,” Brennan said. “Then we kind of settled in and got comfortable.”

MCA beat Del Val by a point, 22-21, and then thumped CB West 21-6 to complete a preliminary round of 4-0 and earned the #1 overall seed.

During the first Central scrimmage, senior quarterback and four-year starter Marcus Wasilewski, a career 3,900-yard passer, looked especially sharp, carving up the Baron defense for a couple long touchdown passes over the middle.

Matt Moroz, the top returning receiver for MCA, had a slight hamstring problem entering the scrimmage, but didn’t show many ill effects, running crisp routs and catching passes relatively unbothered or unhampered.

“He looked good out there,” said Mount Carmel head coach Mike Brennan of Moroz.

It wasn’t only Moroz looking good, but all the Red Tornado receivers. And Wasilewski was threading the needle like a champion with his passes, but, then again, he wasn’t facing any pressure.

“He’s one of the premier quarterbacks in Pennsylvania even though he hasn’t gotten that recognition yet,” Brennan said of #7.

Overall, this MCA squad, unlike other years, seems to have a certain drive about them. The motivation and the desire the Tornadoes displayed was only bested because

Berwick touched down the MCA receiver at the one yard line as time expired in the championship game.

“We came together a lot as a team today,” Brennan said. “I’m happy to see that progress.”