SMETHPORT STAYS UNBEATEN WITH WIN OVER SHEFFIELD

WEEK SIX

SHEFFIELD – Over the years the Smethport Hubbers have had their share of problems when playing a Saturday afternoon game. Maybe it's the disruption of their usual weekly routine. Maybe its the extra day of practice beforehand, but whatever the reason they don't often play their best football in the light of day.

In the entire Allegany Mountain League, comprised of 14 teams, there are only two who still play on Saturday: Port Allegany and Sheffield.

So it was with some concern that the Hubbers made the hour long trip to Warren County Saturday morning to take on the 4-1 Sheffield Wolverines, who were itching to prove they belonged at the top of the North Division.

But in the end, it was the Hubbers winning big 49-20 to stay unbeaten on the season.

In typical fashion the Hubbers kicked off to start the game and promptly shut down the speedy running game of their hosts.

Senior fullback Eric Raydo then took the ball on Smethport's first play from scrimmage and ripped off an 11-yard run. Jeff Shostak, the Hubber quarterback, dropped the ball on the next play but alertly picked it up on the first bounce and threaded his way through the over-pursuing defense of the Wolverines. Forty-two yards later he was in the end zone for a 6-0 lead with 9:34 left in the first quarter.

The pattern was to repeat itself throughout the first half. The Wolverines would be stymied, forced to punt and the Hubbers would take over and drive into the end zone. By halftime the score was 35-0 in favor of the visitors and the mercy rule went into effect for the entire second half.

Other Hubber scores came on a 65-yard screen pass from Shostak to Raydo to make it 12-0. Shostak then hit senior end, Steve Bartas for a pretty 46-yard scoring strike and moments later the two-point conversion to make it 20-0. The fourth touchdown came courtesy of a Chuck Duffy 6-yard run with Dan Mitchell scoring the two points via a Shostak pass, at which point the score stood at 28-0. Senior defensive back, Ray Greene then hauled in his second interception of the half to set up the Hubber's final points of the second quarter. Again it was Shostak to Bartas for a 24-yard touchdown pass. Nick Vandermark kicked the extra point and the teams left the field for intermission.

The Hubbers pulled Shostak to start the third quarter in favor of back-up QB, Ray Greene. Greene guided the Hubbers into the end zone using a nifty fake off the option and traveled the last three yards himself. Vandermark's kick again was true. With two minutes to go in the third quarter the Hubbers led 42-0 and had their second string in the game.

Sheffield's starters stayed in and reeled off three quick scores, the first two by Earl Holt. Both extra points were no good. An errant Ray Greene screen pass was picked off by Jared Snell who returned it 35 yards for the touchdown. Sophomore quarterback Nick Obenrader ran in the two point conversion and with 4:45 left in the game the Wolverines had cut the gap to 42-20.

A visibly agitated Smethport head coach Carl Defilippi, upset that the Wolverines had refused to substitute given the hole they were in, re-inserted his starters to cool down the red-hot Wolverines. The final Hubber drive started at the Wolverine 46 yard line. Shostak promptly hit junior Cody Roberts with a 41-yard pass and Duffy ran it in from the 2-yard line to close out the scoring.

The Hubbers are now 6-0, the lone undefeated team in either division of the AML. They host the Johnsonburg Rams at 7:30 p.m. Friday, October 12, for their final home game of the season. Parent's of senior players, cheerleaders and band-members will be honored prior to the game.

SCORING SUMMARY

First half

SM – Jeff Shostak 42 run (Conversion failed) 6-0

SM – Eric Raydo 65 pass from Shostak (Conversion failed) 12-0

SM – Steve Bartas 46 pass from Shostak (Two-point conversion good) 20-0

SM – Chuck Duffy 6 run (Dan Mitchell pass from Shostak) 28-0

SM – Bartas 24 pass from Shostak (Nick Vandermark kick) 35-0

Second half

SM – Ray Greene 3 run (Vandermark kick) 42-0

SH – Earl Holt run (Conversion failed) 42-6

SH – Holt run (Conversion failed) 42-12

SH – Jared Snell 35 interception return (Nik Obenrader run) 42-20

SM – Duffy 2 run (Vandermark kick) 49-20

SMETHPORT STATS

Passing: Jeff Shostak 5-for-9 191 yards, 3 TDs; Ray Greene 2-for-5 25 yards, 1 INT.

Rushing: Jeff Shostak 5-69 1 TD, Eric Raydo 8-67, Dan Mitchell 5-20, Chuck Duffy 6-9 2 TD; Ray Greene 2-1 1 TD.

Receiving: Steve Bartas 3-84, 2 TD, Eric Raydo 1-65, 1 TD, Cody Roberts 2-47, Dan Mitchell 2-20.

Defense: Dave Thomas 13 tackles; Chuck Duffy 12 tackles, Eric Raydo 12 tackles, Ray Greene 7 tackles, 2 interceptions, Matt Leet 10 tackle.