ODEM, FARRELL TOO MUCH FOR CAMERON COUNTY

PIAA Class A Quarterfinals

Farrell 31, Cameron County 0

Nov. 28, 2008

Playoff Home

By Chris Rossetti

CLARION – Farrell’s Danny Odem threw three touchdowns passes and ran for a fourth score to lift District 10 champion Farrell to a 31-0 win over District 9 champion Cameron County in the PIAA Class A quarterfinals at Clarion University’s Memorial Stadium.

It marked just the second time in the last seven years that the District 10 champion beat the District 9 champion in the PIAA Class A playoffs.

Speed was the difference in the game, as Farrell used its superior quickness to deliver the shutout, the first time Cameron County has been shutout since Oct. 9, 2004, a span of 48 games.

Cameron County mustered 48 yards of total offense and four first downs. The Red Raiders had just two yards of offense and one first down – courtesy of a roughing the punter penalty on Farrell – before Cameron’s final drive of the game that started in the final minute of the contest.  

“They did an outstanding job taking away our Wing-T,” Cameron County head coach Tony Defilippi said. “They were quicker than we were up front. They are an outstanding defensive. I don’t think they have given up more than six points in the entire playoffs. They are a stout defense.”

Cameron’s defense tried to answer Farrell blow for blow throughout much of the first half, and as a result the Red Raiders trailed just 7-0 23 minutes into the contest with an 8-yard Odem to Norman Blue pass in the first quarter accounting for the game’s only points up to that point.

But the Steelers scored twice in under a minute – once late in the first half and once early in the second half – to take control of the game.

The first score came on a 2-yard quarterback draw by Odem with 35.4 seconds left in the first half giving Farrell a 13-0 halftime lead.

The Steelers then put the game out of reach when Dion Eilam returned the second-half kickoff 82 yards for a touchdown and a 19-0 lead.

“I thought that kickoff return to start the second half was big for them,” Defilippi said.

Odem then turned in two highlight reel touchdown passes to close out the scoring.

First, he threw a jump ball into the end zone while under heavy pressure from a play that started from the Red Raiders 18-yard line. The 6-foot-3 Blue was in the vicinity of the ball and went up among a trio of Cameron County defenders somehow coming down with the ball for a touchdown late in the third quarter.

Then, two minutes into the fourth quarter, Odem was once again under heavy pressure and actually looked to be sacked. But he balanced himself with one hand on the ground and somehow found an open Lamont Hailstock with a short toss that Hailstock turned into a 16-yard touchdown pass for the final points of the game.

“They made some plays on offense,” Defilippi said.

While Odem was able to make plays for Farrell, Cameron County’s lack of a running game meant the Red Raiders were forced to try to go to the air, something they hadn’t had to do all year attempting just 76 passes in the first 13 games with just 27 completions.

Sophomore Jason Blose tried his best but had virtually no time to throw the ball being sacked four times while going 2-for-4 for negative one yard.

“We throw in practice and things,” Defilippi said. “It’s not that we didn’t want to throw in games. We got leads and wanted to milk the clock. It’s not that he (Blose) can’t throw the ball. It’s that we didn’t ask him to do it. I thought he did a nice job as a sophomore coming in here and leading this team to the state playoffs. There will be a lot better days before he graduates.”

Despite the loss, Defilippi was happy with the way Cameron County’s season went. The Red Raiders finished 12-2 while winning the AML-North title for the second straight year and getting their first District 9 title since 1999.

 “I think we were picked to finish 4-5 at the beginning of the year,” Defilippi said. “What we accomplished was a testament to our guys. We worked hard. We were able to get some things going, and our system was in place. The kids believed in our program and believed in our system on offense, on defense and in the kicking game. They performed at high levels throughout the year. I’m proud of our kids. They had a heck of a season.”

NOTES – Andy Lippert, who had rushed for 651 yards and 10 touchdowns in Cameron County’s first three playoff games was held to minus seven yards rushing on nine carries … Farrell now takes on Clairton, a 26-0 winner over Windber, in the PIAA Class A semifinals next weekend at a site, date and time to be announced … Cameron County’s 12 wins tied the school record for wins. The Red Raiders went 12-1 in 1999 when they won their first District 9 Class A title. That year, Cameron beat Sharpsville 21-20 in the PIAA playoffs before losing in double overtime 35-34 to Bishop Carroll in the quarterfinals. Cameron is 23-4 over the last two seasons.

FARRELL 31, CAMERON COUNTY 0

Score by Quarters

Farrell 7 6 12 6 – 31  

Cameron Co. 0 0 0 0 – 0

Scoring Summary

First Quarter

F – Norman Blue 8 pass from Danny Odem (Ramon West kick), 2:39

Second Quarter

F – Odem 2 run (kick blocked), 0:35.4

Third Quarter

F – Dion Eilam 82 kickoff return (pass failed), 11:49

F – Blue 18 pass from Odem (kick failed), 3:15

Fourth Quarter

F – Lamont Hailstock 16 pass from Odem (pass failed), 10:00

Team Statistics

       F          C

First Downs            12        4

Rushes-Yards         28-56   38-49

Passing Yards         168      (-1)

Passing: Comp-Att-Int       10-17-0            2-4-1

Total Yards            224      48

Fumbles-Lost         1-0       2-0

Penalties-Yards      11-91   4-25

Punts-Avg. 6-34.2 10-31.1

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing – Farrell: Malcolm Hailstock 6-13, Lamont Hailstock 8-27, Terrell Jackson 7-35, Dayon Savage 1-5, Danny Odem 5-minus 17, Kevin Brodie 1-minus 7. Cameron County: Hunter Bardo 3-24, Andy Lippert 9-minus 7, Jason Blose 8-minus 24. Randy Schatz 10-44, Andrew Kesterholt 6-11, Tanner Johnson 2-1.

Passing – Farrell: Danny Odem 9-for-16, 154 yards, 3 touchdowns. Dion Eilam 1-for-1, 14 yards. Cameron County: Jason Blose 2-for-4, minus 1 yard, 1 interception.

Receiving – Farrell: Dayon Savage 1-18, Norman Blue 3-45, Dion Eilam 3-54, Danny Odem 1-14, Terrell Jackson 1-32, Lamont Hailstock 1-16. Cameron County: Mike Malizia 1-minus 3, Andy Lippert 1-2.

Interceptions – Farrell: Jamar Whitman.