CHERRY TOWNSHIP, Pa. (EYT/D9) — David Dessicino was in the end zone.
It didn’t matter.
Time had run out at the end of the first half. Whistles had blown.
And players on the St. Marys’ football team erupted with excitement as they headed toward the locker room.
What looked like a huge momentum shift for Moniteau when Dessicino plunged in from the 1 turned into a big swing for the Dutch. Instead of going into the half up by only one score, St. Marys maintained a 20-6 advantage on the way to a 42-6 win over the Warriors Friday night.
“Huge momentum for our guys,” said St. Marys coach Chris Dworek. “Our guys are cheering and going crazy and deservedly so. We had that huge momentum going into halftime. That’s big especially for high school kids. Momentum is very powerful.”
Moniteau started that drive at its own 24 late in the second quarter and methodically drove the field by mixing short passes with the ground game. Quarterback David Dessicino hit Hunter Stalker for a 28-yard pass to the Dutch 6 as Stalker fought to get out of bounds. Dessicino then ran to the 1 with less than 10 seconds on the clock.
Matt Martino was stopped for no gain on the next play and the Warriors scrambled up to the line. The ball was spotted and snapped, but there were zeros on the clock and whistles blowing when Dessicino bulled his way into the end zone on a sneak.
“We called two plays and the ball didn’t get set for us,” Rottman said. “That hurt a little bit, but honestly, we should have gotten in the play before.”
Moniteau (1-6) stood toe-to-toe with St. Marys (6-1) for much of the first half thanks to a ground game that chewed up clock and yardage.
But drive after drive stalled for the Warriors inside Dutch territory. Three times in the first half alone Moniteau was turned away after promising marches deep into St. Marys’ side of the field.
“We were able to move the ball,” Rottman lamented. “We just couldn’t finish the drives.”
St. Marys could — thanks to Christian and Charlie Coudriet.
Christian, the senior quarterback, had another scintillating game, throwing for 342 yards and five touchdowns. Charlie, the junior wide receiver and Christian’s brother, caught three of those TDs and accounted for 129 yards on six receptions.
“We are always throwing the ball in the back yard,” Christian said of he and his brother. “Just having the connection that we do is awesome. Can’t beat it.”
Christian Coudriet’s first touchdown pass of the night went 28 yards to Collin Reitz.
The next three went to his younger brother from 14, 17 and 63.
The second scoring strike to Charlie Coudriet capped a 95-yard drive. After a bad snap put St. Marys back to its own 1 on the first play of the possession, Christian Coudriet went 5 for 6 for 99 yards to lead the Dutch to the touchdown.
His final TD pass to his brother came just 50 seconds into the second half.
“I know the ball is going to be right there for me to catch the touchdown,” Charlie Coudriet said. “I think it’s just great that I can have somebody like him who I know can consistently give me the ball and I can make plays like I usually do.”
Christian Coudriet’s fifth touchdown pass of the game went to Carter Chadsey from 15 yards out to make it 35-6 less than five minutes into the third quarter.
“Kudos to the O-line,” the quarterback said. “I had forever back there. Not a single sack tonight.”
Christian Coudriet finished 20 of 28 for 342 yards and the five TDs. He now has 2,350 yards passing and 20 touchdowns this season.
He hit five different receivers. Logan Mosier also caught six passes for 97 yards.
“He is so mentally tough,” Dworek said of his quarterback. “That’s where it all starts with him. He’s hard on himself in practice. He’s tough on his teammates. He’s playing very, very well and very efficiently.”
Dalton Steele capped the scoring with a 22-yard touchdown run late in the game.
(Photo by Kathy Sutton)
Dessicino had a solid game throwing the ball as well for Moniteau.
The sophomore completed 15 of 24 for 149 yards and a 37-yard touchdown to Cooper Boozel late in the first quarter that made it 7-6 at the time.
Boozel had nine receptions for 97 yards.
“We’re doing some different things that suit his skill set,” Rottman said. “He’s going to get better and better. He’s going to continue to grow as the season goes. I know there’s not much left of it, but you’re going to see him get better and better each week.”
Stalker rushed for 58 yards on 13 carries and Dessicino added 31 yards on 12 attempts for Moniteau, which had nearly 300 yards of offense against St. Marys.
But not many points to show for it.
“That’s why you’re always optimistic for the next game because you can go back and watch film and count the plays that hurt you,” Rottman said. “You know, four or five big plays that are turning into touchdowns and are the difference in the ballgame. Most of the plays you are battling tough. I’m still optimistic we’ll get it.”
