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CLARION-LIMESTONE-BISHOP
CARROLL TO MEET IN PIAA CLASS A QUARTERFINALS FOR SECOND STRAIGHT YEAR |
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| PIAA Class A Second Round Game at Clarion University's Memorial Stadium | |
| Bishop Carroll (12-0) vs. Clarion-Limestone (12-0) | |
| Friday, Nov. 21, 2003 - 7 p.m. | |
| BISHOP CARROLL STATS |
CLARION-LIMESTONE STATS |
| By Chris Rossetti CLARION – The 2003 playoffs has looked eerily similar to the 2002 playoffs for the Clarion-Limestone Lions, as C-L has so far played two of the three opponents – Ridgway and West Middlesex – it faced a year ago with equally satisfying results. Make that three of four opponents Friday night when the Lions once again meet Bishop Carroll in the PIAA Class A quarterfinals (Western Semifinals) at 7 p.m. at Clarion University’s Memorial Stadium. But while the opponent is the same, C-L is hoping the trend of last year stops. Last season Bishop Carroll beat C-L 19-14 on a touchdown with 1:10 left in the game. “We wanted to get back to this point,” C-L head coach Todd Smith said. “I think (if there had been) anything short of playing in this game, we won’t have been satisfied. The guys are really excited. “They (Bishop Carroll) are a good football team. But at this point in the season you are going to play good football teams. It is going to be a tough game. Hopefully we will be right there like last year and have an opportunity to win the game.” Both teams have a lot of key players back from last year’s game, although Bishop Carroll doesn’t return its top player from that game Nate Crookshank, who ran for 196 yards and a touchdown and threw for 62 more yards. “They have a lot of the same guys, and we have a lot of the same guys,” Smith said. “I don’t think last year has much to do with this year except now we have been there and know what to expect. I think they are a better football team this year than last year. There (new) quarterback is a still a good athlete, and they have three really good backs.” The Lions, who reached the quarterfinals with a 33-14 win over West Middlesex last week at Memorial Stadium, are a bit banged up going into the game. Starting cornerback Tuffy Brooks, the leading interceptor for the Lions, was lost for the season two weeks ago in the District 9 title game against Port Allegany. Then last week, the Lions played without Brooks’ replacement Scott Davis in the second half following an upper-body injury. Davis will probably be back this week. The Lions also lost Brad Beggs and Erik White for a portion of the West Middlesex game after the two collided trying to block and extra point. Both players did return however. “We got banged up, but we are trying to do our best to take it easy this week in practice and get healthy for the game,” Smith said. “Once you get into the game, the injuries aren’t something you thin about. The adrenaline starts flowing. Hopefully it doesn’t have a lot to do with the football game.”” The Lions aren’t the only team banged up. Bishop Carroll’s leading rusher Todd Koenig sat out the second half Huskies 49-14 win over Northern Cambria in the District 5-6 championship game last Saturday. Koenig’s injury, however, doesn’t appear to be serious, and a big reason he might have sat out the second half was because the Huskies were up 42-6 at the time. In just one half of football, Koenig ran for 159 yards and three touchdowns, while catching one pass for a 34-yard touchdown. On the season, Koenig has run 130 times for 1,414 yards (10.9 per carry) and 23 touchdowns. He did not play in last year’s game because of an injury. “He is a really good back,” Smith said. “But they have a stable of good backs.” Paul Forcellini is another one of the Huskies top rushers having run 109 times for 912 yards (8.4 per carry) and 13 touchdowns. Quarterback Eric Lasinsky is adding 81 carries for 383 yards (4.7 per carry) and 11 touchdowns, while Dan Strong has 54 totes for 324 yards (6.0 per carry) and three touchdowns. Kevin Westrick has tacked on 29 carries for 242 yards (8.3 per carry). As a team, Bishop Carroll has rushed for 3,652 yards and 55 touchdowns while averaging an amazing 7.3 yards per carry. “They like to run the football,” Smith said. “Their favorite play is the option. But they can do some other things. They also like to power the ball and trap with their fullback. They can also throw the ball, but it is not the main thing they like to accomplish. The biggest thing is they have good athletes at every position and good team speed.” Lasinsky has thrown for 604 yards on 27-for-68 passing with five touchdowns and just one interception. His top receivers are Joel Lauer (14 catches, 341 yards, 3 touchdown), Koenig (8 grabs, 224 yards, 2 touchdowns) and Forcellini (5 catches, 146 yards, 1 touchdown). What really makes the Huskies’ offense go, though, is their offensive line which averages just over 225 pounds. “They have the size advantage, but every team does,” Smith said. “The one thing about Bishop Carroll is they have guys (on the line) who can run well. I have been pretty impressed with the push they get at the line of scrimmage. They are still playing because they had good athletes.” C-L can counter with some good athletes of its own including quarterback Hayden Johnston, running back Brendan Huwar and Beggs, a wide receiver. Johnston is the third leading passer in District 9 having gone 91-for-152 (59.9 percent) for 1,451 yards, 23 touchdowns and six interceptions. He is also the 18th leading rusher in the district with 112 carries for 610 yards and seven touchdowns. Huwar is the third leading rusher in District 9 having carried the ball 256 times for 1,355 yards and 22 touchdowns. He also has eight catches for 75 yards and a touchdown. Beggs is the third leading receiver by yards in District 9 with 46 catches for 703 yards and 18 touchdowns. He has also run the ball 26 times for 184 yards and a score. Other key Lions to watch include Davis (9 catches, 167 yards; 25 carries, 96 yards, 1 touchdown) and Tyrone Pinson (6 catches, 147 yards, 2 touchdown), two wide receivers with speed. |
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