ELK COUNTY CATHOLIC 21, JOHNSONBURG 20

Oct. 20, 2007

Some of the information for this story was found in the Oct. 21 edition of the Tri-County Sunday

ST. MARYS – Tom Jovenitti’s 1-yard scoring run and Josh Catalano’s extra point with 5:19 left to play lifted Elk County Catholic to an improbable come-from-behind 21-20 win over visiting Johnsonburg Saturday night at Dutch Country Stadium in St. Marys.

ECC (4-4 overall, 4-4 AML South) trailed 20-7 late in the third quarter and 20-14 early in the fourth quarter with Johnsonburg (1-7, 1-7) driving with a potential game-sealing touchdown.

But Eric Mastrogiacomo intercepted a Zach Padasak pass at the ECC 19-yard line with less than 10 minutes to play stopping the Rams’ drive. Things, however, still looked bleak for ECC after the Crusaders were called for a holding penalty on their first play after the interception leaving them with a first-and-23 from their own 6-yard line.  

Johnsonburg’s defense almost came up with the play of the game on the first-down play corralling ECC quarterback Kyle Garner in the end zone. But Garner was able to get rid of the ball just before taking a sack that would have been a safety. The junior quarterback then hit Mastrogiacomo with a 7-yard pass on second down brining up third-and-16 from the 13-yard line.

ECC probably saved its season on the third-down play when Garner found Jovenitti for 21 yards and a first down out at the ECC 34-yard line.

After that, the Crusaders line took over helping ECC cover the rest of the distance on the ground including a key 28-yard scamper by Catalano that set up the go-ahead score.

Jovenitti and Garner played a big role in ECC getting back in the game late in the third quarter as well with the senior running back catching a 64-yard touchdown pass from the junior quarterback as time expired at the end of the quarter cutting Johnsonburg’s lead to 20-14.

The Rams were then unable to salt the game away on the ground – Johnsonburg rushed just 72 yards on 28 carries on the night – and were forced to go to the air leading to the interception by Mastrogiacomo.

Johnsonburg, which has lost four games this season by two points or less, led 14-7 at halftime thanks to a 1-yard Padasak run on the last play of the first half that erased a 7-6 deficit.

The Rams led 6-0 early in the second quarter after Padasak hit Ren Yonker with a 21-yard scoring strike, but ECC took a 7-6 lead midway through the quarter on a 1-yard Garner run.

Johnsonburg added to its lead late in the third quarter on a 35-yard run by Zane Zelehoski, but the extra point failed, a play that played a crucial role in the end.

Mastrogiacomo led ECC with 30 carries for 170 yards and one catch for seven, while Garner was 5-for-12 passing for 110 yards, a touchdown and an interception. He also ran three times for two yards and the score. Jovenitti caught three passes for 93 yards and the touchdown and ran seven times for 29 yards and the score.

Padasak was 10-for-20 passing for 183 yards, a touchdown and an interception for Johnsonburg while adding the rushing TD. ECC, though, slowed down the Rams’ quarterback in the second half limiting him to 3 of 10 passing for 33 yards in the half. Yonker caught five passes for 91 yards and the touchdown, while Zelehoski ran 13 times for 75 yards and the score.

The win puts ECC in control of its own destiny in the District 9 Class A playoff race. If the Crusaders win out – they finish the season with Smethport and St. Marys – they will qualify for the D9 playoffs for the second time in three years. ECC, which is tied with Ridgway and Keystone for spots six through eight in the playoff race, leads both Clarion and Curwensville by one game. Clarion has two games left while Curwensville has one.

ELK COUNTY CATHOLIC 21, JOHNSONBURG 20

Score by Quarters

Johnsonburg 0 14 6 0 – 20

Elk Co. Cath. 0 7 7 7 – 21

Scoring Summary

Second Quarter

J – Ren Yonker 21 pass from Zach Padasak (kick blocked), 9:51

E – Kyle Garner 1 run (Josh Catalano kick), 6:29

J – Padasak 1 run (Yonker pass from Trey DeCecchis), 0:00

Third Quarter

J – Zane Zelehoski 35 run (kick failed), 4:41

E – Tom Jovenitti 64 pass from Garner (Catalano kick), 0:00

Fourth Quarter

E – Jovenitti 1 run (Catalano kick) 5:19

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing – Johnsonburg: Zane Zelehoski 13-75, Mark Myers 9-29, Zach Padasak 3-(negative 19), Ren Yonker 2-(negative 5), Team 1-(negative 8). ECC: Eric Mastrogiacomo 30-170, Tom Jovenitti 7-29, Kyle Garner 3-2, Josh Catalano 6-32, Team 2-(negative 6).

Passing – Johnsonburg: Zach Padasak 10-for-20, 183 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception. Ren Yonker 0-for-1. ECC: Kyle Garner 5-for-12, 110 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception.

Receiving – Johnsonburg: Ren Yonker 5-91, Craig Carrow 3-39, Andy Benson 1-51, Mark Myers 1-2. ECC: Tom Jovenitti 3-93, Nick Brennen 1-10, Eric Mastrogiacomo 1-7.

Interceptions – Johnsonburg: Craig Carrow. ECC: Eric Mastrogiacomo