KANE MOVES A STEP CLOSER TO HERSHEY WITH WIN OVER MERCYHURST PREP

KANE 12, MERCYHURST PREP 7

Dec. 1, 2007 at Erie's Veteran's Stadium (PIAA Class A Quarterfinals)

By Justin Skiba

For D9Sports.com

ERIE – Matt Mix ran for 120 yards and a touchdown to lead Kane to the PIAA Class A state semifinals (Western Finals) with a 12-7 victory over District 10 champion Mercyhurst Prep Saturday afternoon at Erie’s Veteran’s Memorial Stadium.

Kane (14-0) will take on WPIAL champion Serra Catholic (14-0), the No. 1 team in the state, at 7 p.m. Friday at Clarion University’s Memorial Stadium.

“I’m so proud of our kids,” Kane coach Jason Barner said. “This has been a great bunch of kids, and it is a major accomplishment to be playing for a chance on advancing to Hersey (the site of the PIAA title game).”

Mercyhurst (13-1) led 7-0 at halftime thanks to a 14-play, 95-yard drive that was capped off by a Bull D’andre 6-yard touchdown run six seconds into the second quarter.  

Kane, which marched the Lakers’ 5-yard line prior to the touchdown drive had a chance to tie the game later in the quarter moving to the Mercyhurst 1-yard line before a fumble was recovered by the Lakers in the end zone for a touchback.  

The Wolves finally broke through in the second half scoring on an 84-yard touchdown run by Mix after Mike Punk intercepted a Marshall Huntsman pass giving the Wolves the ball at their own 16. The extra point failed leaving Kane down a point, 7-6.

“Matt’s run gave is the momentum back,” Barner said. “He’s been such a big part of our running game this year.”

Kane then took the lead with 1:20 left in the third quarter when Zach Anderson found John Bizzak from eight yards out giving the Wolves a 12-7 lead.  

Mercyhurst had one more chance to go back out in from driving to the Kane 20-yard line before D.J. Horton intercepted a pass in the end zone, one of two picks on the day for Horton and three by the Wolves, who had 33 interceptions on the year.

“What can you say about D.J.?” Barner said. “He had two interceptions for us, and the one he caught in the end zone was a game saver. Our defense has performed at a high level.”

Kane’s defense limited Mercyhurst to 172 yards including just 77 after the first drive.

“You have to give a lot of credit to Kane,” Mercyhurst Prep coach Matt Morgan said. “We had too many mistakes in the second half. You’re not going to advance at this level with those types of mistakes.”

NOTES – Kane’s win marks the third time in the last four seasons District 9 has advanced a team to the Western Finals and it is also the fifth time in six seasons District 9 has beaten District 10 in the opening round of the PIAA Class A playoffs … Kane is trying to become the first District 9 team since Smethport in 1992 to advance to the PIAA title game. Only two D9 teams have ever reached the PIAA Championship game, as Keystone made the title contest in 1989, although the Panthers needed to beat just one team that year to do so.

KANE 12, MERCYHURST PREP 7

Score by Quarters

Kane                          0      0    12    0  - 12 

Mercyhurst Prep        0      7      0    0  -    7

Scoring Summary 

Second Quarter

MP - Bill D'andre 6 yard touchdown run (kick good) 11:54 

Third Quarter

K - Matt Mix 84 yard touchdown run (kick failed) 7:45

K - John Bizzak 8 yard pass from Zach Anderson (conversion failed)  1:20

                                          K                       MP

First Downs                      14                       9

Rushes - Yards             36 - 196               32 - 121

Passing Yards                  93                       51

Passes: Comp-Att-Int     9-16-0                   5-11-3

Total Yardage                   289                     172

Fumbles - Lost                  1-1                        0-0

Penalties - Yards              4-30                      4-30

TOP                                  27:28                    21:32

Individual Statistics

Rushing - Kane: Mike Punk 8-37, Dustin Moran 13-42, Matt Mix 9-120, Zack Anderson 5-(-6), Ross Nicholson 1-3 Mercyhurst: Joe Jelinek 6-18, Bill D'andre 11-54, Alex Macrino 9-38, Robert Carson 4-14, Marshall Huntsman 2-(-7)

Passing - Kane: Zach Anderson 9 for 16, 93 yards, 1 TD. Mercyhurst: Marshall Huntsman 6 for 10, 51 yards, 3 INT, Nick Arrigo 0 for 1, 0 yards

Receiving -  Kane: Deryk Smith 4-37, Dustin Moran 3-19, Matt Mix 1-29,  John Bizzak 1-8 TD  Mercyhurst:  Joe Jelinek 1-25,Alex Macrino 1-5, Nick Arrigo 2-12, Bill D'andre 1-2, Zack Miller 1-7 

Interceptions - Kane 3 (Mike Punk, DJ Horton 2)