Wolverines shut out Wildcats for first victory
The team. The team. The team. That was the theme from Glenn “Pop” Johnston Stadium for the visiting Wolverines who blanked Shenango 21-0 to earn their first victory on the season.
Shenango was coming in with a tough 20-7 loss to New Brighton while EC was looking to bounce back from the 43-14 defeat by Laurel in Week Zero. Shenango deferred the opening kickoff, giving them the only thing the Wildcats won on the evening…the coin toss.
EC took the opening drive all the way down to the 16 yard line before being stopped on fourth down, something that EC had trouble with last week. But the ensuing drive by Shenango faired very similar to last week for the Wolverines defense, as they shut down the Wildcats on three plays. EC would take the ball back on their side of the field and drive down to the redzone once again, eating up over 7 minutes of the first quarter clock. EC’s DaiLonn Currie would not be denied, making two big time catches on the drive to set up the scoring play via the pass by Tyler Smiley to Anthony Barberio out of the backfield. PAT by Aden Huth was good to make the score 7-0 EC.
Both teams would trade posessions with no points being scored in the second quarter until a nice drive by EC ended near the endzone via an interception. However, the EC defense came to play on the evening, stopping the Wildcats inside their own 20 yard line, forcing a 40 yard drive after the punt. EC would drive down the field in the 2-minute drill fashion, facing a big fourth down play near the endzone. DaiLonn Currie would not be denied again, his third big catch of the game, this time going for six points from 8 yards out. Tyler Smiley would head into halftime with great poise, now with two passing touchdowns. PAT was good by Huth to make the score 14-0 as all momentum swung in favor of EC.
Second half saw similarities of the second quarter, with both teams trading possesions. It would take till midway through the second half before Shenango would even cross the 50 yard line, only having a handful of plays on offense in EC territory. But as the headline reads, EC defense stepped up and held Shenango in check.
EC would add their final score of the game with a long, 10 minute drive that took 7 minutes from the third quarter, and left the game at 9 minutes left in the fourth. An 18-play, 65 yard drive was capped off by Richard Cureton who scored on the one yard rushing play. PAT was good by Huth with the final score of the game reading 21-0 in favor of EC.
The team effort was on display as Tyler Smiley accounted for 30 plus rushing yards while throwing for 81 yards. Meanwhile the run game featured 74 yards from Cureton, 45 yards from Guilian Frisk, and 34 yards from Anthony Barberio. Currie added 55 yards receiving, while Colton Gullo added 13 receiving yards, and 11 receiving yards from Barberio.
Defensively the Wolverines had a balanced attack as well with six tackles from Barberio and Drake Davis. Five tackles came from P.J. Dubois while Cameron Mills and Tristan Rennels added four as well. Defense also forced two turnovers, with a 31 yard interception return by Dom Hogue and a fumble recovery by Deklan O’Brien. The Wolverines outgained the Wildcats 269 to 47 yards while holding the Cats to zero rushing yards. Sidenote - With three receptions and 55 yards, DaiLonn Currie is now nine receptions away from taking over second all-time in career receptions for EC (Tom Mondell - 85, Wayne Thornhill - 74) and is now officially second all-time in career yards receiving for EC at 859 (Tom Mondell - 1498).
EC (1-1) will be back in action Friday night in their last non-section matchup of the season, taking on the Neshannock Lancers. Neshannock (1-1) defeated Union 42-6 to pick up their first victory on the season after they lost 37-20 to Mohawk the week prior. Game is slated for a 7 PM kickoff time from Helling Stadium, with live pregame coverage by ECS starting at 6:45 PM.
2A-2 MAC RESULTS - WEEK ONE
New Brighton 42-14 Summit Academy
Western Beaver 32-20 South Side
Ellwood City 21-0 Shenango
Freedom 18-0 rochester
Mohawk 6-36 Laurel
Riverside 36-30 Northgate
Beaver Falls 0-58 Imani Christian
Union 6-42 Neshannock
