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8 Days - 5 games

Posted: September 10th, 2018, 1:16 pm
by Guru
Over the past eight (8) days I had the chance to watch two (2) HS and three (3) D2 College games. I wanted to share my takeaways with you. 
8/31 - John Franco finally beat Central Cambria and he did it just as you would expect, he ran the ball down the throats of the Devils and when they had their fill, he ran it some more.  What a change a year makes.  Congrats on your 3-0 start! 
9/1 - Shippensburg played Clarion at Highmark Field on the Southside in Pittsburgh. It is a professional soccer stadium and the home of Pittsburgh Central Catholic HS home football games. It was blazing hot on the turf and in the locker rooms, that only hold 25 soccer players and their shin guards.  Once the game started there was a bit of an adjustment with the lack of yard lines, play clocks and HS hash-marks and goal posts.  Clarion led at the half, 10-7.  In the second half, the first year starting QB from Ship lit Clarion up with 348yds and 4tds.  You may know his father, Mike Mussina.  Anyway, not bad numbers for a first start! 
9/6 - IUP hosted The Ville at Frank Cignetti Field.  With 13:23 to play in the first quarter it was already 13-0, IUP.  Kudos to IUP for not running the score up to 100.  It was 41-0 at the half and they didn't score again.  IUP should be hosting a D2 playoff game or two again this season. 
9/7 - Altoona hosted Allderdice. Connor McCarthy started things off with a TD pass.  After that, it was the Mitch Lawhead show until the final buzzer.  The kid has a motor, speed for days and is one tough young man.  I have rarely, if ever, seen a kid in HS that can slow play the option and he did just that on Friday.  To force a pitch and then to run down the pitchman is something special to watch.  He also rushed 17 times for 100, averaged 12yds per catch, and made 10+ tackles... he also returns kicks, plays 4 instruments in the band, sells hotdogs during time outs and sweeps the stands after the game.  Some college coach is going to be super happy when he signs on the dotted commitment line!
9/8 Shippensburg University hosted The Rock.  The game was up in the air until the final :50 seconds.  With less than 2 minutes to play The Rock lined up to kick a FG to go up 7.  Ship blocked it and marched down the field, only to throw a pick on the 1 yard line.  The Rock only had to run the clock out....  First down, run up the middle to the 3.  Ship used their last time out and with :50 seconds left it was over, just run it up the middle and lay on the pile and the college play clock would expire, right?  Keep in mind that The Rock QB is never under the center, the shotgun snap went through his hands, off his shoulder and Ship pounced on it for the winning TD.  Now, I may have seen it all.  Mussina had 250 and 2 TDs.  Stay tuned...  Stay dry and safe this week.