DISPLAYING THEIR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP CREDENTIALS.
THE IRONMEN OF DON BOSCO PREP COULD BE HEADED FOR A REPEAT OF 2009.
By Eddie Dwyer
Copyright, September 2010
STEUBENVILLE, OHIO – As he stood at the podium in the press room, Saint Ignatius coach Chuck Kyle '69, a man who knows what it takes to be a successful high school football program, spoke about Don Bosco Prep.
“It's a great program, a great team,” Kyle said, after the Ironmen from Ramsey, New Jersey defeated his Wildcats, 33-6, in the “Rally in the Valley” USA Today Super 25 /Massey Challenge at Harding Stadium late Saturday afternoon.
“They showed that they're well on their way to coming right back at it,” Coach Kyle said in reference to Don Bosco Prep's near unanimous national championship of 2009. “And we have some work to do.
“We certainly would have liked to have come down here and battled it out a little bit better. But we're young, and as you can see there's moments of inexperience that pop up, technique things. We just have to improve.”
The Ironmen (3-0), who have now outscored their 2010 opponents, 101-26, did exactly what they accomplished the previous two weeks by taking command early against the Wildcats.
After Saint Ignatius (2-3) grabbed some momentum on a diving interception by junior Chad Aerni off a deflection by junior Adam North, Don Bosco regrouped.
Sparked by a 46-yard run by senior tailback Paul Canevari, the Ironmen took a 7-0 lead on a 2-yard keeper around the left side by senior quarterback Gary Nova and an extra-point kick by junior Aidan Murray. Canevari's set-up run came off a first-and-15 from the Ironmen 11.
The 6-foot, 220-pound Canevari struck again, as off a little juke step he burst over the left side, cut to the middle and outran the pursuit for a 58-yard touchdown. Murray's kick was high and true, and Don Bosco led, 14-0, with 2 minutes, 59 seconds remaining in the first quarter.
Canevari, who finished with 257 yards rushing, has taken over the Ironmen ground game after playing defensive end and linebacker last season. He was selected as the game's outstanding player.
Although it was another trying 48 minutes for the Wildcats' defense, senior linebacker Tyler Kette stepped up most of the afternoon and left everything he had on the field.
The 'Cats appeared to be in business after a Kette interception return of 22 yards put the ball on Ironmen 33. But after two incomplete passes, the threat stalled at the Don Bosco 28.
Kette made his presence felt again when he sacked Nova, forced a fumble and recovered the ball at the Saint Ignatius 47. However, the Wildcats gave the ball right back on the next play, as junior defensive back Kyle Sakowski came up with the first of his two interceptions.
The Ironmen, who are now 123-10 under 12-year head coach Greg Toal, tacked on nine more points in the second quarter. They converted a blocked punt into a safety and, behind a steady diet of Canevari, scored on a run of 14-plus yards by Canevari with 45 seconds left in the first half. Murray extended the lead to 23-0 with his third of four PATs, and it stayed that way entering the third quarter.
“We've struggled this year with people just running the football at us, four yards and five yards,” said Coach Kyle, who described Canevari as a tough runner. “We're working on it, but that's been the Achilles' heel. We graduated all 11 guys (on defense) and some backups from last year. It's just been a struggle with that kind of scenario.”
Don Bosco Prep, which will face its big-time rival Bergen Catholic on the road next weekend, settled the issue in the second half on a 25-yard field goal by Murray and a 10-yard touchdown pass from Nova to junior wide receiver Leonte Carroo. Nova, a University of Pittsburgh recruit, scrambled to his left on third-and-goal from the 10, stayed upright thanks to two missed tackles and found Carroo in the end zone.
The Wildcats, who play their first home game of the season next Saturday against Mentor (2-3) on Byers Field at 7 p.m., played without starting quarterback Matt Hoyer (741 yards and 7 touchdowns). Matt, who was shaken up by a late hit in last week's game at Centerville, is expected to be back in the lineup versus Mentor.
Senior Joe Greco did a respectable job in facing a strong, quick and athletic Ironmen defense. Despite the pressure, he was able to make key connections with senior wideouts David Joseph and Nick D'Amico and junior tight end Blake Thomas.
Joseph, who managed some nice catches against Coach Toal's quick-to-close, heavy-hitting secondary, prevented the shutout with a crowd-pleasing 87-yard kickoff return for a touchdown with 6:33 to go. Several of Don Bosco's players sought out David after the game and acknowledged his gutsy play.
GREAT HOSTS: The corner would like to express its thanks to the staff at The McLure City Center Hotel in Wheeling, West Virginia, Dwayne Pielech of the Belmont County Department of Job & Family Services, and the folks at Harding Stadium in Steubenville for their wonderful hospitality this weekend.
It was first class and down-to-the earth kindness. Again, THANK YOU for hosting us.
IT WAS THE LUCK OF THE STANFORD CARDINAL AGAINST THE IRISH: Quarterback Andrew Luck, son of Saint Ignatius Hall of Fame inductee and West Virginia University Athletic Director Oliver Luck '78, passed for 238 yards, a touchdown and a 2-point conversion in helping the Cardinal defeat Notre Dame, 37-14, under the Golden Dome on Saturday afternoon.