By MIKE MASTOVICH
Bishop Carroll running back Paul Forcellini has made so many game-altering, often game-breaking plays on offense during the past three seasons that his defensive prowess might not be as obvious to the casual observer.
The Huskies’ opponents know otherwise.
As is the case with most gifted athletes, Forcellini always seems to be around the ball. More importantly, the senior four-year starter is in the right place at exactly the right time more often than not.
Take Friday’s 24-6 victory over Cambria Heights in the season opener. Forcellini had a typical day on offense, rushing for 157 yards and scoring three touchdowns.
That’s a pretty solid night on its own.
But toss in Forcellini’s seven tackles, two sacks and an interception from his outside linebacker spot, and the performance is magnified.
“Fans see his numbers and see him running the football,” Carroll coach Craig Sponsky said of Forcellini, who was third in the area with 1,788 yards rushing and 23 touchdowns as a junior. “But defensively he’s so quick and so fast. He’s developed a knack to find the football. We as coaches appreciate what he does on defense.
“He has taken his defensive snaps seriously. He has a little chip on his shoulder being a leader for us.”
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Berlin placekicker Nathan Menhorn was perfect on six extra point attempts in the
Mountaineers’ 42-6 win over Shade in the WestPAC last week. Last season, Menhorn went 34-of-43 on PATs as Berlin won the WestPAC.
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Greater Johnstown junior quarterback Brandon Hody has an area-best 226 passing yards after his debut as the Trojans starter in last week’s 34-28 comeback win over visiting Central in the LHAC.
But those numbers don’t entirely reveal the type of initiation Hody experienced. Behind Johnstown’s strong line, Hody and the Trojans engineered a 13-play, 98-yard, game-winning drive capped by his 5-yard run with 57 seconds left.
The Trojans defense made a stand at its own 2-yard line to set up the game-winning march.
“Brandon was a pleasant surprise for me,” Johnstown coach Bob Arcurio said. “He performed unbelievable under pressure. He was calm. He handled the ball well. His timing was down on the pass patterns. I’m proud of him.
“We went 98 yards and he completed the key passes. He got a first down on a quarterback sneak on that drive and he scored the touchdown on a quarterback sneak.”
Receiver Xavier Thomas caught eight passes for 151 yards and three TDs.
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Bishop McCort senior Adam Terchanik won’t be in uniform Friday at Bedford, but he’ll be on the minds of his teammates. A reserve linebacker/guard and special teams player, Terchanik broke his leg during a Central Cambria punt return on Saturday night at Trojan Stadium.
“We’re going to dedicate this game to Adam,” McCort coach Ken Salem said. “He had surgery Tuesday. We’re hoping he can be there. Our kids will keep him in our thoughts. It’s hard to lose any kid in high school football, let alone a kid who is so selfless and such a hard worker.”
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United and Marion Center battled to a 7-7 tie through four quarters.
But the Lions’ Adam Mack finished Saturday afternoon with four touchdowns and 24 points in the Heritage Conference opener.
How? The game went to four overtimes, with both teams scoring a touchdown in each of the extra sessions. Marion Center booted its extra point after scoring first in the fourth OT. United coach Chris Matava opted to go for two and the win. The Stingers defense held in a 35-34 win.
Mack had touchdown runs of 3 and 19 yards and caught Sean Domer scoring passes of 10 and 16 yards.
