By HUGH CONRAD
JOHNSTOWN — Coach Kevin Marabito could not have designed a much better night for the players who have performed so well for him the past three years.
On a beautiful night at Trojan Stadium, the Johnstown Trojans put together a scintillating senior sendoff for those players, with the team performing well in all aspects of the game.
The Trojans defeated Penn Cambria, 36-8, in a Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference battle, giving them a 6-3 record with one game remaining.
While many fans pointed to the outstanding offensive performance, Marabito talked after the game about his defense, which limited Panthers superb running back Zak Newton to just 15 yards on 12 carries.
“Once the defense buckled in, we made it tough on them,” Marabito said about his squad. “Our defense has played well all year, but I don't think that they get the credit that they deserve.”
Penn Cambria coach Ernie Fetzer said that Newton had practiced very little all week, but said that was not the cause of the Panthers' problems. “Their skills were just too much for us,” Fetzer said about Johnstown. “We just could not match up with them. (Newton) missed almost the whole week of practice, but that's not an excuse.”
The game started propitiously for the Panthers as they moved 68 yards on eight plays, with Newton breaking up the middle for an 11-yard touchdown.
PC senior Adam Zaliznock ran in for the PAT, and the Panthers led 8-0 with 7:23 left in the first quarter.
Once the Trojans started their offensive jets, the Panthers would never again challenge them. LaQuin Stephens-Howling finished his senior night with an outstanding performance, recording 115 yards on just 11 carries to lead the Trojans in the category.
Senior quarterback Jon Siciliano directed the productive offense, rushing for 75 yards and scoring two touchdowns, while also throwing for another score.
On their first possession, Johnstown moved 60 yards on 10 plays to answer the Panthers, with Siciliano scoring from eight yards out. Marabito went for two and Jordan Jefferson scampered in to tie the game at 8-8 with 2:40 left in the first quarter.
On their second possession, Siciliano scampered in for a 30-yard score on a fourth-and-19 from the PC 30. Placekicker Oskar Almgren kicked the first of four PATs to give Johnstown a 15-8 advantage, one that they never relinquished.
The Trojans then took advantage of some Penn Cambria mistakes to take a 29-8 lead with them to the locker room at intermission.
Newton fumbled a snap for a punt, giving the Trojans possession at the Penn Cambria 35.
Siciliano found senior Richard Agurs on a 27-yard score for a 22-8 advantage.
Then with the Panthers desperately trying to mount a comeback, Johnstown defensive back Ryan Sisco picked off a Newton pass and returned it to the Panthers 5.
Jefferson carried it in from 5-yards out to set the 29-8 halftime score.
Kashmir Pretlor finished the scoring for the Trojans in the third quarter with a 2-yard run.
The Trojans will travel to Central Cambria next week, while the Panthers will visit Richland.
