Turning the tables: Mikes get revenge with 42-7 win at Charleroi
Carmichaels鈥� Carter Trenton runs the ball in for a touchdown against Charleroi during Friday night鈥檚 game at Myron Pottios Stadium. (Photo by Holly Tonini)
Carmichaels鈥� Tyler Richmond makes a diving interception in front of Charleroi鈥檚 Cole Marucci in the first quarter of Friday night鈥檚 game at Myron Pottios Stadium. (Photo by Holly Tonini)
Carmichaels鈥� Carter Trenton (2) celebrates his touchdown against Charleroi with Christopher Mincer at Myron Pottios Stadium Friday night. (Photo by Holly Tonini)
Holly Tonini
Charleroi鈥檚 Nikko Pellegrini (14) carries the ball as Carmichaels鈥� Robbie Wilson-Jones (10) closes in during Friday night鈥檚 game at Myron Pottios Stadium.
CHARLEROI 鈥� If any Charleroi faithful expected to lose to Carmichaels in 2021, the number was slim.
Sure, the Cougars have regressed over the past few years, missing the WPIAL playoffs entirely in 2020.
Sure, Carmichaels has improved over the past few years. But it was still a Class A school going against a Class 2A school on the road, and said 2A school was playing its first 鈥渘ormal鈥� home game since pre-COVID society.
It also wasn鈥檛 that long ago when Charleroi beat Carmichaels 69-7, which it did in 2018. Even more recently, the Cougars beat up on the Mikes 59-7 in 2019, before Carmichaels departed the Century Conference.
Although the Charleroi faithful probably didn鈥檛 expect another 50+ point blowout, they at least expected a win.
They certainly didn鈥檛 expect a 35-point loss.
Behind two seniors who started in that 69-7 loss three years ago, quarterback Trenton Carter and receiver Michael Stewart, the Mikes led 21-0 at halftime and didn鈥檛 take their feet off the gas in the second half, leaving Myron Pottios Stadium with a 42-7 win.
鈥淚t means so much to us,鈥� Stewart said, 鈥渂ecause the last three years they beat us by 50, 60. So it stuck with me, and I just wanted to get back at them.鈥�
Second-year coach Ron Gallagher recognized what the night meant to his upperclassmen.
鈥淭hey were on the field as sophomores and freshman, getting their butts kicked by Charleroi,鈥� Gallagher said. 鈥淪o, it was nice to win.鈥�
Carter鈥檚 first high school start took place in that 69-7 flogging. As a senior, Carter was at the center of it. He finished the night 10-for-13 passing for 170 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, and ran for 92 yards and two scores on 13 attempts.
鈥淚鈥檝e told every newspaper that we put everything on his shoulders,鈥� Gallagher said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 just that guy 鈥� everything is on his shoulders, and he鈥檚 going to take us as far as he can take us.鈥�
It wouldn鈥檛 take long for Carter to flex his muscles. On the second play from scrimmage, Carter hit receiver Michael Stewart for a 71-yard touchdown. The extra point was true, and the Mikes (2-0) were out to a 7-0 lead.
The man nearest to Stewart was likely in Kazakhstan. The Carter-Stewart connection 鈥� the two have been best friends since grade school 鈥� discussed such a scenario prior to kickoff.
鈥淚 said, 鈥榠f I see you, I鈥檓 giving you a chance,'鈥� Carter said. 鈥淚 threw it up, and he was right there for it.鈥�
鈥淗e鈥檚 my quarterback,鈥� Stewart said, 鈥渁nd he always will be.鈥�
Stewart finished the night with three catches for 83 yards and that score 鈥� all in the first half. On the ground, he had touchdown runs of 14 and 23 yards.
鈥淔or Michael Stewart, it鈥檚 a mindset,鈥� Gallagher said. 鈥淟ast year and the year before, if something didn鈥檛 go we鈥檒l, he鈥檇 kind of take himself out. I鈥檒l tell you what, I鈥檓 proud of the kid.
Charleroi had a good thing going on its first possession, driving the ball into Carmichaels territory. But Brendan Harps鈥檚 pass was intercepted by a diving Tyler Richmond, and the Mikes went back on the ball. On a 4th and 5 from the Charleroi 30, Carter threaded the needle and found Richmond, who stumbled in for the score.
After the Mikes鈥� next drive ended in an interception, Charleroi (1-1) drove to the Carmichaels 37, close enough to go for it on 4th and 6. But Parker Hyatt came up big, sacking Harps and forcing a turnover-on-downs.
It was one of plenty of big plays made by defensive caller Chace Johnston鈥檚 unit, certainly an improvement from Week 0, in which the Mikes gave up 33 points to Waynesburg Central. Gallagher said his defense resembled 鈥淪wiss cheese鈥� against Waynesburg. Not the case in Charleroi.
With 32 seconds left in the first half, Carter did it on the ground, keeping it from 7 yards to put the Mikes ahead by three scores. Carter finished the first half 8/11 for 149 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, and ran for 65 yards on nine carries with a score.
Charleroi had a response in the second half, scoring in the opening 2:14 of the third quarter. Nikko Pellegrini finished the drive with a 7-yard run.
The newfound hope wouldn鈥檛 last.
On Carmichaels鈥� next possession, Stewart capped off a five-and-a-half-minute march with a 14- yard run, plowing into defenders on his way to the end zone. It was once again a three touchdown game.
鈥淲e knew we could come back,鈥� Carter said, 鈥渟o we came back and gave it right back to them.鈥�
When Stewart ended Carmichaels鈥� next possession with a 23-yard scamper, it was curtains for Charleroi.
The Mikes have scored 96 points through two weeks, and Gallagher sees even better nights ahead.
鈥淭he scary part is we鈥檙e only in Game 2,鈥� he said, 鈥渟o we鈥檙e only going to get better there.鈥�
Running back Peyton Schooley quietly had a solid night, running for 99 yards on 14 carries.
鈥淲e had a really good week of practice,鈥� coach Brady Barbero said. 鈥淲e came out and we let some opportunities get by us early. Give it to Carmichaels. They played hard, they wanted it a little more than we did, and I鈥檒l take the blame for that.鈥�