Frazier hits on all cylinders, cruises past Maples
PERRYOPOLIS 鈥� Mike Shannon wasn鈥檛 concerned when his Frazier football team opened the season with a 20-16 loss at Summit Academy last week.
鈥淭hat Week Zero game is always tough,鈥� Shannon said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an adjustment period. A lot of teams don鈥檛 like to play Week Zero. We like it with real competition. We came up a few yards short last week and I told them we鈥檙e going to get better.鈥�
They did just that in their home opener on Friday night.
The Commodores were hitting on all cylinders, riding a balanced offense and a strong defensive effort to a 36-0 non-conference victory over Mapletown.
Brady Secrest completed 9 of 11 passes for 142 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another score, and Derek Diamond rushed for 118 yards and a TD as Frazier evened its record at 1-1.
鈥淚 knew these kids could play like this,鈥� Shannon said. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 say enough about them. They deserve all the credit in the world. It was everybody, an overall team win.鈥�
The Commodores put up two touchdowns in the first half on Diamond鈥檚 16-yard run with 4:22 left in the first quarter and Dailan McManus鈥檚 26-yard pass from Secrest coming with 7:51 remaining in the second.
Despite being down two scores, Mapletown coach George Messich felt his team was still in the game.
鈥淚t was 14-0 at the half and then we had three drives that we stopped ourself with penalties,鈥� Messich said. 鈥淥ne of them came on like a 20-yard pick-up where we would鈥檝e been down around the 35-yard line. Another time it was third and 4 and we picked the first down up but we got called for moving too soon.
鈥淵ou can鈥檛 make mistakes like that in a football game and be successful.鈥�
Secrest turned in the play of the game with 6:55 left in the third quarter when he scrambled out of trouble and weaved his way down the right sideline for a 40-yard touchdown to make it 22-0 and put the Commodores in complete control.
鈥淭hat was unbelievable,鈥� Shannon said. 鈥淗e has his eyes downfield but we told him don鈥檛 be afraid to take off, be an athlete, we know you鈥檙e like that.鈥�
Just 1:11 later Secrest found Chris Petruska open deep for a 41-yard touchdown pass and Diamond added his third 2-point conversion run for a commanding 30-0 lead.
Secrest, a sophomore, capped the scoring with a 13-yard touchdown pass to Noah Bachinski on the first play of the fourth quarter.
鈥淭here were some nerves the first game but Brady鈥檚 really settling into the offense,鈥� Shannon said. 鈥淚鈥檓 truly proud of him, as a sophomore. He throws a tremendous ball and the kid鈥檚 15 years old. He鈥檚 standing back there, staring down guys, he makes a 40-yard run.
鈥淵ou can鈥檛 say enough about him, and he has the line and the receivers working for him. Everybody believes in him. They鈥檙e working for each other. That鈥檚 why it鈥檚 a good team win.鈥�
Messich was impressed with the Commodores鈥� offense.
鈥淚 thought Frazier played a real good football game,鈥� Messich said. 鈥淣umber 22 (Diamond) ran really, really hard. Their quarterback, I just think he鈥檚 incredible.鈥�
Shannon lauded his team鈥檚 explosive offense.
鈥淲hen you have a solid coaching staff like I had along with players who give you everything on the field, you鈥檙e going to hit big plays,鈥� Shannon said. 鈥淲e did that last week, too, just not enough of them.
鈥淥ur senior leadership is tremendous. Our two senior wideouts, Dalian McManus and Andrew Bandish are just phenomenal. The effort today by these kids, up front, Derek, Dalian, Brady is a sophomore and doing great. We mixed it up really well. The offensive line allowed us to do that. We knew we had athletes on the perimeter that could make plays.鈥�
Petruska had three receptions for 51 yards, McManus had two for 43 yards and Bandish totaled two catches for 35 yards and a team-high six tackles with two assists and an interception.
鈥淥ur defense, what a performance,鈥� Shannon said. 鈥淎 shutout, you can鈥檛 ask for anything better than that.鈥�
Frazier held Mapletown to 158 yards on the ground and limited quarterback Spencer Yeager to only one completion in five passes, for eight yards to Colton McKnight.
The Maples were coming off a 20-6 home win over Avella in their season opener, but took a step back against the Commodores.
鈥淭here were a few good points in the game and there were a lot of bad points,鈥� Messich said. 鈥淚 told them we鈥檒l watch the film Monday. We鈥檒l go back at it this week and work on fixing the bad points.鈥�
Brock Evans led Mapletown with 13 carries for 61 yards but Maples running back Carson Vanata suffered a third-quarter leg injury that knocked him out of the game. Colton Spitznogle had 6.5 tackles.
鈥淚 told our kids this game is over with. There鈥檚 no sense worrying about it,鈥� Messich said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e got Chartiers-Houston next week and we鈥檙e starting to prepare for them right now.鈥�
Shannon wants to see his team keep pushing forward.
鈥淲e鈥檝e just got to keep the momentum going,鈥� Shannon said. 鈥淚 believe in this team. I told everyone before, Frazier鈥檚 not a doormat any more.
鈥淲e鈥檙e here and we鈥檙e going to be here all year and anytime you play us you鈥檙e going to be in for a dogfight.鈥�