One big play dooms Saegertown to defeat

By Pete Chiodo

09/30/06 September 30, 2006 12:26 am

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SAEGERTOWN — People are always talking about the Mercyhurst Prep football team’s offense, and rightly so. However, Friday night against Saegertown, it was the Lakers’ defense that was making a name for itself as Prep downed the Panthers, 7-0, in a big Region 2 contest at Canon Memorial Field.
“Our defense is definitely one of our strengths,” said Lakers running back and defensive back Jayson Nickson. “Our offense might get all the credit, but our defense comes to play.”
The Lakers’ “D” pitched its second shutout of the season. And it was the first time Saegertown had been held scoreless since a 35-0 loss to Sharpsville in the 2004 District 10 playoffs.
Mercyhurst, which leads Region 2 with a 4-0 record and is 5-0 overall, held Saegertown to 165 yards of offense. And after the Panthers’ first two drives ended deep in Laker territory, Saegertown didn’t get past Mercyhurst’s 40 for the rest of the game. Bad field position and some costly penalties in the second half didn’t help.
“I think a lot of people forget about our defense,” said Mercyhurst coach Matt Morgan. “At halftime we told our kids that the defense was going to have to win this game for us ... Our defense rose to the occasion.”
Saegertown (3-2, 2-1 Region 2) had its best opportunity on its first drive, mounting a 10-play series that covered 56 yards and earned the Panthers a first down at Mercyhurst’s 15-yard-line.
Panthers’ quarterback Zach Beatty zipped a laser to receiver David Haskins in the end zone. But Nickson — who would guard Haskins closely all night — peeled the ball out of Haskins’ grip. Two plays later, Saegertown was faced with a 4th-and-7. Beatty tried for Ian Price downfield, but the ball was batted in the air three times before ending up in the arms of Prep cornerback Joe Jelinek.
“I really wished we would have poked one in on that first drive,” said Saegertown coach Ken Achenbach. “I thought we were on the right track. We had them a little off-balance, mixing it up with the pass and the run. We just didn’t get it done.”
On Mercyhurst’s first play of the following drive, Nickson broke an 80-yard touchdown run to give the Lakers the lead, and eventually the win.
“It was a counter-trap,” Nickson said about the touchdown run, his seventh of the year. “The line blocked well and I was basically untouched. The line blocked great. All I had to do was run.”
According to Achenbach, “That’s kind of been the story of our year. You go back to the Linesville game; one big run. This game; one big run. I don’t know if it’s youth or inexperience or what. But we have to find a way to make teams drive up the field and not give up the easy score.”
Nickson ended the game with 162 yards on 17 carries for Prep. He was followed by fullback Buddy O’Leary who had 91 yards on 19 carries.
Prep posted 263 yards on the ground, a little less than the 329 rushing yards the team averaged coming into the game. Part of that had to do with the muddy conditions at Canon Memorial. Most of it was because of some good defensive work by the Panthers, like defensive end Drew Perry, who had two tackles for loss, including a sack that helped stall Mercyhurst’s game-opening drive.
“I thought our staff put together a nice defensive game plan this week,” Achenbach said. “And it didn’t come together easy. It took us awhile to get that thing in place, but in doing that, and preparing for (Prep) the way we did, I think it actually made us a better defense.”
Offensively, Ian Price led the Panthers, picking up 41 yards on 10 carries and also making one reception for 15 yards.
Kyle Crum had 38 yards on 12 carries. And Derek Bidwell tallied 30 yards rushing and had two catches for 19 yards.
It was a slow night for Saegertown’s usually-lethal passing game. Beatty completed just 3 of 13 passes. Meanwhile Haskins, who entered the game leading Region 2 with 16 receptions for 426 yards, couldn’t pull one in.
“(Haskins) is one heck of a player,” said Nickson. “It was a challenge to play with him the whole. But I think I did okay.”
Haskins got his hands around a would-be first-down pass in Lakers territory late in the fourth quarter. But, he was ruled out of bounds.
“They did take David Haskins away a little bit,” said Achenbach. “At times they had him double-covered. And certainly, they put Nickson on Dave for a reason. He’s probably the best defender that we’ve seen so far this year.”

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