By Pete Chiodo
Nov. 18
November 18, 2006 12:55 am
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ERIE — Rumors of General McLane’s demise were greatly exaggerated.
After McLane lost to Strong Vincent 23-12 earlier this season, few people, including some of the Lancers themselves, gave the Edinboro crew much of chance in the rematch, which was held Friday night in the District 10 Class AAA championship game at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
Proving people wrong can be fun, however.
General McLane hoarded the ball on offense while limiting Strong Vincent’s big play ability on defense to shock the doubters and win the program’s second consecutive D-10 title with a 19-7 win over the Colonels.
“Everybody came into this game thinking we might lose it,” said McLane running back Ryan Skelton. “We knew it was going to be a tough battle. We just played our hearts out and came out on top.”
It’s McLane’s third district championship overall, having also won it in 2002. The Lancers, now 10-2 on the year, will next advance to the PIAA playoffs which begin two weeks from now against an opponent to be determined.
“Thank God we’ve got a bye this week,” said General McLane coach Jim Wells, whose team has had three straight weeks of tough competitions, including a pair of narrow wins over Titusville.
“We’re beat to heck. I don’t think we’re going to do anything for a week. We’re just going to make them lay down in their beds all week and heal up.”
The first minute of last night’s game included a series of dramatic momentum swings that eventually set McLane’s course towards victory.
Vincent (8-4) got the ball first, and on the Colonels’ second play of the possession fullback Calyn Hamilton broke a big run up the middle and was headed toward the house.
Dan Skelton and Drew Astorino caught up with Hamilton inside the Lancers’ 10-yard-line. Skelton stuck in his paw and freed the ball. Astorino fell on it on the 2. The pendulum swung towards the Lancers.
What followed was a monumental drive by McLane that lasted 19 plays, traveled 98 yards and lasted a clock-crushing 10:28. Quarterback Bob Stauffer made it count, hitting tight end Shawn Walker in the end zone for a 19-yard touchdown toss.
Holding on to the ball was proved to be invaluable for the Lancers throughout the entire game.
“Ball control,” said Vincent head coach Tom Cacchione. “They had ball control. They were (getting) four, five yards coming all the way down the field. We couldn’t get the ball back and get anything going. Give them credit. They did the four-yard-cloud-of-dust thing on us and we just couldn’t stop them.”
McLane had nearly doubly the time of possession as Vincent in the game (31:44-16:16). The Lancers were able to run 68 plays while Vincent had 38. And thanks to a late onside kick by the Lancers, Vincent had only two possessions in the second half.
“We didn’t give (Strong Vincent) too many chances,” said Wells. “We really tried to control the clock and keep it away from them. They can score on any play.”
The Lancers made it 13-0 in the second quarter when Dan Skelton scooted around the end and hit the jets for a 35-yard touchdown run. It was at the end of a relatively brief five-play, 64-yard drive.
“Tremendous blocking on that run,” said Skelton. “I saw two pancake blocks out front and I saw the sideline wide open. All that was in front of me was green.”
Vincent made it 13-7 in the third quarter, proving it’s “score-on-any-play” technique, when quarterback Maurice Williams hit receiver Robert Joyce in stride on a 52-yard touchdown pass.
Vincent had a chance to tie it up in the fourth, but McLane’s defense held.
The Lancers got the ball back and mounted another epochal drive, going 67 yards on 14 plays and eating up 7:17 on the clock.
Drew Astorino scored the final touchdown with a three-yard run.
“Usually we’re a big-play offense,” said Astorino. “We usually don’t do ball control. But our ‘O’ line and Dan and Ryan Skelton did a great job of powering up the middle, getting those hard four-yard runs. A lot of people don’t think our offense is moving if we’re not getting 60-yard runs. But it was in this game.”
Game notes: McLane had 22 first downs in the game compared to Strong Vincent’s 13. Of the Lancers’ 22 first downs, all but two were scored on the ground ... Ryan Skelton led the Lancers’ offense with 117 yards on 18 carries. Dan Skelton followed with 71 yards on 14 carries. Bob Stauffer had 55 yards but missed most of the second half after getting hurt. Astorino added 14 yards rushing ... For Vincent, Maurice Williams had 81 yards on 13 takes followed by Donte Harden with 13 carries for 60 yards ... Williams was 6-for-8 for 114 yards passing.
Pete Chiodo can be reached at 724-6370 ext. 275 or by e-mail at pchiodo@meadvilletribune.com.
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