STEEL VALLEY CONFERENCE Fitch plays the way Pelini knows it can

The Falcons defeated Cardinal Mooney 31-3.
By DOUG CHAPIN
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
AUSTINTOWN -- Things finally are starting to go the way coach Carl Pelini and the Fitch Falcons thought they should have this football season.
Fitch used a balanced offensive attack and took advantage of five Cardinal Mooney turnovers in a 31-3 Steel Valley Conference rout Friday night.
It was the second straight win for the Falcons (3-6, 1-2 SVC). Mooney falls to 0-9, 0-3 in the league.
Season-in-review: "It's been a strange year, what with injuries we've had and other things," Pelini said of the season, which includes a four-game losing streak. "Since the Harding game we've been pretty healthy and we've played a lot better. It's more representative of the type of team we are."
The opening drive of the game illustrates the Falcons' balance. After Miles Williams set things up returning the kickoff 35 yards, Fitch went 52 yards in 10 plays -- five runs and five passes. The drive culminated in a well-executed 19-yard screen pass from Steve Burnich to Ray Betts. The conversion kick was missed.
"We executed well," Pelini said. "We thought we would throw more, but we think we're versatile in what we can do. They played a coverage to take away our passing so we went to more of a running offense."
Fitch wound up running the ball 45 times for 138 yards, while Burnich was 8-for-17 passing for 76 yards.
Feeling the effects: Mooney played inspired defense at the start, but the Cardinals eventually were worn down by Fitch's ball-control offense and the Cardinals' own miscues.
Junior defensive lineman Roy Greenwalt stripped the ball from Mooney's Patsy Malie and Chad Lewis recovered for the Falcons, setting up a six-play (all runs), 20-yard drive for a second touchdown. Burnich ran a yard for the score with 6:43 left in the half, then hit Ross Watson, who made a terrific catch, for the two-point conversion.
Mooney benefited from a Fitch turnover, recovering a Betts fumble with 4:46 left in the half. The Cardinals took the ball from their own 41 to the Fitch 6-yard-line where they settled for a 23-yard field goal by Stelio Frangopoulos.
Cardinals quarterback Anthony King fumbled on the first drive of the second half and Greenwalt recovered for Fitch at the Mooney 33. Jay Cicconi banged in a 36-yard field goal with 7:28 left in the third for a 17-3 Fitch lead.
Three plays later Fitch had the ball on the Mooney 36 after Dajwan Stubbs picked off a King pass. Another well-executed screen pass, this one from 12 yards out and to Mark Matze, provided the Falcons' third touchdown. Lewis closed out the scoring with a scintillating 61-yard punt return, crossing the goal line with six seconds left in the third quarter.
Preparing to play: Despite the fact the teams were tied for last in the SVC going in, motivation was not a factor.
"It was easy to get the kids up for a Steel Valley game," Pelini said. "Plus, for the seniors it was their last home game."
Pelini obviously is pleased with the Falcons' late-season success.
"You like to end the season on a bit of a roll, both for the departing seniors and the future of the program," he said.
The Falcons have a chance to provide a big boost for 2002 as they visit arch-rival Boardman next week.