Girard survives uprising by Niles

Bobby Ovesny fired five TD passes, four to Ryan Collins, in a 35-28 win.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
NILES -- Senior quarterback Bobby Ovesny threw five touchdown passes, four of them to senior Ryan Collins, as Girard High held off a second half rally by Niles to post a 35-28 victory Saturday at Bo Rein Stadium.
The game originally was scheduled for Friday night, but heavy thunderstorms forced postponement until Saturday morning.
The 6-foot, 177-pound Ovesny, making his first start, completed 21-for-28 passes for 280 yards, while Collins hauled in eight of them for 154 yards.
Collins, the 5-11, 151 pound speedster, doubles as a defensive back for the Indians and led his team there also with two fumble recoveries and a pass interception.
Girard coach Bud McSuley, now in his eighth season, was anything but happy with the team's second half effort.
"We just never came out ready to play in the second half," McSuley said. "Until we learn how to put a team away I'm not going to be very happy."
McSuley did praise Collins.
"He's a big-time receiver and a good all-around player. He had a pretty good game," McSuley said.
Commanding lead
The Indians, behind Ovesny and Collins, jumped out to a 28-7 halftime lead, while holding the Red Dragons to just 42 total yards.
But Niles and scored on its first possession of the second half and outscored the Indians 21-7, while picking up 227 of their game total of 269 yards in the process.
Junior quarterback Joe Razzano, who threw just twice in the first half and had one intercepted, completed 9-for-12 passes for 128 yards and a touchdown in the second half to lead the Niles comeback.
Niles got the first break of the game when Girard's attempted punt resulted in the ball sailing over the head of punter Eric Stevens and Niles got the ball at the Indians' 20-yard line.
But Razzano then was intercepted by Rob Ginocchi and the Indians took that toward their first score, a 14-yard pass from Ovesny to Collins.
Fumble sets up TD
Then Girard got a break when Stevens' punt was bobbled by Pat Fortune and Collins recovered at the Niles 12. Two plays later Ovesny hit Brett Dutton on a 9-yard TD pass.
Niles came right back on the ensuing kickoff and Jared Sears hauled it in at his 10 and raced 90-yard for the Red Dragons' first touchdown.
But a Niles fumble, one of three on the day along with two interceptions, gave the Indians life again and Ovesny and Collins again combined for a 23-yard scoring pass.
Girard's final touchdown of the half came on a 33-yard pass from Ovesny to Collins with 16 seconds remaining.
Niles marched 55 yards with the second half kickoff to score on a 1-yard run by Bryan Butto, but Girard took advantage of another Niles turnover and went 47 yards in four plays to pull to a 35-14 lead as Ovesny and Collins again connected from 22 yards out.
Niles perseveres
Niles never gave up and after Razzano tossed a 32-yard pass to Anthony Pallante, Sears scored his second TD on a 1-yard run.
Niles then pulled off the onside kick as Antuan Gardner recovered, but Razzano then threw his second interception to kill the drive.
Niles' final score was led by Razzano, who completed four straight passes, the final one 29 yards to Pallante for the touchdown.
Girard finished with 352 total yards.
mollica@vindy.com