Canfield rolls past Wildcats for MAC
The unbeaten Cardinals can win the league outright by beating Poland.
By PAUL TRGOVAC
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
STRUTHERS -- Sometimes a good team needs a wake-up call to get started. Canfield High got one, and responded in a big way on Friday night.
Larry Wylie of Struthers took the opening kickoff of the game 89 yards for a touchdown, and the Wildcats recovered a Cardinal fumble on the next kickoff at the Canfield 38.
The Canfield defense held on downs, and the offense then took over, scoring touchdowns on nine of the next 10 times it had the ball for a 63-14 Metro Athletic Conference victory.
Canfield (9-0,4-0) clinched at least a tie for the MAC title. The Cards, ranked fourth in Division II by the Associated Press and second in Region 7 of the computer ratings, can clinch the title outright with a win next week over Poland.
"If our guys were not focused, they got that way real fast," said Canfield coach Mike Pavlansky. "We responded like champions, there is no doubt about that. Our kids rose to the occasion."
Big game
Canfield got a big game from Angelo Babbaro, who rushed for 224 yards on 14 carries and five touchdowns -- all in the first half. Babbaro scored on runs of 20, and 56 in the first quarter and 57, 9, and 19 in the second quarter. Babbaro did not play after intermission. Mike Hoelzel scored Canfield's other first half touchdown on a 49-yard pass from Sean Baker.
The only time Canfield did not score was on a missed field goal in the first quarter and when it ran the clock out to end the contest.
After Babbaro scored his first touchdown to tie the game, Justin Bonanno of Canfield recovered a Struthers fumble at the Cards' 16. The Struthers defense held and Justin Wolf missed a 31-yard field goal to the right.
Following a punt on the next possession Babbaro raced 55 yards on the first play for a 14-7 lead.
Canfield scored four times in the second quarter with the last score coming after an interception and return of 19 yards by Pat Bellish gave the ball to the Cards on the Struthers 19. Babbaro scored his fifth TD on the next play and Canfield led 42-7 at the half.
Leaders
Canfield had 463 yards on total offense in the game while holding Struthers to just 164. The Cards had 17 first downs to eight for the Wildcats. Justin Penson led the offense for Struthers (1-8, 0-4) as he gained 81 yards on 18 carries, including a 17-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. Aaron Young hit 4-of-5 passes for 40 yards with an interception, while Matt Kukura had three catches for Struthers. Wylie also added a 45-yard kickoff return and had a pass reception for 18 yards.
John Pitzulo picked up 54 yards on five carries with a touchdown, while Pat Fening added 41 yards on four carries for Canfield. Wolf hit on all eight extra point kicks he attempted.
"Our first team defense did a great job of shutting them down in the first half," said Pavlansky. "We got to play a lot of the younger kids in the second half which was great. They work hard and it was good to see them get some action.
"We have a big game with Poland next week. We think it is as big a rivalry game as there is in the area."