Senior quarterback-running back Sal Battles accounted for 14 points and 165 total yards.

By JOHN KOVACH

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

AUSTINTOWN — The new East High School football team made history Friday night against Austintown Fitch at Falcon Stadium.

Brian Shaner’s Panthers won their first game, and they did it impressively, decisively and with a lot of talent, class, depth and potential, 20-3, against a first-class Division I football program.

Leading the way for East were seniors Sal Battles and Gary Thornton, in addition to an offensive line that opened the holes and an opportunistic defense that foiled two Fitch touchdown threats.

Battles scored one TD on a 48-yard run in the third quarter, connected to senior wide receiver Jeff Purdie on a 47-yard scoring pass and added the a conversion run in the second quarter, and accounted for 165 total yards. He finished with 104 yards rushing in 24 carries and 4-for-4 passing for 61 yards.

Thornton scored on a 1-yard plunge in the second period and added 59 yards rushing in 12 carries.

“This is our first win. I feel really good about it but more so for the kids,” said Shaner. “We have made a lot of improvement.”

Coach Phil Annarella of Fitch (1-1) had high praise for East.

“Their coach and players did an outstanding job,” said Annarella.

“We have a lot of work to do.”

East defense foils TDs

Fitch’s only score came early in the first quarter on Derek Brendlinger’s 23-yard field goal, after the Panthers stopped the Falcons’ drive at the 6-yard line.

East also made a stand at its 4 in the second quarter.

“We have a lot of offensive weapons,” said Shaner, referring to Battles, Thornton, Purdie, Cately and junior quarterback Roncarlos Hilton, who is the signal caller on the Stack-I formation.

“We have three great running backs: Cately, Battles, and Thornton.”

Shaner said Battles is versatile.

“Sal is a dual threat quarterback. He plays quarterback on the spread formation and running back on the stack I formation. [He is] the gutsiest player I ever have seen at Rayen and now East.”

Thornton displayed his power running off tackler with consistent gains.

“Thornton is a slasher with great vision and he does it with great power,” said Shaner.

“Our line play was great,” he added.

“We dominated out front. The blocking was there. Our blocking improved between week one and week two.”

Shaner also said he was glad to have senior running back Anthony Robinson back after he suffered a dislocated shoulder against Canfield.

Fitch was led by sophomore quarterback Jon Ballard, senior running back Nick Wiery and junior running back Nick Groat.

Ballard passed for 46 yards on 5-for-15, while Wiery rushed for 31 yards in eight carries and Groat 28 yards in four runs.

Annarella acknowledged that East has an offense with talented depth and potential and playmakers.

“They have a lot of weapons and they make plays,” said Annarella, who conceded that the two missed TDs by his team were a factor in the loss.

“We didn’t convert,” he pointed out, noting that East’s defense was the reason.

kovach@vindy.com