By John Kovach

Jon Ballard threw four touchdown passes to set a Fitch record.

AUSTINTOWN — The Austintown Fitch High football team introduced its brand-new spread-out offensive passing attack Friday against Chaney at Falcon Stadium before a big crowd in the season opener.

Fitch Vs. Chaney

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Fitch Vs. Chaney

Chaney Vs. Fitch

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High School Football Friday, August 22, 2008 Photos by Nick Mays

The outcome was a record-breaking performance by quarterback Jon Ballard, who threw for a school-record four touchdown passes and completed 16 of 24 attempts for 183 yards to lead the Falcons to a 35-14 win over the Cowboys.

Ballard, who also ran for a TD and conversion to have a hand in 32 of Fitch’s 35 points, is the first Fitch quarterback in 81 years of football to throw four TD passes in one game.

He broke the record of three TD throws that was shared by Steve Burnich (2001) and Dan Stryffeler (1978).

Ballard connected twice to Sam Mariano (covering 4 and 31 yards) and once each to DeAndre Richardson (for 5 yards) and Quinton Pirl (for 7 yards).

Chris Smaldino wound up Fitch’s top receiver with five catches for 44 yards while Pirl had four receptions for 62 yards, Mariano three for 14 yards and Silvestry Gibbs two for 39 yards.

“We opened up our offense. It is entirely different this year,” said Fitch coach Phil Annarella, whose Falcons led by only 21-14 at the half but held Chaney scoreless in the second half. “We spread it around. We have a lot of receivers.”

Bruce Reed led Fitch’s rushing attack with 65 yards in three carries, while Dre’lon Simmons added 46 yards in four runs and Gibbs 31 yards in 10 rushes.

Quarterback Myke Parker scored both of Chaney’s TDs on runs from the 2- and 1-yard lines while Francisco Morales kicked both extra points.

Parker rushed for a team-high 92 yards in 15 carries and was 5-for-15 passing for 39 yards.

Chaney coach John Protopapa said his team doesn’t have too much depth and tired in the second half.

“[Parker] was going both ways and he tired. He got leg cramps while playing defense. And we lost Bobby Hayes, who plays running back and receiver, with a possible broken leg on the last play of the first half,” said Protopapa, whose defense kept the Cowboys in the game in the second half. “Our defense played well.”

Protopapa said his team “is not deep at this point of the season” and that “we have a lot of two-way starters. We need the young guys to get ready to spell them.”

Fitch rushed for 181 yards in 57 plays to Chaney’s 163 yards in 52 plays, while the Falcons had a 17-10 first-down advantage. Chaney was hampered by 10 penalties for 62 yards.

Fitch took the lead for good late in the second quarter at 21-14 on Ballard’s 7-yard TD strike to Pirl with 1:15 left, and Ken Burns’ third placement that capped a seven-play, 65-yard drive.

Then Ballard connected on a 31-yard strike to Mariano at 10:13 of the third quarter to cap a five-play 65-yard advance to boost the Falcons’ lead to 27-14.

Fitch got its final eight points when Ballard plunged a yard at 9:44 of the last quarter to finish a seven-play, 63-yard march, and then ran for the conversion.

kovach@vindy.com