By Jim Flick

He also got some help from freshman quarterback Dan Graziano.

GIRARD — Behind a senior tailback and a backup quarterback, Girard defeated Champion 42-13 Friday in an All-American Conference Blue Tier game Friday night.

Senior running back Kyle Stadelmyer scored three touchdowns for the Indians (5-0, 2-0 AAC Blue) while gaining 228 yards on the ground and in the air.

Freshman quarterback Dan Graziano completed 18-of-22 passes for 284 yards, and ran for another for 73 yards. He ran for one touchdown, and tossed two touchdown passes.

Graziano “is progressing as a quarterback,” Girard coach Bud McSuley said after the game.

But Graziano wasn’t originally in McSuley’s plans for the 2008 season. Junior Adam Charles was expected to be Girard’s starting quarterback this season, but blew out a knee in the team’s first scrimmage this summer. Charles is expected to return to the team next year, his senior year. In the meantime, Graziano, who isn’t even listed on the team roster in the game program, is filling in nicely.

Stadelmyer said after Friday night’s game that when Charles was injured, he thought the team’s prospects were bleak for the current season. But Stadelmyer, a senior, said Graziano is developing into a fine quarterback. “I’m helping him get used to it.”

Graziano is “doing some good,” McSuley remarked. He declined to allow reporters to interview Graziano after the game, citing a team policy that freshmen aren’t permitted to speak to reporters.

In a meeting between conference rivals, Graziano quickly “spoke” to Champion (2-3, 0-2), scoring the game’s first points on a 23-yard run in the first quarter.

Later in the first quarter, Stadelmyer scored the Indians’ second touchdown on a 64-yard scamper into the end zone. Ryan Fitzpatrick’s extra point put Girard out in front 14-0.

The Golden Flashes cut the lead to 14-7 in the second quarter after Derek Sumner caught a 19-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Shane Brown.

But Girard responded by scoring four touchdowns to boost the lead to 42-7.

In the second quarter, the Indians scored on two touchdown passes by Graziano, the first a 23-yard catch by Dominic Morgan and the second a 40-yard catch by Stadelmyer.

On the first play after Girard accepted fielded punt by Champion in the third quarter, Stadelmyer dashed 60 yards into the end.

Raymond Byrd ended a long drive by Girard in the fourth quarter by pounding the final yard to score the Indians last touch

Champion running back Russell Rouan scored the game’s final points as the clock expired on a determined two-yard run. Because the clock had expired, Champion was not allowed to kick an extra point.

McSuley said Champion’s determined defense forced the Indians to rely on Graziano’s passing skills. “They kept a lot of guys in the box to take away our run, so we put the ball in the air.”

Still, the Golden Flashes weren’t entirely successful in containing Girard’s ground game. Stadelmyer gained 140 yards on just seven carries, and Graziano added 73 yards on seven carries.

Stadelmyer also led the team in receiving yards, gaining 88 yards on four connections with Graziano.

“We used a lot of weapons,” McSuley remarked. “But the whole team is still developing. Our whole team is getting better. But we’ve got to do a better job tackling as we face better teams.”