Youngstown Christian defeats Sebring 40-13

By CHUCK HOUSTEAU

Vindicator Correspondent

CANFIELD — Sebring coach Jay Brophy said Youngstown Christian could have scored 80 points against his Trojans football team Thursday night.

After watching YCS quarterback John Pecchia throw for 276 yards and five touchdowns in the first half, Eagles’ coach Brian Marrow called off the dogs in the final two quarters and settled for a 40-13 win.

“Their team did a great job,” Brophy said. “I thanked [Marrow] for calling them off. They could have scored 80 if they wanted.”

“I don’t know about that,” Marrow said after the game. “Our guys did make a lot of big plays.”

Marrow said the play of Pecchia and receiver Victor Shaw was outstanding in the first half.

“We have a great quarterback and receiving tandem with Pecchia and Shaw and our line gave us some time to operate.

“We played with a lot more heart than in our first two games.”

Youngstown Christian improved to 1-2 after opening losses to Grove City Christian and Springfield.

Pecchia connected on 12 of 18 passes including eight to Shaw for 192 yards and four touchdowns.

The signature play for the duo came late in the first half when Pecchia tried to sneak for a first down on fourth and one from the Sebring 14 and was stuffed.

The senior then back-peddled and began scrambling around to nearly both sidelines before finding Shaw open in the end zone for a touchdown.

“You have to give credit to our offensive line there,” Pecchia said. “We knew that we were faster and could exploit their weaknesses and the line just gave me time to make that play happen.”

“Victor made some great catches and did a great job of getting open on that play as well.”

Shaw said the four touchdown catches were the most in a game for his career.

“I just kept running my butt off and hustling on every play just like I always do,” Shaw said. “I know if I can get open that John [Pecchia] is going to get the ball to me.”

Shaw scored on catches of 11, 61, 10 and 14 yards and had 192 receiving yards.

Pecchia also threw a 32 yard touchdown pass to Ryan Davenport in the first half as the Eagles went into halftime with a 34-6 lead.

Sebring scored early in the game when an errant field goal attempt by Spencer Reed was picked up by Jake Hubbs and returned 90 yards for the game’s first points.

Youngstown Christian then reverted to strictly a running game in the second half as Pecchia handed off in the third quarter and watched from the sidelines in the fourth.

He didn’t throw a pass in the second half.

Davenport broke free early in the third quarter on a 41-yard scoring play to push the lead to 40-6.

As good as the YCS offense was, the defense was nearly as impressive.

Led by Davenport at middle linebacker, the Eagles held Sebring to 25 yards of offense and one first down in the first two periods.

“Our defense did a great job,” Marrow said. “We came on strong after that first special teams lapse in the first quarter.”

Sebring (1-2) scored a final tally on a 73-yard run by Dakota Wagner.

“We take one step forward and then two steps back,” said Brophy. “We came out flat after an emotional win last week at Southington.”

———

Sebring6007—13

Yo. Christian72760—40

First Quarter

SEBRING — Jack Hubbs 90 return of blocked field goal (kick failed), 7:21

YCS — Victor Shaw 11 pass from John Pecchia (Spencer Reed kick), 4:06

Second Quarter

YCS — Shaw 61 pass from Pecchia (Reed kick), 10:47

YCS — Shaw 10 pass from Pecchia (Reed kick), 4:11

YCS — Ryan Davenport 32 pass from Pecchia (Reed kick) 3:31

YCS — Shaw 14 pass from Pecchia (kick blocked), 1:03

Third Quarter

YCS — Davenport 41 run (kick failed), 10:19

Fourth Quarter

SEBRING — Dakota Wagner 73 run (Wagner kick), 9:26

SebYCS

First Downs717

Rushes-yards33-18734-195

Passing yards12276

Comp-att-int4-15-212-18-1

Fumbles-lost2-14-2

Penalties-yards3-157-50

Individual leaders

RUSHING — Sebring, Wagner 5-72, Rinehart 10-32; YCS, Yanno 18-88, Davenport 3-46.

PASSING — Sebring, Baia 4-14-2-12; YCS, Pecchia 12-18-1-276.

RECEIVING — YCS, Shaw 8-192, Davenport 3-64.