By John Bassetti

bassetti@vindy.com

GIRARD

Quarterback in a quarterfinal makes for good combination as Dan Graziano threw for a touchdown and ran for another in Girard High’s 35-12 regional quarterfinal win over Canton Central Catholic at Arrowhead Stadium Saturday night.

Graziano threw touchdowns passes of 65 and 16 yards to Branden Byrd and Ahmad Eggleston, respectively, and the quarterback ran 41 yards for another score as Girard (10-1) advanced to week 12 in Division IV.

Saturday’s game was between Region 13’s No. 1 and No. 8 teams.

The Girard machine continued to roll as Graziano had 128 yards rushing and 167 passing and Eggleston also scored twice on short rushes and the running back finished with 138 yards.

The Indians have outscored opponents, 480-161. Girard outgained the Crusaders on the ground, 264-91, and in the air, 167-67.

There was no doubt which was top-seeded and which was eigth-seeded.

“We came out with a bunch of intensity so we can go into week 12,” said Byrd, a wide receiver whose TD reception came on the first play of the second quarter to put the Indians up, 14-0.

“Coach just told us to keep running the plays hard and we’d come out with a win,” said Byrd, whose father, Raymond Byrd, played at Campbell Memorial. “It feels real good.”

Branden Byrd now has 11 TD receptions his senior season, while Eggleston increased his point-scoring total to 186.

Canton Central Catholic scored six points to pull within 14-6, but the Crusaders (8-3) got no closer.

Byrd finished with two catches for 90 yards, while Dan Graziano’s sophomore brother, Jordan Graziano, had four receptions for 52 yards.

Against Central Catholic, Graziano completed 8 of 12 passes.

For the season, Graziano is 83 of 142 for 1594 yards.

The win marked Girard coach Nick Cochran’s first in the playoffs as a head coach, but he didn’t feel comfortable with the outcome until the margin had reached 35-6.

“Anytime you play a Lowell Klinefelder team, you’d better be prepared because he’s a great coach.”

Of the special occasion, he said, “I enjoy it, but it’s not so much for me as it is for the kids and for my staff that does most of the work. I just sit back.”

Girard’s regional semifinal game will be against first-time opponent Sullivan Black River.

Alex Robinson, a 6-0, 190 junior who hadn’t played earlier in the season, made an impact, starting with his opening-kickoff tackle on Central’s return man, on a play that also laid out Girard’s Camaren Harden.

Harden did suffer a concussion, but Cochran reported that the senior was fine a few hours after the game.

Nick Malvasi and Jake Carpenter were other Indians packing a wallop in the hit throughout the game.