Dan Burda
MOUNT CARMEL - All North Schuylkill needed to do to finish its first perfect regular season in school history was to be itself.
That meant the defense and running game needed to shine, and after shaking off Mount Carmel's best body blows in the first half, the Spartans showed why they're now 10-0 as the defense came up with three fumble recoveries and the offense scored all four touchdowns on the ground to beat the Red Tornadoes 27-7.
The win also breaks a 10-year spell the Tornadoes held over North Schuylkill, as well as assures the Spartans the No. 1 seed in the District 11 Class AA playoffs, although their dancing partner and place both have yet to be determined.
The combination of a slow Spartans' start and the best stretch of football Mount Carmel played all year left the packed visitors stands quiet through most of the first half as frost crept across the field.
North Schuylkill head coach Rick Geist had his own explanation for the Spartans' slow start.
"Maybe we're not used to playing on real grass, I don't know," Geist joked after the game. "Maybe we need the mud."
Scott Houser led North Schuylkill with 124 yards on the ground and three touchdowns of increasing length as the game wore on.
Houser scored North Schuylkill's second touchdown from three yards out in the third quarter, and added runs of 18 and 36 yards in the fourth to salt away the Spartans' win.
"The kids played well," Geist said. "Houser ran tough tonight. The defense picked it up in the second half. I'm happy, we'll see what happens."
Houser, along with fellow running backs Ed Pavalko and Kody Flail, who each gained 76 yards apiece, found quite a bit of running room over the right side of the line behind guard Tyler Dean and tackle Zach Yoder.
"We were just blocking," Geist said. "They came out and said we can block these guys, and I said, 'Okay.'"
Mount Carmel, after stopping North Schuylkill's first offensive possession, had the Spartans' defense on their heels with some tricks plays and tough running by Justin Pellowski.
On Mount Carmel's fifth play from scrimmage, quarterback Eddy Stewart threw a backwards pass to wide out and backup quarterback Jacob Kleman, who then heaved the ball to a wide open Meyrick Lamb. Only Flail came between Lamb and a touchdown.
Four plays later, the Tornadoes handed the ball over on downs, wasting an opportunity to take the early lead. They did take that lead on their next possession when Stewart found Cody Shustack in the flat for a 13-yard touchdown.
"In the beginning, we went over all that stuff with the double pass and all the couple trick plays they ran there," Geist said. "We went over everything, it just took us a little bit to get warmed up."
Pavalko tied the game with a one-yard plunge 33 seconds before the half and both teams went to the locker rooms.
The locker rooms must have been extra warm on the visitor's side as the Spartans forced fumbles on the Tornadoes' first two possessions and went on to score on three of their five second-half possessions.
"We made some adjustments, going to a four to a five (man front) depending on how they came out," Geist said.
North Schuylkill players call their own players based on parameters set up by Geist, but he's quick to give them all the credit for making adjustments, specifically Steve Ennis who has called the defenses all year.
"We know what we're doing this year on defense, where we're supposed to be. We got messed up there a little bit, but at half time we straightened it out.
Mount Carmel, despite the loss, also qualifies for the playoffs, albeit the Eastern Conference version, although their opponent and place are as yet unknown.
The frustration showed on head coach Bob Chesney's face after the game as his team yet another slip out of their hands.
"Same M.O., come out, feel prepared, we get a couple stakes to put in the heart and we just can't find the mallet," Chesney said.
"Against a team like that with all they're fire and potential, we let it slip by. We came out and we started putting the ball on the ground, and you can't do that. I thought it was a very good football game to watch, I wish I could have watched it more and enjoyed it."
NOVEMBER 7, 2009 NEWS-ITEM SPORTS LINKS
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