Terry, Oblas help Mahanoy Area spoil Marian’s Homecoming
Mahanoy Area will host Shenandoah Valley on Friday night for the annual Damato-Szematowicz rivalry game. (Photo by Justin Reed/Skook News)
HOMETOWN – On the final evening of the Summer Solstice, Mahanoy Area’s football team was basking in the afterglow after shocking bitter rival Marian on Saturday night at Stan Dakosty Field at Men of Marian Stadium.
The Golden Bears rallied around a junkyard tough defense, made big plays when least expected and rolled impressively to capture their first win of the season and spoil Marian’s Homecoming with a 27-7 victory in a Schuylkill/Colonial Blue Division game.
The win snapped a four-game losing streak and gave Mahanoy Area (1-4, 1-3 Blue) a boost of confidence that was felt throughout the sideline as the game wore on and momentum kept creeping in favor of the underdog Bears.
Marian (3-2, 2-2 Blue) controlled the game early, putting together a 12-play drive centered around the running of sophomore tailback Rory Dixon. Dixon cashed in early in the second quarter on a 4-yard run. Kicker Jah Bushati made it a quick 7-0 Marian lead.
Just when the Mahanoy Area seemed to have found its wheels, it whiffed on a chance to get the equalizer, turning the ball over on its 49. The Colts then went back into grinding mode, marching deep into Golden Bear territory for an opportunity to take a double-digit lead.
The best was yet to come – for Mahanoy Area.
The Bears rose up on the heels of their defense, choking off the Marian offensive attack with a huge goal-line stop 1 yard shy of a touchdown. Marian was pounding the rock, riding the legs again of Dixon, who finished with 27 carries for 144 yards.
The Colts’ tires went flat, however, thanks to a stout Mahanoy Area defensive line that kept digging in, clawing, scrapping and unyielding. When a fourth-down run was turned away, the momentum turned in favor of the Bears.
“That (stand) was so outstanding, and when we got that huge run from Levi Terry, it felt like a load was off our backs,” Mahanoy Area coach Dave Holman said.
Terry raced 64 yards out of danger, and although Mahanoy Area didn’t turn it into points, the run turned the tide in its favor. Mahanoy’s defense stayed hot and when the offense got back on the field, Terry used his quick feet to speed to the end zone on a 64-yard TD run. Though it missed the extra-point try, Mahanoy’s confidence level soared.
Marian kept that 7-6 lead until halftime.
“I trust my offensive line,” Terry said about his 135-yard rushing night.
He can also trust fellow senior, Mike Oblas, who tormented Marian’s defense by scoring three touchdowns. His first was a 31-yard pass play from Terry that put the Bears on top 12-7 with 10:30 on the third quarter clock. Oblas has an uncanny ability to get free out of the backfield, running wheel routes at times.
“I really felt confident mainly because I knew I could get by their corners,” Oblas said. “You’ve got to give it to our line play, they don’t give (Levi) time we aren’t getting a completion. And they blocked great all night.”
Yeah, after capping off a short-field drive of 12 yards on a fumble recovery at the Marian 12 at the onset of the fourth quarter, Oblas buried his head into the line to finishing four-play drive for six more points. Oblas caught the two-point conversion to put Mahanoy Area up 20-7.
“This was such a big win for us,” said Mahanoy Area running back Kyler Quick, who was a standout on both sides of the ball, adding key runs at times in critical situations.
Mahanoy Area clinched the victory when its defense forced a second Marian fumble and Oblas hit paydirt for the third time with 3:33 left to play on a 5-yard run.
“It was very important that we get this win,” Mahanoy Area senior two-way standout Brian Gallagher said. “It’s a rivalry game, and we stopped our losing streak. Now we can look at the next five games and see what happens.”
To be sure, Holman knows that, too.
“It feels so good, especially against a very good (Marian) team,” Holman said. “Losing is very tough, it leaves a bitter taste in your mouth, and they didn’t want to have that taste again. We have the final stretch over the next five weeks, and we are starting to mature. We installed the midline offense, and it takes a while to get the feel for it.”
For sure, Mahanoy Area had the feel most of the night here to scuttle a four-game losing streak and maybe just get back into a winning mood.
JULIAN ON THE WATCH … Marian two-way tackle Julian Hermany suffered a neck injury early in the second half and had to be removed via an ambulance. Marian head coach Billy O’Gurek said everything is fine, just soreness in his neck.
HE SAID IT … “Give credit to Mahanoy Area. They did a great job all night recognizing some things and played tough,” Marian head coach O’Gurek said.
DEBUT… Freshman Marian QB Greg Tirpak got his first start, completing 2-of-8 passes for 16 yards. Dylan Rodino filled in late and seemed comfortable late in the game, throwing for 62 yards.
