Scotties ride big second quarter to 36-8 win over Mikes
Carmichaels quarterback Kevin Kelly (13) prepares to throw a pass against Southmoreland during the third quarter of Friday night's game at Coaches Field in Carmichaels.
Southmoreland quarterback Zach Cernuto (10) has to hurry his pass after being pressured by Carmichaels' Michael Stewart (7) during the third quarter of Friday night's game at Coaches Field in Carmichaels.
Carmichaels running back Bailey Jones (26) looks for running room against Southmoreland after taking a handoff from quarterback Kevin Kelly (13) during Friday night's game at Coaches Field in Carmichaels.
Carmichaels coach Ryan Krull (middle) signals to his team during Friday night's game against Southmoreland at Coaches Field in Carmichaels.
Rob Burchianti | 蘑菇视频
The Mikes take the field before their game against Southmoreland on Sept. 7 at Coaches Field in Carmichaels.
Carmichaels quarterback Kevin Kelly (13) throws a pass on a rollout play against Southmoreland during the third quarter of Friday night's game at Coaches Field in Carmichaels.
Fans take in the game between Carmichaels and Southmoreland on Friday night at Coaches Field in Carmichaels.
Southmoreland running back Ronnie Robinson (21) looks for running room as Carmichaels' Zack Gamble (10) and Hunter Voithofer (32) pursue during the third quarter of Friday night's game at Coaches Field in Carmichaels.
Rob Burchianti | 蘑菇视频
Southmoreland蘑菇视频 Colt Firmstone (3) sacks Carmichaels quarterback Kevin Kelly (13) for a loss on a fourth-down play during the second quarter of their game on Sept. 7 at Coaches Field in Carmichaels.
Rob Burchianti | 蘑菇视频
Southmoreland蘑菇视频 Chase Calhoun (77) extends his hand in an attempt to block a punt by Carmichaels鈥� Bailey Jones (26) during the second quarter of Friday night蘑菇视频 game at Coaches Field in Carmichaels. Calhoun did block the punt to help set up a Scotties touchdown.
Rob Burchianti | 蘑菇视频
Southmoreland running back Ronnie Robinson (21) takes the handoff from quarterback Zach Cernuto (10) as teammates Chase Calhoun (77), Ryan Szolek (56) and Lance Vance (75) block during the third quarter of Friday night蘑菇视频 game at Coaches Field in Carmichaels. Robinson scored three touchdowns in the Scotties鈥� 36-8 win to move into a tie for fifth place in the 蘑菇视频 Touchdown Club standings with 36 points through Week Two.
Southmoreland quarterback Zach Cernuto (10) prepares to throw a pass to Riley Comforti (11) during the third quarter of Friday night's game at Coaches Field in Carmichaels. Cernuto passed for 141 yards in the Scotties' 36-8 victory. Comforti had five receptions for 51 yards.
Southmoreland coach Dave Keefer talks to his team during a timeout in the Scotties' game at Coaches Field in Carmichaels on Friday night.
Southmoreland fullback Colt Harper (with ball) is first hit at the Carmichaels seven-yard line but that won't stop him from bulling his way into the end zone for a second-quarter touchdown during Friday night's game at Coaches Field in Carmichaels.
CARMICHAELS 鈥� Southmoreland found itself trailing at Carmichaels late in the first quarter of Friday night蘑菇视频 Interstate Conference game.
Dave Keefer felt his team was just fine, however, and the first-year Scotties coach proved to be correct as Southmoreland exploded for 30 points in the second quarter on its way to a 36-8 victory at Coaches Field.
鈥淲e had some missed assignments in the first quarter and I think we started imposing our will a little bit in the second,鈥� Keefer said. 鈥淚 think our kids started executing and really stepped up their game. Once we got them on their heels, they just kept pouring it on in that first half.鈥�
Ronnie Robinson rushed for 104 yards on 18 carries and Zach Cernuto completed nine of 14 passes for 141 yards as the Scotties (2-1, 1-1) used a balanced attack on offense and a strong defensive effort to pull away from the Mikes (0-2, 0-2).
鈥淐ernuto did a nice job,鈥� Keefer said. 鈥淗e蘑菇视频 a sophomore. He蘑菇视频 stepping up, he蘑菇视频 getting more mature, becoming a game commander. And Ronnie蘑菇视频 tough week in, week out.
鈥淐olt Harper had a good game on both sides of the ball, and, off an injury, freshman defensive end Colt Firmstone had a really nice game. I think the kids fed off his energy, he did a good job getting after the quarterback and making sure nothing got outside of him.鈥�
The Mikes got on the board first thanks to a great defensive play at midfield by Joey Minor, whose blind-side sack of Cernuto forced a fumble into the hands of Michael Stewart.
The turnover gave Carmichaels the ball at the Scotties 42 and it covered that distance in 10 plays with quarterback Kevin Kelly蘑菇视频 one-yard touchdown plunge finishing off the drive. Kelly completed consecutive 10-yard passes to Bailey Jones, on fourth and two, and Michael Robinson to give the Mikes a first and goal at the four.
Down 6-0, Southmoreland answered with its own 10-play drive, keyed by consecutive 17-yard runs by Robinson and Harper, with Robinson蘑菇视频 two-yard touchdown run on the first play of the second quarter knotting the score at 6-6.
Robinson scored again from four yards out on the Scotties鈥� next possession with Chad Miller蘑菇视频 two-point conversion run making it 14-6.
Southmoreland蘑菇视频 defense came up with a big play halfway through the quarter when Firmstone sacked Kelly on fourth down to give the offense the ball back again, setting up a determined eight-yard TD run by Harper, who kept his feet moving and bulled his way across the goal line. Cernuto蘑菇视频 two-point pass to Cade Richter put the Scotties up 22-6.
Southmoreland蘑菇视频 special teams got into the act when Carmichaels got the ball back as Chase Calhoun blocked Jones鈥� punt to set up a 12-yard touchdown pass by Cernuto to Brandon Peterson, with Harper running in the two-point conversion.
When the smoke had cleared, the Scotties had a commanding 30-6 halftime lead.
鈥淲e got a few stops defensively, got good field position and that helped us out,鈥� Keefer said. 鈥淲e got a blocked punt and that kept the momentum going.鈥�
Carmichaels coach Ryan Krull tipped his cap to the Scotties.
鈥淐redit to them for sure,鈥� Krull said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e a good football team. They can run it and throw it. Their backs did a nice job. Their offensive line pushed us around at times.
鈥淲e struggled to run the ball and we struggled to stop the run and that蘑菇视频 what we鈥檝e hung our hat on the past couple years here.鈥�
Krull blamed himself for some of his team蘑菇视频 offensive problems.
鈥淭here were spurts,鈥� Krull said. 鈥淲e were able to hit a couple plays here and there but then we shot ourselves in the foot a lot, and some of that was on me.
鈥淢y play-calling was suspect at best. We would get a drive going and then I kept wanting to try a play that had a big reward but a big risk and it would backfire on us. I should鈥檝e done a better job of putting them in position to have success.鈥�
The Mikes, to their credit, came out fighting in the second half and allowed only one score, a nicely executed 47-yard screen pass by Cernuto to Robinson in the third quarter. A high snap by Southmoreland resulted in a fourth-quarter safety for Carmichaels to cap the game蘑菇视频 scoring.
鈥淚 told our guys after the game, it蘑菇视频 not always how hard you can punch, it蘑菇视频 how hard can you get punched and get up again,鈥� Krull said. 鈥淭he first game against Beth-Center and then the first half tonight, we took some shots, uppercuts, haymakers, body blows, and I think everybody has a point where they鈥檝e just had enough, and I think you saw a little bit of that from our kids in the second half.
鈥淭hat蘑菇视频 something we鈥檙e going to use as a positive to build for the future.鈥�
Kelly completed five of 12 passes for 67 yards and Jones rushed for 57 yards on 17 attempts to lead the Mikes offense. Zack Gamble had one reception for 31 yards.
Riley Comforti caught five passes for 51 yards for the Scotties, while Anthony Stewart added 61 rushing yards on four fourth-quarter carries.
Southmoreland out-gained Carmichaels, 350 to 159, and had 17 first downs to 11 for the Mikes.
The Scotties were in the midst of a 13-game losing streak when Keefer took over this season but have already won twice in 2018.
鈥淲e鈥檙e learning how to win,鈥� Keefer said. 鈥淭hey were 0-for last year and hadn鈥檛 won a game since the September before that. Now the kids are feeling good about themselves.They鈥檙e gaining confidence.鈥�
Keefer commended the Mikes.
鈥淭hat蘑菇视频 a tough team, Carmichaels,鈥� Keefer said. 鈥淭hey鈥檝e got tough kids.鈥�
When Krull was asked if it made a difference that his team was in Class 1-A last year, while Southmoreland was in 3-A, Krull just shook his head.
鈥淚鈥檓 not going there,鈥� Krull said. 鈥淭he standard is the standard here and I will not compromise on that. The players know that. The coaches know that. We鈥檙e not going to blame the conference.
鈥淲e give kids enough excuses nowadays. We鈥檙e not giving them any cop-outs here. They鈥檙e going to earn it.鈥�