Published Saturday, Oct. 26, 1996

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Some sidelines' notes and quotes from `The Game'

By Jeff Greenburg
Herald Assistant Sports Editor

The look on Steve Byerly's face said it all.

The Sharon senior standout, tears streaming from his eyes, sat on the almost barren Sharon Stadium turf, a fallen warrior just comprehending the reality that a great career was coming to an end.

After two consecutive berths in the PIAA Class AAA state championship, Byerly and his senior teammates were heartbroken after falling well short of their goal of a return trip to Altoona in Class AA this year.

Wilmington quarterback Todd Smargiasso (3) carries into the end zone on a seven-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. (David E. Dale/Herald)

But no matter, anyone who has followed or been associated with this senior class knows they have certainly cemented their spot in Sharon Tiger football history.

``They've had some great experiences _ the 18 of them _ a couple league titles and district titles and some great trips in the last two years,'' said Sharon coach Jim Wildman. ``The toughest thing about this is to think that you have a pretty good team and for the first time in 10 years people in this room (lockerroom) will be raking leaves in October.''

While it may be of little consolation, this squad, without question, will take its spot with several of Mercer County's finest teams that over the years didn't make the playoffs.

Among them are: the 1956 and 1966 Sharon Tigers, both which finished 10-0 yet didn't make the WPIAL playoffs because of Gardner Points; the 1990 Sharon Tigers, which won the District 10 AAA title and finished 11-1 yet didn't make the state playoffs because of points (in fact that Sharon team could have finished 12-0 and wouldn't have gone); and the 1992 Reynolds Raiders, which closed 9-1 (only loss was 6-0 to Sharon in Week 2) and was not picked for the D-10 playoffs.

The Sharon seniors are (listed in program): starters _ Manny Norris, Brian Griffin, Ken Messina, Brad Bacon, Duane Confer, Matt Torr, Randy Clark, Steve King, Geno Rossi, Steve Byerly, Jeff Songer, Cory Blough, Joe Moss and Glen Saunders; and reserves _ Bryan Phillips, Marc Campbell, Manny King, Josh Ott and Tom Reiter.

A key to the Wilmington win? How about third-down conversions?

``Obviously that makes a major difference in a game when you can convert third downs and keep the ball moving and keep (Sharon's) power offense off the field,'' said Greyhounds coach Terry Verrelli.

Wilmington certainly did that.

On their first scoring drive, the Greyhounds converted plays of 3rd-and-4, 3rd-and-9, and a 3rd-and-goal from the one on a Todd Smargiasso dive for the touchdown.

Wilmington's second score _ a 63-yard scoring strike to Jon Tekac _ came on a 3rd-and-11 play on a drive that was kept alive when the Hounds converted a 3rd-and-2 earlier for a first down.

Wilmington's third score _ an 8-yard Smargiasso run _ came on 3rd-and-goal.

The Greyhounds then ate up more than 6 minutes of the fourth-quarter game clock on a drive in which they converted plays of 3rd-and-4, 3rd-and-6 and 3rd-and-11.

``They're back-breakers,'' said Smargiasso of those third down plays.

In all, Wilmington converted 9 of 14 third-down plays, while Sharon could convert only 2-of-10. The Tigers were also only 1-of-3 on 4th-down plays.

``We said at the beginning of the game that execution was the name of it and certainly their third-down execution was awesome,'' said Wildman.

An announced crowd of an estimated 8,000 fans could prove to be one of the biggest, if not the biggest, crowds in Mercer County history. It was simply wall-to-wall people. ``I can't say that I've ever played in front of a crowd like this,'' said Verrelli. ``It was great. It just sent chills up your spine knowing people all around you were supporting the game.''

Stadium officials said people began lining up outside the gates by 4 p.m.

Field conditions were as good as they could be thanks, in part, to the efforts of Horizon Hospital System and its STAT MedEvac helicopter, which cleared the field of excess water Friday morning at no cost to the school or to Horizon, according to a MedEvac official.

How big was this game? Mercer athletic director Hugh Ringer elected to skip his Mustangs' contest with Reynolds to serve as sideline reporter for WWIZ Radio. He wasn't alone. Mercer head coach Frank Makarevich got six tickets this week for his wife and family to attend the Sharon-Wilmington game. Now, that's some serious football fans.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, a big kudos goes out to WPIC Radio's play-by-play announcer Dave Hanahan, who missed, perhaps, the biggest game of his career to spend the evening at Sharpsville for Senior Night. His son Tom is a senior on the Blue Devils squad.

Hermitage resident John DeMuth fell well short of his 40-yard field goal attempt at halftime of the contest that would have given him a 1996 Ford Ranger pickup truck. DeMuth's kick never got more than 5 or 6 feet off the ground and hit the field at about the 5-yard line.

DeMuth took home a $500 consolation prize in the contest sponsored by Preston Ford of Sharon, saying ``Hey, it was the first thing I've ever won in my life.''

DeMuth said he had never kicked before and wasn't able to practice after being notified Thursday that he was selected. He also was one person who would have, perhaps, enjoyed a somewhat smaller crowd.

``I kind of wish (Wilmington and Sharon) both had losing records, then there would probably have been only a couple hundred people here,'' quipped DeMuth, who kicked without a tee and without cleats.

``That wasn't my problem,'' said DeMuth, referring to his footwear. ``I think it was my form.''

How big was the game 2? West Middlesex coach Ed Pikna said Friday night when calling in his team's score that his team was aware that Sharon was losing 21-7 late in the game even before the Big Reds left the St. Marys' parking lot, some 3 hours away.

How big was the game 3? Mars High School coach Scott Heinauer, while talking with Brian Gallagher of the New Castle News for a preview of his 8-0 squad's Allegheny Conference title showdown with 7-1 Laurel this week made a reference to the Sharon-Wilmington game. He said at least both Mars and Laurel would be in the WPIAL playoffs, no matter who won, adding ``it's too bad about Wilmington and Sharon.''

The phrase, 'Hounds Hammer, used to describe the superb Wilmington defense was first coined by The Herald last season as the Greyhounds were waltzing their way through the MCAC and District 10 into the state playoffs.

Friday night, for the first time, T-shirts exhibiting the phrase were seen being worn by Wilmington fans, including Sam Mastrian and Mark Kerr. Hounds fans were also heard chanting, ``Hammer, Hammer, Hammer...'' when Wilmington's defense was on the field.

Don't worry. We won't be holding our breaths for the royalty checks.

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Updated Saturday, Oct. 26, 1996.