Published Thursday, Nov. 6, 1997
BACK TO HERALD...
Red-hot Farrell faces unbeaten foe in WPIAL tilt
By Brad Isles
Herald Sports Writer
Farrell heads to Chartiers-Houston for a WPIAL A battle at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
The Steelers enter the contest riding a six-game winning streak this season and an 11-game playoff winning streak spanning the past three seasons.
Chartiers-Houston was one of just two undefeated teams in the WPIAL and will look to spoil Farrell coach Lou Falconi's attempt to move into sole possession of third place on the county's all-time coaching win list.
Falconi is tied with former Reynolds coach Frank Amato with 156 victories. Sharon's Jim Wildman heads the list with 165 and Greenville's Bob Stone is second with 163.
WPIAL Quarterfinals
Farrell (8-2) at Chartiers-Houston (9-0)
A bye week can either help or hurt a team on a streak. Chartiers-Houston had last week off after winning the Ohio Valley Conference championship. Farrell crushed Wilkinsburg 39-14 in the first round.``We're hoping it hurt them,'' Falconi said. ``Not being active and having injuries, it helps. At the same time, it can throw you off as far as timing goes.''
Both teams sport solid ground games but have differing methods of achieving it. Chartiers-Houston sports a two-headed attack, while Farrell's yardage fall squarely on the broad shoulders of Jason Kennedy.
Cory Shaw (89 carries, 668 yards) and Mark Fazzolari (102 carries, 666 yards) have combined for more than 1,200 yards out of the I-formation.
Kennedy has nearly that many himself. The 5-11, 210-pound senior has 1,192 yards on 141 carries. After a slow start to the season, Kennedy is now averaging 119.2 yards/game and has found the end zone 15 times.
``Jason is really in gear right now,'' Falconi said. ``He's really coming on strong. He's a guy who can break away and we didn't have that early in the season. He's emerged as a real threat.''
The quarterback situation is a different story. Senior Rennie Gash is third in the area in passing by completing 63-of-136 for 1,184 yards with 15 TDs and 4 interceptions.
Gash has a plethora of receievers from which to choose. Closing the regular season, Melvin Gregory had 7 TD receptions the final four games and leads the team with 24 catches for 630 yards.
Gash also has Kennedy (9-146) out of the backfield, Louie Falconi (8-94) and Lamar Claiborne (6-70).
Ed Malinowski, the veteran signal caller at Chartiers-Houston, is 46-of-86 for 808 yards with 14 TDs and 4 interceptions. He is capable of either running the option or dropping back to pass.
On defense, Chartiers-Houston works out of a 4-4 set and has a huge line of players over 200 pounds. But their biggest advantage may be the two-hour bus ride Farrell has to get to the field.
``It's something you have to get through,'' Falconi said. ``Once we get there and get settled it will be fine.''
Directions to Chartiers-Houston: Take Route 60 to Route 422; follow 422 east to Route 79; follow 79 south and get off Exit 8; bear right onto Race Track Road and follow about 200 yards to a read light; bear right at light to Pike Street; schoolis about 1/2 mille dow road on left.
Farrell-Chartiers starters FARRELL (8-2) Offense No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr. 70 Ernie Somerset........OT 6-0 330 12 56 James Pulliam........OG 5-9 215 12 57 Lee Barlow........C 6-0 250 11 50 Sterling Austin........OG 5-10 260 12 79 Rich Townsend........OT 6-2 290 12 25 Derrick Newell........TE 6-0 205 12 80 Melvin Gregory........TE 6-1 200 12 5 Rennie Gash........QB 6-1 205 12 22 Louie Falconi........HB 5-7 160 12 3 Marinio Harris........FB 5-10 175 12 9 Jason Kennedy........TB 5-11 210 12 Defense 26 Demetreus Darden..DE 5-9 180 12 50 Sterling Austin...DT 5-10 260 12 56 James Pulliam.....NG 5-9 215 12 58 Robin Jacoway.....DT 5-11 205 11 25 Derrick Newell....DE 6-0 205 12 9 Jason Kennedy.....LB 5-11 210 12 3 Marino Harris.....LB 5-10 175 12 23 Lamar Claiborne..LCB 5-8 170 11 22 Louie Falconi.....CB 5-7 160 12 20 Ed Nicastro.......SS 5-8 165 12 5 Rennie Gash.......FS 6-1 205 12 CHARTIERS-HOUSTON (9-0) Offense No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr. 70 Sean Clayton.....OT/PK 6-2 250 12 72 Adam Nagy........OG 5-10 215 12 51 Dyson Robinson....C 5-11 230 1 76 Drew Williams....OG 6-0 275 11 63 B.J. Parker......OT 6-3 315 42 Jason Sopiak.....TE 5-9 170 12 10 Ed Malinowski....QB 6-0 185 12 22 Mark Fazzolari...TB 6-0 185 12 34 Cory Shaw........FB 6-0 180 12 23 Shane Leichty....WR 5-10 165 12 4 Shawn Randolph...WR 5-10 180 12 Defense 70 Sean Clayton.....DL 6-2 250 12 72 Adam Nagy........DL 5-10 215 12 68 Jason Krek.......DL 6-1 200 12 9 Anthony Cimino...DL 6-0 190 11 58 Dale Wieczorek...DL 6-0 235 11 34 Cory Shaw.......OLB 6-0 180 12 33 Brad Carlisle...OLB 5-9 165 12 51 Dyson Robinson..ILB 5-11 230 12 20 Steve Harmon....ILB 5-11 180 12 10 Ed Malinowski....DB 6-0 185 12 22 Mark Fazzolari.DB/P 6-0 185 12 Farrell-Chartiers stats TEAM FARRELL CHAR-HOUSTON OFFENSE 2231..........Rushing yards.....1775 223.1.........Per game..........197.2 1191..........Passing yards.......809 119.1.........Per game...........89.9 137-64-4......Att-comp-int.......89-47-5 3385..........Total yards........2584 338.5.........Per game..........287.1 304...........Points scored........274 30.4..........Per game.......... 30.4 DEFENSE 1253..........Rushing yards allowed.....N/A 125.3.........Per game..................N/A 662...........Passing yards allowed.....N/A 66.2..........Per game..................N/A 149-52-13.....Opp. Att-comp-int.........N/A 1892..........Total yards allowed.......N/A 189.2.........Per game..................N/A 95............Points allowed.............81 9.5...........Per game..................9.0 Rushing FARRELL _ Jason Kennedy 141-1192; Rennie Gash 76-341; Marino Harris 45-203; Lamar Claiborne 25-160. CHARTIERS-HOUSTON _ Cory Shaw 89-668; Mark Fazzolari 102-666. Passing FARRELL _ Gash 136-63-4-1184, 15 TDs. CHARTIERS-HOUSTON _ Ed Malinowski 86-46-4-808, 14 TDs. Receiving FARRELL _ Melvin Gregory 24-630; Kennedy 9-146; Falconi 8-94; Claiborne 6-70. CHARTIERS-HOUSTON _ Shane Leichty 15-257 (missed first 4 games); Shawn Randolph 14-242. Scoring FARRELL _ Kennedy 15 TDs; Gregory 10 TDs; Gash 5 TDs, 14 PATs. CHARTIERS-HOUSTON _ Shaw 13 TDs; Fazzolari 7 TDs; Randolph 7 TDs; Sean Clayton 19 PATs, 3 FGs, 28 pts.NOTE:The incorect Farrell team and opponent scores were published in Thursday's Herald. These are the correct figures
Game-by-game scores FARRELL (8-2) 36....Kennedy Christian..0 12....Aliquippa..........6 0....Monaca.............7 12....South Side Beaver..12 38....Neshannock.........7 39....Union..............0 33....Western Beaver.....3 37....Rochester..........19 58....Shenango...........19 WPIAL A PLAYOFF 39...Wilkinsburg........14 CHARTIERS-HOUSTON (9-0) 14....Bentworth.........13 41....Jefferson-Morgan..12 37....Cornell............8 45....Avella............18 23....Avonworth..........0 34....South Fayette.....12 39....Northgate.........12 21....Ft. Cherry.........0 20....Brentwood...........6
