Commodores dominated by Rams
ROCHESTER – Frazier’s Craig Neely attempted an onside kick to open the game, and the football barely went one yard let alone the 10 needed before the kicking team is allowed to successfully recover it. Host Rochester took over on the Commodores’ 43 and drove for a touchdown seven running plays later, and it was all downhill after that for Frazier.
The top-seeded Rams dominated with a powerful running game and stifling defense to secure a 41-8 win Friday night at Rochester Stadium and advance to the quarterfinals against Sto-Rox in the WPIAL Class A playoffs.
“We tried to make a big play right away,” second-year Frazier coach Larry Wilson said. ” It didn’t work against a tough opponent. They’re always there year in and year out. … Any coach would love to build a program with players on that team, but I’ve got nothing to be ashamed of with our team.
“We were a horrible team last year. We scored 42 total points, so we came a long way to get into the playoffs this year. There’s not a lot of talent in our locker room, but if our young players work hard in the offseason maybe we can eventually compete against teams like Rochester.”
Frazier (4-6), the fourth-place team in the Tri-County South Conference, certainly didn’t have much to be proud of in the first half. Rochester (8-2), the Big Seven Conference and two-time defending WPIAL and PIAA Class A champ, held the Commodores to just two total yards with minus-16 rushing.
The Rams scored on all six of their first-half possessions, including four touchdown runs by senior tailback Nate Waldron, to take a 41-0 lead into the locker room. They finished with 272 rushing yards with Waldron picking up 96 on 11 carries in less than two quarters and 341 total yards to 98.
Rochester quarterback Jeff Peternel-Gitts was 2-for-2 passing for 69 yards with a 53-yard scoring pass to Nate Tucker for the Rams’ fourth TD. Their defense held Frazier to 14 total yards through three quarters with six quarterback sacks overall. The Commodores didn’t get a first down until 8:10 remained in the game and finished with three.
“Our kids really did a good job right off the bat,” Rochester coach Gene Matsook said. “They came out ready to play, and this is their time of year. We told our kids to get a quick start so we don’t give (Frazier) any hope. And we did that. … We can’t look back and can’t look too far ahead.
“We can only take care of the present. We still hit all our goals. We made the playoffs, won our conference and have a shot at the WPIAL title. So, we’re right on schedule. We also emptied the bench, so we’re building depth. That’s great, because you never know when you’ll need one of them.”
Rochester used three quarterbacks, and eight running backs carried the ball with a handful of sophomores getting a good deal of playing time. This was possible primarily because an offensive line that included center Nick Mannerino, guards Todd Jarrett and Jim Sadler, tackles Matt Weiss and Skyler Freed and tight end Nick Zarnich manhandled Frazier.
Waldron opened the scoring with a five-yard run just three minutes into the game, and he had a 32-yard burst to the 1 to surpass the 1,000-yard mark and set up his second score in the first quarter after a six-play, 64-yard drive. He scored from 12 yards out to open the second quarter and added a five-yard TD run for Rochester’s sixth first-half score.
Tucker’s 53-yard touchdown reception was the Rams’ fifth score, and it was the first play after the Rochester defense stopped Frazier on downs. Danny Fike, who had a 30-yard punt return to give the Rams good field position for Waldron’s final TD run, closed out his team’s scoring with a 21-yard touchdown run with 1:33 remaining before halftime. Brent Whiteleather, who had 53 yards on five carries, had a 30-yard run to key the final TD drive.
Frazier’s only touchdown came with 2:09 left on a 56-yard touchdown pass from T.J. Martinak to Ryan Keebler. Martinak was 5-for-8 passing for 80 yards and ran for two first downs to keep a drive alive before being picked off by Dan Helbig. The scoring pass came on the ensuing drive.