Nov 3, 2002 By Bill Utterback Calkins Media 4 min read

MONACA – The field was mostly abandoned when Luke Shuster wrapped his arm around teammate Joe Lanzot and smiled for a cheerleader’s camera. Eventually, the photograph will find a home in a yearbook or a scrapbook or a shoebox full of high school treasure. “A lot of our memories are on that field,” Lanzot said later.

Shuster and Lanzot drifted toward the end zone. They found senior classmates Dan Egan, Jason Zangus, Andrae Carlisle and Chris Causer. They embraced as coaches and teammates climbed the hill toward the bus that would take them to the high school.

The seniors lingered. They laughed. They knelt in prayer.

“We thanked God for everyone who has helped us,” Shuster said. “And we thanked God for our teammates.”

The Monaca seniors have followed a challenging path, surviving worrisome losses to Western Beaver and Avonworth in consecutive weeks, surviving the school suspensions of Carlisle and Causer. They have emerged stronger, and more determined.

The Class of 2003 accounted for six touchdowns and 38 points as the Indians claimed a 41-8 decision over California Friday in a WPIAL Class A first-round playoff game at Monaca.

Quarterback Ricky Schultz, a senior, rushed for 106 yards and three touchdowns.

Egan, Carlisle and Causer also scored touchdowns, while senior Craig Bloom made a 25-yard reception that led to a touchdown, and senior Keith Bloom caught a conversion pass from Schultz.

Junior Kevin Miller contributed two interceptions.

“I was with the seniors for two years as an assistant coach, and the last two years as head coach, and I’ve seen them improve so much,” Monaca coach Shawn McCreary said. “They’ve worked so hard, and the record shows they’ve helped us win a lot of games over the past four years.”

Monaca is the only WPIAL Class A program to win a playoff game in five consecutive seasons. The Indians’ average margin of victory in first-round games since 1998 is 29.2 points.

The seniors – including starting guard Buddy Bullock, starting safety Cain Herman, linemen Michael Miller and Rich Sedlacek and running back Tony Vorrias – have helped Monaca win three consecutive first-round games at home.

“We set some goals as freshman and they’re still in front of us,” Egan said. “We’re not ready to start looking back yet.”

Monaca sprinted into the 2002 playoffs, scoring on six of their first seven possessions, including five in succession through the second and third quarters. The Indians’ first-team offense played three quarters without making a turnover or drawing a penalty flag.

“That’s a sign of the discipline and the focus the kids brought into the game,” McCreary said.

“This is the way we should have been playing all year,” Lanzot said.

Monaca’s first possession included a 31-yard run by Egan to set up a 10-yard touchdown run by Schultz, whose ball-faking ability created opportunities throughout the evening.

Early in the second half, Schultz used an 18-yard run to set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Egan.

When Shuster recovered a fumble at Monaca’s 48, the Indians began another scoring drive. A 17-yard run by Kevin Miller led to a 7-yard touchdown run by Schultz.

Miller’s first interception led to an 80-yard drive in the closing moments of the half. Miller contributed a 15-yard run, and Schultz completed passes to Craig Bloom (25 yards) and Egan 12 (yards) for first downs. Carlisle rushed 4 yards for the touchdown.

The conversion pass was the prettiest play of the night. Schultz rolled to his right but couldn’t find a receiver. Under pressure, he reversed his field and circled toward the left sideline, then threw a strike to Keith Bloom in the corner of the end zone. Monaca led 28-0 at halftime.

The second half began with Schultz, off another play-action fake, ran 45 yards for a touchdown. After Miller’s second interception, Causer ran 13 yards to set up his 7-yard touchdown run, pushing the score to 41-0.

Causer and Carlisle were suspended after they were caught with BB guns in a car before football practice. Possession violated a school weapon’s policy. They returned the team in time for their final home game.

“We’ve been together for four years,” Shuster said. “It was good to have everybody back together again tonight.”