A relieved Dippolito savors Geibel’s first victory
CONNELLSVILLE TWP. – There are times when just one word will say what a thousand can’t. Like Saturday afternoon, when Geibel Catholic football coach Angelo Dippolito paused as he came off the field, looked back for a second onto the site he had just left, and said with a very relieved smile, “Finally!”
After four previous unsuccessful tries, Geibel had “finally” put its first victory of the season into the hopper, a 28-6 Tri-County South Conference win over visiting West Greene, and the veteran coach was greatly relieved.
In getting that elusive first win, the Gators came within two points of equaling their entire output for the four preceding games (30), and they earned all those 28 with an alert offense and a very physical defense that forced three turnovers, one for a score. On only three occasions did the Gator defenders allow the Pioneers to drive across the home 40.
Coach Dippolito observed that “coming into the game, I felt that line play would be a big factor, for they can pass and we had to control the line. West Greene is very aggressive up front, and today was a very good test for us, for next week we play Frazier and they are very strong across the front.”
The Gator coach added, “Mitch Erdely, Chris Urosek, and Mario Fragello were big keys today. Fragello came to us from the school soccer program and hadn’t played football since the sixth grade. He told me before today’s game ‘I’m ready’ and he was. Urosek came into his own, he’s a fine motivator, and Mitch is good on either side of the ball. They were leaders for us today.”
Urosek was the Gator workhorse, carrying 13 times for 105 yards and three TD’s. Fragello got the other score with a 32-yard pass interception. With the offense moving overland, Erdely went to the air just eight times, none in the second half.
On the other side of the ball, the Gator defenders were giving up only 139 yards overland, but they had seven sacks totaling 29 yards, for a net of 110 allowed, plus 70 passing. West Greene got its only score late in the third.
West Greene received the opening kickoff and three plays later A.J. Ardabell swiped a pass at the home 49, setting up the first touchdown drive. The Gators moved 51 yards in 15 plays, killing almost six minutes off the clock, converting four times on third down, plus a fourth down move. Erdely carried nine yards to the West Greene 6-yard line on a third down, and the Gators moved from there.
Urosek went ahead two, Erdely kept ahead for another, and on third down from the 3-yard line, Urosek hit over the left side to score at 3:47. Fragello’s kick gave Geibel a 7-0 lead.
After an exchange of possessions, Geibel was held at midfield and Mike Ciarochi kicked to the WG-12. The Pioneers moved the sticks once, had third-and-10 at their own 23, and quarterback Aaron Wilson went to the air. But Fragello intercepted at the 32, in full stride, with a clear field ahead of him, and was on his way. He added the PAT for a 14-0 halftime lead.
Dippolito added “that interception was a big factor. It made our kids realize they can play, and now on top of that they know they can win.”
Pioneer coach Scott Orndoff said, “This is my best team for talent in three years, but we just came up short. That interception score was a big factor for them, and then in the third they drove for that score that gave them a big lead helped turn things their way.”
The Gators picked up where they left off in the first half at the beginning of the second half. The kickoff was into the end zone, placing the ball at the 20-yard line, with the Gators moving the sticks once. After a holding penalty put the Gators back to their 21, Urosek went over the right side, and raced 78 yards before being caught at the 1-yard line. He got that last yard on the next carry, but the kick was blocked.
The Pioneers then engineered their only scoring march of the day. Starting from their own 33 after the kickoff, West Greene moved to the Gator 3-yard line in 12 plays, converting twice on third down and once on fourth. Wilson kept the snap and rammed straight ahead for the last three yards at 2:39. The 2-point pass attempt was incomplete.
The ensuing kickoff was downed on the 36, and after Erdely kept for five yards, Vomish lugged 9, 17, 2, and 14 yards to end the third quarter with first down at the WG-10.
From there, Erdely started the fourth quarter with a 3-yard gain.Vomish lost one, but Erdely went wide left for three yards, and on fourth down from the five, Urosek bulled over right guard to score at 10:04.
Erdely to Fragello added the 2-point conversion to set the final score.