Maples clinch playoff berth as Ryan Geisel goes over 1,000 yards
MAPLETOWN – Ryan Geisel ran for 194 yards on 25 carries to go over 1,000 yards for the season and Mapletown clinched a WPIAL Class A football playoff berth with a 30-0 win over Geibel Catholic Friday night. But it wasn’t as easy as the lopsided score would indicate, according to Maples coach George Messich.
“I told our kids all week that most upsets in high school and college football occur the week after a big win and usually against one of the lower teams in the standings,” Messich said. “After we beat California last week, I was thinking we could be a little flat and we were in the first half.”
The Maples went to the locker room with a scant 6-0 lead, thanks to a 4-yard scoring run from quarterback Jon Caldwell.
“Ang had to feel pretty good at halftime,” Messich said of Geibel Catholic coach Angelo Dippolito. “He brought his team here ready to play and they took it to us pretty good in the first half.”
“But you’ve got to play football for four quarters,” Dippolito said. “Mapletown is a very good team and Ryan Geisel is one of the best backs in the conference, but we’ve got to be able to stand up to teams better for four quarters.”
Instead, in the third quarter, the Maples did what they do best. Mapletown ran off a 12-play, 79-yard drive that included 11 runs. Brad Hartley caught a 7-yard scoring pass from Caldwell and Geisel ran in a two-point conversion to push the Maples’ lead to 14-0.
The game turned on Geibel Catholic’s next play from scrimmage, when Nick Popernack recovered a Geibel Catholic fumble with 9.6 seconds left in the third quarter. Geisel took the next handoff 31 yards for a touchdown and his brother, Brandon, caught a two-point conversion to make it 22-0 after three quarters.
“It takes the air out of you when they do something like that,” Dippolito said. “We were tired, but we have to get stronger. These kids don’t know how to bounce back, but there were some bright spots from our perspective.”
“We’re a smash-mouth football team and we got back to that in the second half,” Messich said. “We like 8-9 minute drives. You have to run the football and you have to control the clock in high school football. Ball control is the key at this level.”
John Grim capped the scoring with a 2-yard run in the fourth quarter and Ryan Geisel ran for another two-pointer to make it 30-0.
Geisel’s 194 leave him with 1,183 yards rushing with games at Frazier and against Monessen yet to come before the playoffs.
“All I’m thinking about is Frazier,” Messich said. “They always play us tough, so I want to make sure we’re ready for that game. Our goals coming in were to make the playoffs and win our conference, so we’re only halfway there.”
While the (6-1, 5-0) Maples visit Frazier next Friday, (1-6, 1-4) Geibel Catholic hosts Carmichaels next Saturday.