Huge first quarter lifts Maples to victory
PERRYOPOLIS – Mapletown exploded for 20 first-quarter points en route to a 28-6 victory over host Frazier Friday night, clinching at least a share of the Class Tri-County South championship. Having already clinched a playoff berth, its first since 2001, Mapletown (7-1, 6-0) needs either a win next week against Monessen or a California loss to Geibel Catholic for the conference crown. Mapletown’s last conference title came in 1988, when the Maples shared the top spot in the conference.
“At the beginning of the season we thought we had a chance to be in this position,” Mapletown coach George Messich said. “I knew this was going to be a close conference race. This is a tribute to the kids. We have a bunch of over-achievers who have worked hard for this all season. These kids stick together. This is an example of what a true team can do.”
Mapletown got off to a good start on the opening kickoff when Justin Yost’s squib kick caromed off a Frazier player. Robby Roupe recovered the fumble at the Frazier 33-yard line, and the Maples needed only four plays to get on the scoreboard. On fourth-and-10, quarterback Jon Caldwell found Brad Hartley in the right corner of the end zone for a 6-0 lead only 2:27 into the game. That touchdown pass was Caldwell’s only completion of the night. He misfired on his other two attempts in the third quarter. Caldwell’s conversion pass to Yost made the score, 8-0.
Mapletown’s Ryan Geisel, the WPIAL’s second-leading rusher with 1,289 yards, intercepted a Frazier pass on the Commodores’ next possession, giving the Maples the ball at the Frazier 41. On Mapletown’s first play, Caldwell scampered 41 yards down the left sideline for a 14-0 lead midway through the opening quarter.
Following a Frazier punt, the Maples needed only six plays to scoren its third touchdown of the quarter, with Geisel smashing into the end zone from seven yards out for the 20-0 lead.
“We had excellent field position, especially in the first quarter,” Messich said. “That was a big difference. We were able to get off to a good start.”
Frazier cut into Mapletown’s lead in the third quarter when quarterback Tony Battaglini bulled his way two yards into the end zone. But Mapletown answered that score on its next possession when Geisel scored on a 10-yard run.
This will be the first playoff game in which Mapletown’s seniors will have played in their scholastic careers.
“Our first goal was to win the conference,” Hartley said. “We wanted nothing less. Now our goal is to win the first playoff game in school history.”
Geisel, who finished the night as the game’s leading rusher with 119 yards on 21 carries, echoed Hartley’s statement.
“This is what we have been looking toward all season, since we started training camp,” Geisel said. “We wanted the playoffs first, then to be conference champions. Our goal now is the WPIAL title.”
For Frazier, however, winless at 0-6 in the conference and 1-7 overall, it’s been a disappointing season.
“We thought we were going to be more competitive,” coach Lew Sweitzer said. “This is not where we should have been. We got in the hole off the bat with the opening kickoff and you can’t afford that against a team as strong as Mapletown. We put in a good game plan and we knew we weren’t going to be embarrassed. After the first quarter we played much better.”
For the Commodores, Paul Sabo took team rushing honors with 60 yards on 17 attempts, while Battaglini added 54 yards on 11 carries. Battaglini also completed 7-of-16 passes to five different receivers for 38 yards.