Commodores stave off Bearcats, clinch playoff spot
Frazier's Mason Kelly (81) finds a crease in Bentworth's defense thanks in part to a block by Julian Muccioli (11) during a 29-yard touchdown run in the second quarter of Friday night's game in Perryopolis. Kelly rushed for 226 yards and two touchdowns in the Commodores' 39-18 victory.
Frazier quarterback J.D. Celaschi (8) prepares to fire a pass against Bentworth as George Smalilch (23) provides protection during Friday night's game in Perryopolis.Celaschi completed seven of 11 passes for 109 yards and a touchdown in the Commodores' 39-18 victory.
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard
Frazier’s Mason Kelly (81) is about to add six points to the Commodores’ total shown on the scoreboard during one of his two touchdown runs against Bentworth on Oct. 20. Kelly and his teammates are headed to the playoffs as the fifth-place team out of the Century Conference.
Bentworth's Owen Petrisek (21) tries to battle for extra yardarge as Frazier's J.D. Celaschi (8) and Corey Roebuck (5) try to bring him down during Friday night's game at Perryopolis.
Frazier head coach Mike Steeber takes on the headset during the Commodores' 39-18 victory over Bentworth Friday night in Perryopolis. Frazier can qualify for the WPIAL playoffs with a victory at Chartiers-Houston next Friday.
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard
Frazier’s Mason Kelly (81) turns the corner against Bentworth as quarterback J.D. Celaschi (8) looks on in the background during Friday night’s game in Perryopolis. The Bearcats’ Trent Cavanaugh (30) pursues on the play.
Bentworth's Ben Peternel (82) looks for room to run as Trent Cavanaugh (30), Ashton Lopez (56) Danile Sturchak (52) block for him during Friday night's game at Frazier.
Frazier quarterback J.D. Celaschi (8) pitches the ball to Mason Kelly (81) as Lane Rice (88) pulls out to block during Friday night's game against Bentworth.
Bentworth wide receiver Ben Peternel (82) takes a snap at quarterback and prepares to hand the ball off to teammate Trent Cavanaugh (30) during Friday night's game at Frazier.
PERRYOPOLIS — Mason Kelly rushed for 226 yards and two touchdowns and J.D. Celaschi turned in an all-around stellar performance to help Frazier defeat visiting Bentworth, 39-18, in a showdown for the fifth and final WPIAL playoff spot in the Century Conference on Friday night.
The Commodores built a 26-3 halftime lead but needed a late, clutch 100-yard interception return for a touchdown from Celaschi to hold off the feisty Bearcats.
Frazier (2-7, 2-4) can wrap up the regular season with three wins in its final four games with a victory at Chariters-Houston next Friday following an 0-6 start.
“They kept believing in themselves and believing in the chance to still make the playoffs,” Commodores coach Mike Steeber said. “They’re used to that and these seniors didn’t want to let that slip away tonight.”
It almost did, though.
Bentworth (3-6, 2-5) whittled a 23-point halftime deficit down to 14 and had the ball at Frazier 4-yard line midway through the fourth quarter after Shawn Dziak’s 56-yard pass to Ben Peternel.
The Commodores defense stiffened and forced a fourth-and-goal play from the 3. Trent Cavanaugh took the shotgun snap for the Beatcats and threw to his left but Celaschi picked off the pass at the goal line and took it 100 yards the other way for the clinching touchdown with 5:00 left on the clock.
“That really sealed the victory,” Steeber said. “It was a critical play.”
Bentworth coach Ron Skiles agreed.
“That interception really changed the game,” Skiles said. “That was a 12-point swing. If we score there it’s a different ballgame.”
Frazier didn’t look like a team that would need any late-game heroics in the first half when it scored touchdowns on its first four possessions.
Celaschi gave the Commodores a 6-0 lead when he ran a quarterback draw out of an empty set for a 32-yard touchdown with 4:38 left in the opening quarter.
Frazier marched 83 yards in nine plays on its second possession with George Smalich’s five-yard TD run on the first play of the second quarter capping the drive.
The Commodores didn’t take nearly as long the third time they got the ball as Kelly broke loose for a 68-yard touchdown on first down to make it 18-0.
The Bearcats finally mounted a drive of their own, moving from their 37 to the Frazier 5 before settling for a 22-yard Levi Jordan field goal to make it 18-3 with 4:00 left in the half.
Frazier answered with a 62-yard drive the Kelly finished in spectacular fashion. The 6-foot-1 senior took a hand-off from the 29 and appeared to be stopped after a five-year gain, but kept his legs churning and eventually broke free, found a seam and raced into the end zone for the score. Celaschi ran in the two-point conversion to make it 26-3 at halftime.
“He’s a strong kid,” Steeber said of Kelly. “He ran real well tonight. I like the way he gets the ball to the back of the end zone. That’s just exciting to see. He had a nice game.”
Bentworth came out strong in the second half. The Bearcats forced a Frazier punt and Spencer Fereza scored on an 18-yard touchdown run with Jordan’s extra-point kick making it 26-10. Fereza led Bentworth with 93 rushing yards.
“Spencer has had a knee problem but he’s finally getting over that and he ran hard today.” Skiles said.
Frazier increased its lead to 32-10 when Celaschi hit Corey Roebuck on a slant pass for a 29-yard touchdown with 1:01 left in the third quarter. Celaschi completed seven of nine passes in the game for 109 yards and no interceptions to go along with 88 yards on the ground.
Riordan Tush got the Bearcats right back in the game with an 85-yard kickoff return for a TD and Peternel’s jump pass to Owen Petrisek for the two-point conversion made it 32-18.
Bentworth forced a Frazier punt and threatened to make it a one-score game until Celaschi’s interception saved the day.
“I was proud of the way our kids came back,” Skiles said. “They fought hard in the second half.”
Steeber concurred.
“Hat’s off to Bentworth for playing a good second half,” Steeber said. “Their special teams kept them in the ball game.”
Jordan, although he missed a 41-yard field goal attempt, made sure Frazier had to start most drives deep in its own territory with his long kickoffs and high punts.
Smalich was another effective weapon for Frazier as he totaled 98 yards with 37 rushing yards on four carries and three receptions for 61 yards
The Commodores defense held the Bearcats potent passing game in check most of the night, limiting it to 88 yards. Peternel accounted for most of that with four receptions for 79 yards.
“It wasn’t easy,” Steeber said. “They have play-makers on offense and they made plays when you watch film against many good football teams in the pass game.”
Skiles feels his squad has a bright future.
“We’re a very young football team playing a lot of freshmen and sophomores,” he said. “We’ll take our lumps but we’ll be back next year.”
No one would’ve been surprised if the Commodores had said something similar after their 0-6 start. Instead Frazier turned its season around and will be tuning up for the postseason this week.
Century Conference
Bentworth 0-3-15-0 — 18
Frazier 6-20-6-7 – 39
First Quarter
F: J.D. Celaschi 32 run (kick failed), 4:38
Second Quarter
F: George Smalich 5 run (pass failed), 11:55
F: Mason Kelly 68 run (pass failed), 10:11
B: Levi Jordan 22 field goal, 4:00
F: Mason Kelly 29 run (J.D. Celaschi run), 1:00
Third Quarter
B: Spencer Fereza 18 run (Levi Jordan kick), 8:21
F: Corey Roebuck 29 pass from J.D. Celaschi (pass failed), 1:01
B: Riordan Tush 85 kickoff return (Owen Petrisek pass from Ben Peternel), 0:47
Fourth Quarter
F: J.D. Celaschi 100 interception return (Shane McGavitt kick), 5:00
Records: Bentworth (3-6, 2-5), Frazier (2-7, 2-4).