GAME OF THE WEEK: Commodores grind down Mikes, set up showdown at B-C
Frazier's Kenny Fine (2) fights for extra yardage as Carmichaels' Elijan Johnson (34) attempts to bring him down during Friday night's game in Perryopolis. Fine rushed four times for 31 yards and pulled in two passes from quarterback Julian Muccioli for 51 yards and a touchdown in the Commodores' 30-8 win.
Lori C. Padilla
Carmichaels’ Trey Luoma (70) tries to bring down Frazier’s Shane McGavitt (43) during Friday night’s game in Perryopolis. McGavitt rushed for 101 yards and a touchdown and also kicked a field goal and three extra points in the Commodores’ 30-8 victory.
Frazier's defense tries to corral Carmichaels quarterback Kevin Kelly during Friday night's game in Perryopolis. Kelly rushed for 117 yards but the Commodores won, 30-8.
PERRYOPOLIS — Frazier will enter the last week of the regular season with a chance to earn a WPIAL playoff berth.
The Commodores made sure of that by grinding out a 30-8 victory over visiting Carmichaels in an Interstate Conference game Friday night.
Shane McGavitt rushed for 101 yards and a touchdown, and also kicked a field goal and three extra points for Frazier (4-5, 3-3). Julian Muccioli ran for 58 yards and a TD and completed nine of 13 passes for 129 yards and two scores.
The win sets up a clash at Beth-Center in Week Nine to decide who will earn the fourth and final playoff spot. If Frazier wins, both teams would finish with 4-3 conference records but the Commodores would take the tiebreaker based on the head-to-head victory.
“Couldn’t ask for anything more than going into next week with a chance to make the playoffs,” Frazier coach Mike Steeber said. “A good Beth-Center team, of course, but at this point in the year if you still have that in your sites and that’s a goal that’s still on the table, I’m proud of our kids for coming out here tonight and making that happen.”
The Mikes (1-7, 0-6), who were coming off their first win of the season, 16-14 over Union, were led by quarterback Kevin Kelly who rushed for 117 yards on 10 carries and completed four of 11 passes for 32 yards.
That accounted for all but 31 of Carmichaels’ total yards.
“They did a good job, credit them,” Mikes coach Ryan Krull said of Frazier. “They were the tougher team tonight. They were the better team. They executed when it mattered most.”
It was a workman-like effort by the Commodores, who put together two long touchdown drives at key times.
The first came with 4:46 left in the first half and Frazier holding a 14-8 lead.
The Commodores, working the clock perfectly, moved 62 yards in 13 plays to set up a 19-yard field goal by McGavitt as time expired to give them a two-score lead, 17-8.
“Huge field goal at the end of the first half,” Steeber said.
Muccioli made three key plays for first downs in the drive, completing passes of 11 and 14 yards to Colton Arison, and running for 15 yards on a fourth-and-three play.
“He’s been very efficient throwing the football,” Steeber said of Muccioli. “He has a good completion percentage. He led our team very well tonight.”
The second mammoth drive began on the Frazier 19 with 2:45 left in the third quarter and Frazier holding a 23-8 advantage.
The Commodores marched 81 yards in 14 plays, eating up almost eight minutes off the clock and ending with Muccioli’s nine-yard touchdown run to make it 30-8 and all but put the game away.
The methodical drive included six runs for 39 yards by McGavitt, and just one play of over 10 yards, that being a 12-yard pass from Muccioli to his cousin, Vincenzo Muccioli.
“That’s what we needed to do and our team executed it well,” Steeber said of the game-clinching push.
Steeber lauded McGavitt and his offensive line.
“He was running from the fullback position and the tailback position, and our bulls up front, really proud of them,” Steeber said. “Our line really took control of the line of scrimmage in the second half.”
Frazier scored on its opening possession, going 51 yards in eight plays. Julian Muccioli had an 11-yard run in the drive and connected with Arison on passes of 16 and 12 yards with the latter going for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead.
The Commodores threatened to score again early in the second quarter but the Mikes recovered a fumble on their 13. Kelly broke a 67-yard run down the sideline on the next play with Julian Muccioli making a touchdown-saving tackle at the Frazier 20.
After Bailey Jones ran for four yards, Kelly completed consecutive passes of 13 and four yards to Michael Robinson to set up a five-yard TD run by Jones. Kelly ran in the two-point conversion and the visitors had an 8-7 lead.
“He’s a good football player,” Krull said of Kelly. “He’s the healthiest he’s been this season. He makes some really nice plays with his feet and he can throw the ball around a little bit too.”
Frazier quickly answered, however. A short kickoff and a penalty put the Commodores at the Mikes 40 and Julian Muccioli hit Kenny Fine with a touchdown pass on the next play to put the hosts back in front to stay, 14-8.
It was Frazier’s biggest play of the night as the Mikes’ defense grudgingly gave up ground. An interception by Zach Gamble when Muccioli’s receiver slipped and fell foiled Frazier’s first possession of the second half.
The Commodores got the ball back after a short punt and drove 34 yards in seven plays with McGavitt’s five-yard TD run making it 23-8, as Gamble blocked the extra-point kick.
Frazier churned out 269 rushing yards. Colin Schragl had 41 yards and Fine added 31 yards while also making two receptions for 51 yards. Arison pulled in four passes for 53 yards and Vincenzo Muccioli caught three for 25 yards.
Robinson had three receptions for 25 yards.
“We were able to move the ball in spurts,” Krull said. “You can’t just move the ball, you’ve got to finish drives. They were able to do that tonight and we weren’t.”
Krull commended his team for its effort throughout what has been a disappointing season.
“There’s not quit in these guys,” Krull said. “I think it’s a testament to our kids and our coaches for keeping this thing together. I’ve heard horror stories over the years where things start going south and everybody abandons ship. Our kids know the plan, follow the plan and execute the plan to the best of their ability.
“In the offseason we’ll have a lot of time to evaluate everything and we will. We’ll get better from it.”
Carmichaels will finish up its season next Friday at home against Brownsville on Senior Night.
Interstate Conference
Carmichaels 0-8-0-0 — 8
Frazier 7-10-6-7 — 30
First Quarter
F: Colton Arison 12 pass from Julian Muccioli (Shane McGavitt kick), 7:20
Second Quarter
C: Bailey Jones 5 run (Kevin Kelly kick), 7:31
F: Kenny Fine 40 pass from Julian Muccioli (Shane McGavitt kick), 7:18
F: Shane McGavitt 19 field goal, 0:00
Third Quarter
F: Shane McGavitt 5 run (kick blocked), 5:07
Fourth Quarter
F: Julian Muccioli 9 run (Shane McGavitt kick), 6:49
Records: Carmichaels (1-7, 0-6), Frazier (4-5, 3-3).