Colonials roll over Charleroi, 50-16
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard
Albert Gallatin’s Shawn Loring breaks free for a 25-yard run as Charleroi’s Brennan Shanon (1) gives chase during Friday night’s game at Myron Pottios Stadium.
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard
Albert Gallain’s James Marvin fends off Charleroi’s Jacob Large (17) while returning a blocked punt by teammate Caleb Matzus-Chapman for a touchdown during Friday night’s game at Myron Pottios Stadium.
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard
Albert Gallatin’s Caleb Matzus-Chapman runs for a 31-yard gain against Charleroi during Friday night’s game at Myron Pottios Stadium. Matzus-Chapman ran for two touchdowns and also had a defensive fumble recovery, an interception and a blocked punt in the Colonials’ 50-16 win.
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard
Charleroi’s Brendan Harps fires a pass over hard-charging Albert Gallatin lineman Nicco Mickens (69) during Friday night’s game at Myron Pottios Stadium.
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard
Albert Gallatin’s Caleb Matzus-Chapman (3) and Nicco Mickens (69) combined to tackle Charleroi’s Joshua Blatnik (22) during Friday night’s game at Myron Pottios Stadium.
Charleroi's Daniel Hudock (15) can't track down Albert Gallatin's Caleb DeHaven (13) who scores on a 36-yard run during Friday night's game at Myron Pottios Stadium.
Albert Gallatin's Caleb Matzus-Chapman (3) and Nate McCusker (12) try to track down Charleroi receiver Brennan Shannon during Friday night's game at Myron Pottios Stadium.
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard
Charleroi coach Brady Barbero talks to quarterback Brendan Harps during a game against Albert Gallatin at Myron Pottios Stadium this past season.
Albert Gallatin's Bruno Farbrycki tries to elude Charleroi's Jacob Large (17) during Friday night's game at Myron Pottios Stadium.
Charleroi quarterback Brendan Harps rifles a pass as Albert Gallatin's James Marvin (21) and Batian Bircher (72) apply pressure during Friday night's game at Myron Pottios Stadium.
Albert Gallatin's Jace Bowers applies a stiff arm to a Charleroi defender as he runs for a two-point conversion after a mishandled snap foiled his attempt to kick an extra point during Friday night's game at Myron Pottios Stadium.
Charleroi's Gianni Pellegrini (13) runs the ball on a fake punt against Albert Gallatin during Friday night's game at Myron Pottios Stadium. The Colonials stopped Pellegrini short of the first down marker.
CHARLEROI — The weather was drab and wet on Friday night but that seemed to suit Albert Gallatin’s Caleb Matzus-Chapman just fine.
The versatile senior ran for a pair of touchdowns on offense, came up with a fumble recovery and an interception on defense and blocked a punt that turned into a touchdown on special teams as the Colonials rolled over host Charleroi, 50-16, in a non-conference game at Myron Pottios Stadium.
“Caleb really did it all tonight in all three phases of the game,” AG coach Drew Dindl said. “We’ve put a lot on his plate in only his second year of playing high school football.
“He’s played QB, A-back, slot receiver, linebacker and special teams. He’s either scored or made huge plays for us at every one of those positions.”
The win improves AG’s record, which includes forfeit wins over Southern Garrett (Md.) and Weir (W. Va.), to 6-2, breaking the program record for wins in a season set in 2019 and matched in 2020, all under Dindl who’s in his fourth year with the Colonials.
Albert Gallatin again rode its powerful running game which churned out 252 yards and six touchdowns with a trio of players rushing for over 50 yards.
Freshman Caleb DeHaven led the way for AG with 98 yards and two touchdowns on just four carries coming off the bench. Matzus-Chapman followed with 69 yards and two TDs on five attempts, and Shawn Loring rumbled for 54 yards and a score on seven carries.
The Colonials’ Bruno Fabrycki added a 16-yard touchdown run and had another 18-yard TD jaunt negated by a penalty.
Dindl gave much of the credit to an offensive line that was a bit of a concern in the preseason.
“I said back in August if our offense is going to go or not will depend on how our line does,” Dindl said. “Well, they’ve been dominating the last few games. They definitely did the job tonight.”
Defensively, Albert Gallatin recovered three fumbles and intercepted two passes to go along with the blocked punt. A steady rain that fell in the first half and gradually let up in the second half made for a slippery football.
“When we were game planning we thought we could move the ball on them a little bit and we did that,” Charleroi coach Brady Barbero said. “It was just mistakes, fumbles, a couple tipped-ball interceptions. The weather made it difficult throwing the ball especially when it was really wet in the first half.”
Even so, Cougars quarterback Brendan Harps completed 13 of 25 passes for 140 yards and a touchdown along with the two interceptions.
“He was making good reads and putting the ball where it needed to be,” Barbero said. “I didn’t think either interception was really his fault.”
The Colonials’ offense, which threw only one pass, was better equipped to handle the conditions, although it did fumble twice, losing the ball once.
“It is tough when we go in that shotgun stuff when you have weather like this but the kids did a pretty good job overall dealing with it,” Dindl said.
Albert Gallatin got a spark right from the start when James Marvin returned the opening kickoff 57 yards to the Charleroi 18.
The Cougars’ defense stiffened, allowing just two yards in three plays, but Fabrycki raced around right end on a fourth-and-eight play from the 16 for a touchdown. Jace Bowers booted the first of his six extra points to make it 7-0.
The Colonials got another big play on special teams when Charleroi went three-and-out on its first possession. Matzus-Chapman blocked Arlo McIntyre’s punt and Marvin scooped the ball up at the 18 yard line and took it in for the touchdown to make it 14-0 with 8:33 left in the opening quarter.
“Special teams is a third of the game,” Dindl said. “We practice that. That’s a big momentum swing especially when you can get a play like that early in the game.”
Matzus-Chapman broke free for a 31-yard run to the Charleroi 4 on AG’s next possession but the Cougars’ Matthew Alton recovered a fumble on the following play.
Charleroi coughed the ball up itself on the very next play, however, with Brian Andrews recovering for Albert Gallatin at the Cougars 4. Matzus-Chapman scored two plays later on a 1-yard plunge to make it 21-0.
Harps completed a 19-yard pass to Terrance Woods on Charleroi’s next possession but when the drive stalled the Cougars went with a fake punt that came up short.
AG took over at the Charleroi 44 and after runs of 7 and 10 yards by Loring, Matzus-Chapman scored from 27 yards out on the first play of the second quarter. Bowers ran the ball in for a two-point conversion after a bad snap on the extra-point try to put AG ahead 29-0.
Matzus-Chapman ended the Cougars’ next drive with an interception off a tipped pass at the Charleroi 34. DeHaven’s 36-yard touchdown run two plays later put the Colonials in front 36-0.
Matzus-Chapman was in the right place at the right time again on Charleroi’s next possession, recovering a fumble at the Cougars 29. Loring rambled 25 yards to the 4 on the next play and scored two plays after that as Albert Gallatin took a commanding 43-0 halftime lead.
“We’re trying to share the sugar a little bit,” Dindl said of AG’s stable of running backs. “I think we did a nice job spreading it around and going inside and outside. Everything seemed to be clicking pretty well.”
Charleroi’s offense moved the ball well in a second half that was played under the mercy rule with 10-minutes quarters.
Harps threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Woods on the opening drive of the third quarter to get the Cougars on the board. A high snap on an AG punt attempt on the first play of the fourth quarter resulted in a safety to pull Charleroi within 43-10.
AG’s final TD came on a 45-yard touchdown run by DeHaven one play after Braden Dirda intercepted another tipped pass.
The Cougars put together the best drive of the night on their final possession, marching 71 yards in 10 plays with Connor Luckock scoring from 10 yards out with 1:02 left.
Luckock led Charleroi in rushing with 32 yards on three carries. Woods was Harps’ top receiver with five receptions for 67 yards.
Barbero had no complaints about his team’s effort.
“The kids kept fighting, they didn’t give up,” Barbero said. “They played to the end. I was proud they didn’t quit. I was proud of their effort.”
Charleroi is scheduled to end its season at home against Frazier next Friday.
“We’ve got one more week left,” Barbero said. “They’re excited to come back and work on Monday and I couldn’t ask for anything else from them. We’re looking forward to next week.”
Albert Gallatin is slated to play its finale at Spring Mills in West Virginia next Friday, although Dindl would like to extend the season.
“We’re looking to try to add a game in the first week of November if we can get somebody to play a crossover with us,” Dindl said. “We’ve missed out on a couple games. Our kids want to play as many as they can.”