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By PAUL SOKOLOSKI; Times Leader Sports Writer
Saturday, October 25, 1997     Page:

POTTSVILLE- There’s something to be said for running backs keeping their
legs churning at all times.
   
Tom McGeoy proved it Friday night.
    What should have been a minimal gain turned into a game-winning touchdown
run when McGeoy broke four tackles at the line of scrimmage and raced 69 yards
to the end zone, lifting Pottsville to a thrilling 18-13 victory over
Tunkhannock.
   
“I just kept on running,” McGeoy said.
   
That is something nobody could have expected.
   
The sophomore tailback, subbing for injured starter Ed Terefencko, took a
straight handoff and looked ready to go down in the grasp of two Tunkhannock
players at the line of scrimmage. But he broke free, then dragged two more
defenders about 5 yards before escaping to daylight. Once McGeoy got loose, he
outran the rest of Tunkhannock’s defense to the end zone for the score that
lifted Pottsville to victory with 3:55 remaining.
   
“You always worry about those guys, if the backups get enough attention,”
said Pottsville coach Kevin Keating. “You tell them things, and you never know
if they’re paying attention. Son of a gun, he was listening.”
   
Obviously, Keating’s been stressing that old coach’s axiom about keeping
the legs moving to his running backs.
   
“Absolutely,” Keating said with a grin.
   
The run brought a dramatic end to a hard-fought battle between two offenses
at rain-soaked Veterans Memorial Stadium in Pottsville.
   
Tunkhannock quarterback Ryan Crispell threw 46 passes and connected for 289
yards- with 189 and a touchdown going to wideout Jarrad Pencek.
   
And during the night, Pottsville lost quarterback Dave Zinda (elbow
bruise), tailback Terefencko (who gained 138 yards before an ankle injury
forced him to the sidelines) and wingback Brett Jones (pulled hamstring).
   
“We’re banged up pretty good,” Keating said.
   
That didn’t stop the rest of Pottsville’s gritty team, though.
   
The Crimson Tide intercepted Crispell five times and sacked him seven times
for 44 yards in losses.
   
Meanwhile, Terefencko took a handoff from backup quarterback Shawn Haughney
early in the third quarter and rifled a halfback option pass 27 yards to Jones
for a touchdown that gave the Crimson Tide a 6-0 lead. That grew to 12-0 when
Alfredo Mercuri picked off a pass on defense and later scored a one-yard
touchdown run on offense.
   
But Tunkhannock struck back fast.
   
Crispell split two defenders and found Pencek with a 28-yard touchdown pass
later in the third quarter as the Tigers pulled within 12-6. And Pottsville’s
next offensive play turned into an interception for Tunkhannock defensive back
Matt Davis, who returned it 25 yards for a score that tied the game. Pencek’s
ensuing extra point gave the Tigers a 13-12 lead with 35 seconds left in the
third period.
   
That stood up until McGeoy’s big score, but Tunkhannock made one last
effort for victory.
   
With just a little more than two minutes remaining, the Tigers marched from
their own 20-yard line to Pottsville’s 14 when Crispell found Davis with three
passes covering a combined 66 yards, including a 40-yard bomb.
   
But Pottsville defensive back Shane Hobbs came up with his third
interception of the night at the Crimson Tide 16, ending Tunkhannock hopes.
   
“Boy!” Keating exclaimed, “what a win!”