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By JOHN ERZAR [email protected]
Tuesday, October 07, 2003     Page: 1B

DALLAS TWP. – Aside from the 27-13 victory over Crestwood, the Dallas
football team didn’t have much to boast about Monday.
   
“We’re not going to be able to keep doing what we’re doing,” Dallas coach
Ted Jackson said. “Dropping the ball, turnovers, not pass blocking well,
missed assignments, jumping offside. They are things that are not acceptable
at this time of year.”
    On the plus side, Dallas improved to 3-1 in Division 2 of the Wyoming
Valley Conference and 4-2 overall. But the aforementioned negatives need to be
repaired by Friday when Dallas plays at Wyoming Valley West. The Mountaineers
will likely need a victory over Class 4A Valley West to keep pace in the
District 2 Class 3A playoff chase.
   
Jackson ran his team though a brief practice after Monday’s game to make up
some preparation time lost because of Saturday’s postponement.
   
Monday started well for the Mountaineers as quarterback Matt Kelly
scrambled around and found Adam Schoonover wide open for a 45-yard touchdown
pass on the second play from scrimmage. Kelly threw a 15-yard touchdown to
Mike Race late in the first quarter for a 14-0 lead, but Crestwood (0-3, 1-5)
didn’t fold as has been its pattern in recent years.
   
“In the past, when adversity struck, we kind of got down on ourselves and
would dig the hole deeper and deeper,” Crestwood coach Greg Skrepenak said.
“The next thing you know, the 35-point rule is in effect and the clock is
running.”
   
Neither would happen thanks in part to a Crestwood pass rush that kept the
remarkably elusive Kelly in check. Crestwood’s Brad Pieszala ended the next
Dallas possession with an interception. On the next Dallas drive, Kelly
fumbled while being sacked, and Crestwood’s Brad Mailloux scooped up the ball
and ran 39 yards for a touchdown. The Comets sacked Kelly five times for
minus-44 yards, with defensive end Matt Mizikoski providing a good amount of
the pressure.
   
“Meyers and GAR have quarterbacks very similar to this kid,” Skrepenak
said of two previous opponents. “We’ve been working containment drills on him
and telling everyone to push it up the middle. Our ends held contain, and he
is used to getting out of the pocket and running around. We made him go back
into the pocket where our strength is.”
   
Crestwood’s strength, though, began to wear down late in the third quarter.
Dallas tailback Doug Harris finally broke off a long gainer, a 22-yard
touchdown run at 3:39. Harris and Schoonover connected on a 10-yard TD pass at
2:33 of the quarter, giving the Mountaineers a 27-7 lead.
   
Crestwood’s running game was insignificant throughout the game, putting the
onus on quarterback Mike Weyrauch. The senior scrambled for a 24-yard gain and
then a 9-yard touchdown on the final play of the fourth quarter.
   
“Our performance lacked concentration, and Crestwood played us tough,”
Jackson said. “Weyrauch gave us fits scrambling all over the place.”