Click here to subscribe today or Login.
Coughlin’s David Lalla (8) tries to run through a tackle by Meyers’ Nahjee Brown (2), as Michael Springer (9) closes in to help on Friday night at Wilkes-Barre Memorial Stadium.
S. John Wilkin/The Times Leader
WILKES-BARRE — His jersey was already torn at the numbers. The right half of his face was covered with flecks of rubber from the FieldTurf. He was even sporting a Mohawk for Meyers week.
Safe to say Matt Shimshock got the most out of his first start as Coughlin’s tailback.
Shimshock picked up the wear and tear by rushing 27 times for 151 yards and two touchdowns in Coughlin’s 24-3 triumph over the Mohawks on Friday night at Wilkes-Barre Memorial Stadium.
On defense he came up with a pair of interceptions and also forced a fumble from his safety position. And all of this came after he missed Coughlin’s preseason scrimmages with an injury.
It was exactly what the Crusaders (1-0) were looking for from their senior captain.
“Absolutely. Matt’s been doing this three years for us,” Coughlin coach Ciro Cinti said. “This is really his first game action here. The two scrimmages, he didn’t play, he was a little banged up. And now you saw what he can do when he’s here.”
In the first half, Shimshock more or less carried the Crusaders, scoring their only touchdown and thwarting a lengthy Meyers drive by picking off a deep ball in the end zone.
But Coughlin led just 6-3 at the half, as the upstart Mohawks got a last-minute field goal from Max Rottenecker.
Meyers (0-1) debuted its new shotgun offense with converted running back Andrew Forgatch at quarterback. But it was the defense that kept Coughlin off the field for most of the second quarter.
“We came into this game knowing they weren’t going to give up,” Cinti said. “Give credit to (Meyers coach Mike) Namey and his staff – that was a heck of a job. … We wore them down in the second half, and that was the difference. We just kept coming at them.”
That second-half spark came from sophomore Joe Parsnik. Playing in his first varsity game, Parsnik ripped off 118 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground after halftime and finished with 139 yards total on the ground.
“It’s a decent tandem,” Shimshock said. “He’s a stud. He’s a stud of a sophomore. He’s just a tough kid, he has great vision. His instincts are good. You can see him cut everywhere he goes and he just breaks big plays.”
The backfield duo also teamed up on defense in the third quarter, as Shimshock popped Meyers’ Ryan Lukowich to jar the ball loose and Parsnik, a defensive back, jumped on it at the Meyers 20-yard line for the recovery.
Three plays later, Parsnik had his first career touchdown, working his way off right tackle for an 11-yard score to make it 12-3.
In the fourth quarter, David Lalla hauled in a pass from Mike Kearney, bounced off a tackler and hit the corner of the end zone for a 21-yard touchdown.
Shimshock finished off the scoring with a 3-yard touchdown up the middle and then sealed the deal with his second interception on a Hail Mary from Meyers.
A year ago, Shimshock teamed up with starter Justin Koslosky to power Coughlin’s offense. This year, he sees a similar result with himself and Parsnik.
“I think that’s exactly what it’s going to be,” Shimshock said. “We’re going to have some good numbers for the both of us, and hopefully we can go out there and win some football games.”