Underdog role suits Slippery Rock

By MIKE KILROY Eagle Staff Writer

October 11, 2007 Last Updated: October 11, 2007 03:27 PM High School

SLIPPERY ROCK — Coach Clyde Conti concedes his team is a big underdog.

But it's a role that his SlipperyRock High football team relishes as it travels to state-ranked Titusville Friday night for a big region matchup.

Kickoff is 7 p.m.

Titusville is 5-0 overall and 3-0 in the region coming off a bye week and has outscored its opponents 192-45. It has a running back averaging 10.4 yards per carry, a quarterback who can throw and run, and a defense that is as stingy as Scrooge.

"We're both undefeated in the region, but I don't think it was a mistake seeing Titusville in the state rankings," Conti said. "And I don't think it was a typo not seeing us in there."

But upsets have been known to happen — just ask Michigan and USC. And Slippery Rock heads into this matchup coming off a 35-14 win over Oil City on homecoming.

"I guess so," Conti said. "The only difference is Stanford (who beat USC) was a 41-point underdog. We're off the charts.

"Every week (on Monday) we still have the Red Cross in here, so it's hard to know what we're going to have on Friday."

Slippery Rock (3-3, 2-0) got a boost last week when running back Ryan Ferguson returned from a two week injury hiatus.

Ferguson scored on three short touchdown runs and anchored the defensive effort against the Oilers.

"It was very nice for Ryan to come back," Conti said. "He definitely gave us a spark."

So did Jonathan Powell. The junior quarterback rushed for 113 yards and was 4-of-6 passing for 55 yards.

He hit favorite target Zack Ejzak three times — all for first downs — as Slippery Rock controlled the ball, scoring on two drives that consumed almost 16 minutes.

It's a formula that Slippery Rock would love to recreate against explosive Titusville.

Derek Carr leads Titusville, which is also nicknamed Rockets, with 666 yards on a 64 carries and 12 touchdowns. He also returned a kickoff 93 yards for a score.

• Last Year's Game:Knoch 21, Laurel Highlands 16• Current Record: Knoch 5-1, 4-0, Laurel Highlands 1-5• Coaches:Knoch, Mike King, ninth year (37-55); Laurel Highlands, Jack Buehner• Game Notes: Visiting Mustangs have been outscored 91-17 during current three-game losing streak. ... Laurel Highlands' lone win is 21-0 over Derry Area. A.J. Jacobs had 26 carries for 143 yards, WRTyler Jodon eight catches for 108 yards and two TDs in that game. ... Laurel Highlands graduated WPIAL's third-leading passer in Dan Pegg (1,796 yards) and the WPIAL's leading receiver in Randy Rankin (62 catches) last year. ... Knoch QBZach Gross has completed 66 percent of his passes (35 of 53) without an interception.Mars at Neshannock• Last Year's Game: Mars 34, Neshannock 0• Current Record: Mars (5-1, 5-0); Neshannock (1-5, 0-5)• Coaches: Mars: Scott Heinauer; Neshannock: Pat Cuba• Game Notes: Scott Heinauer reached 100 career victories last week as Mars beat Union-New Castle 41-20. ... Neshannock dropped its fifth straight game, a 24-6 loss to Shenango. ... Mars fullback Bill Bair is 226 yards shy of becoming the 36th player in WPIAL history to rush for 4,000 career yards. ... The Planets have forced 13 turnovers in six games (seven interceptions, six fumbles). ... The Lancers committed four turnovers in last week's loss. ... Neshannock's one score vs. Shenango came on a 1-yard run by senior running back Anthony Tommelleo that capped a 19-play, 66-yard drive. ... The Lancers' lone win came in a 34-6 defeat of West Middlesex in Week 1 and they've been outscored 185-58 since then.

• Last Year's Game: Freeport 61, Deer Lakes 0• Current Record: Freeport (3-3, 3-3); Deer Lakes (1-5, 1-4)• Coaches: Freeport: Bill Dillen, fourth season; Deer Lakes: Todd Hazlett, first season• Game Notes: The Lancers ran for only 14 yards as they fell to Farrell 42-7 last week in a nonconference matchup last week. ... Quarterback Geoff Landry threw a scoring pass to Matt Latronica for Deer Lakes' lone score, but the he was picked off three times. ... Freeport won its third consecutive Allegheny Conference contest last week, a 26-0 blanking of West Shamokin.

• Last Year's Game: Grove City 44, Sharon 25• Current Record: Sharon (5-1, 2-1), Grove City (5-1, 2-1)• Coaches: Sharon: BobFromm; Grove City: Jeff Bell• Game notes: The Eagles will try to buck a disturbing trend by getting off to a fast start. Grove City has been outscored 58-39 in the first half, but has outscored its opponents 76-23 in the final two quarters. ... The Eagles are coming off a 25-21 win over Fairview after falling behind 21-6 at the half. ... Sharon cruised to a 27-0 win over Northwestern. ... Billy Altman leads a balanced Sharon rushing attack with 411 yards and eight touchdowns on 50 carries. ... Jaques Moss has caught 12 passes for 185 yards and two scores for the Tigers.

• Last Year's Game: Redbank Valley 49, A-C Valley 14• Current Record: A-C Valley (0-6, 0-4); Redbank Valley (5-1, 3-1)• Coaches: A-C Valley: Gary Pinkerton; Redbank Valley: Ed Wasilowski• Game Notes: A-C Valley was defeated by Union last week, 34-14, and Redbank Valley crushed District 10s Maplewood, 48-19. ... The Falcons are coming off their best rushing performance of the season with 146 yards on 37 carries. ... Redbank Valley is led by junior running back Alex Bladel, who has rushed for 432 yards and nine scores, and by senior quarterback Jake Smith, who has 1,112 passing yards, nine touchdowns and three interceptions.

• Last Year's Game: Lakeview 34, Union 0• CurrentRecord: Union (1-5); Lakeview (3-3)• Coaches: Union: Tom Kidder. Lakeview: DanYork• Game Notes: Union is coming off its first victory of the season, a 24-14 win over A-CValley. ... A.J. Ethriedge caught three passes for 103 yards in the win for the Golden Knights. ... Quarterback Matt Gagliano also enjoyed a bit day, completing 9-of-15 passes for 215 yards. ... Lakeview has lost two in a row after a 3-1 start, falling to Linesville (32-7) and Sharpsville last week, 33-18. ... The Sailors are led by running back Thomas Miller, who already has 1,076 yards rushing on 124 carries.

• Last Year's Game: Shenango 34, Summit Academy 30• Current Record: Summit Academy (3-3, 3-2); Shenango (2-4, 2-3)• Coaches: Summit Academy: Steve Sherer, seventh season; Shenango: Ryan Mayo, first season• Game Notes: Ryan Tanner rushed for 144 yards on 18 carries and completed 8 of 14 passes for 142 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Wildcats to a 24-6 win over Neshannock last week. ... Aaron Maxwell and Andrew Watson both caught a scoring pass. ... The Knights dropped a 64-26 decision to Riverside, despite an outstanding passing performance by LaRon Green, who completed 18 of 22 passes for 241 yards and two touchdowns.