Corry defense finds way to shut down GC offense
GROVE CITY — The Corry High School football team must have done something, right?
Maybe not.
"Nothing," Grove City coach Jeff Bell said of what the Corry defense did to stymie his offense Friday night in a 12-0 loss at Forker Field. "They didn't do anything different than what we practiced (against) all week. They just played better than we did."
That could be debated. Outside of an 8-play, 69-yard opening drive that resulted in a Paul Flick two-yard touchdown run, the Beavers (2-0) couldn't muster much.
The Corry defense, which held Titusville to six points last week in a one-point win, was the difference.
Not only did the Beavers defense stop Grove City's offense, it also produced points.
Midway through the second quarter, linebacker Nick Leofsky picked up Cody Redfoot's fumble and raced 25 yards for Corry's second and final score.
"That was big," Bell said. "They just ripped (the ball) out. Their kids were coached to rip the ball out. Give them credit."
"After that we were just pumped," Leofsky said of his defensive score. "It was a great play. We knew we were going to win after that."
It also looked like Grove City (1-1) knew it was going to lose following the game-changing turnover.
The next play, Grove City quarterback Keith Rundle threw the first of his two interceptions. The Eagles ended with four turnovers, but that wasn't the most glaring statistic. Grove City's running game collected 52 yards on 32 carries for an average of 1.6 yards a touch.
"You can't chase anyone. You have to be disciplined," Corry coach Homer DeLattre said of the key to stopping Grove City's Wing-T. "We talked all week about not chasing guys. The Wing-T can really mess with your head."
So can a stout defense.
"(Corry) had three good linebackers that made plays," Bell said. "Their secondary made plays. They never got out of position. They were in the same defense all night."
When it works, why change it?
"We have experience defending the Wing-T," DeLattre said. "We pretty much just use the same game plan. But we tackled well. That was the biggest thing."
The Beavers will probably be in the same defense next week at home against Greenville while Grove City hosts Wilmington. Both games start at 7 p.m.
