’Dogs shows improvement against Greyhounds

Local Sports

Discussion

August 28, 2010

By T.J. Turrisi Meadville Tribune The Meadville Tribune Sat Aug 28, 2010, 07:00 AM EDT

Aug. 28, 2010 7:00 a.m. — The Meadville football team had a renewed spirit Friday night at Bender Field. The Bulldogs hosted perennial power Wilmington in their final scrimmage before the regular season.

Under new head coach Ken Achenbach, the ’Dogs played some tough defense and moved the ball well offensively.

All in all, it was a step in the right direction from the first week at St. Marys.

“We’re better this week than we were last week,” Achenbach said.

Wilmington scored two touchdowns, both by leading returning rusher Sutton Whiting.

Whiting carried one in on the tenth play of the opening possession, and then broke a 20-yarder after a Meadville turnover on the Greyhounds’ fifth possession.

“The thing I liked was the fact that defensively we got after them a little bit and made some big plays,” Achenbach said. “When we did give up long runs and scores it was because of missed assignments. It wasn’t because they were knocking us off the ball and driving us down the field.

“The two plays we had busted on us were just kids running up the field.”

The Meadville defense recorded three sacks and recovered two fumbles. In its final effort, the ’Dogs stuffed a runner on the goal line after a third-down sack by Max Berkstresser.

“I am proud of the fact that they got some turnovers,” said Achenbach of his kids. “Those are big. Keeping them out of the end zone was something we can build on as well.”

With halfback Artrel Foster nursing a back injury, Dustin Favorite took over his duties in the backfield. Favorite joined fullback Zach Towers and halfback Terence Goodrum.

Meadville’s first drive covered 40 yards on 11 plays. On their second possession, the ’Dogs went about 30 yards on just five plays before taking a break for halftime.

Whiting stuffed quarterback Aaron Lloyd on a keeper after finding no open receiver on a 3rd-and-5 to close the third drive.

Wilmington nabbed a fumble on the fourth Meadville possession. The fifth was stopped short on a five-yard run by Goodrum on a 3rd-and-7.

Goodrum had a nice nine-yard carry for a first down the sixth and final possession, but he lost a fumble to end the drive.

Lloyd threw some jarring blocks leading the way into the hole after pitches, and he reeled off a keeper around the right end which featured a broken tackle and a Wilmington defender limping to the sidelines from a big shoulder to end the long gain.

“I’m not happy with the fact that we turned the ball over a couple of times,” Achenbach said. “We had opportunities to execute plays to keep the sticks alive and just made bad decisions and didn’t execute.”

“I think it was a great scrimmage for us, and it’s usually that way when we come up here,” Wilmington head coach Terry Verelli said. “They are hard-hitting kids (at Meadville) and that’s what the game’s all about. That was a game-type situation, and Meadville did well. I think Ken’s doing a great job with them. They’ll come around if they keep working.”

Meadville opens at home against non-region opponent Fairview on Friday at 7 p.m.

Text Only

Local Sports

GIRLS BASKETBALL: Levis scores 26 as Panthers make playoff case
SAEGERTOWN — Eight or six?
That is a question Saegertown and three fellow District 10 Class A girls basketball teams have been pondering over the last couple of weeks.

February 14, 2012
GIRLS BASKETBALL: Hornets swarm past Lady Bulldogs
It was a little too close for comfort for Hickory, which led Meadville by just five points early in the fourth quarter.
However, the Hornets put together a strong effort down the stretch and pulled away for a 56-40 win over the Lady Bulldogs during senior night on Monday at the House of Thrills.

February 14, 2012
Flames edge Nailers
Usually it takes a teenager a court order to get out of bed before noon on a weekend.

February 13, 2012
BOYS BASKETBALL: Cardinals clinch Region 3 title with win over Linesville
COCHRANTON — What a difference three weeks makes.
Earlier this season, Cochranton enjoyed one of its best outings of the year in a 74-27 rout over Linesville. That night everything went right for the Cardinals.

February 11, 2012
COLLEGE WRESTLING: Honeycutt, James pull out win for Scots
EDINBORO — Basketball has buzzer-beaters. Baseball has walk-off home runs. Football has game-winning field goals.
Heavyweight Ernest James displayed wrestling’s version of a final-moment finish on Friday during the Edinboro wrestling team’s 18-15 victory over Michigan State at Edinboro University’s McComb Fieldhouse.

February 11, 2012
GIRLS BASKETBALL: Indians notch win despite shooting, rebounding woes
CONNEAUTVILLE — Many believe strange things happen when there’s a full moon in the sky. Perhaps they happen even a few days later.
Conneaut Valley shot under 24 percent from the field and was out-rebounded 32-20 on Thursday night. But the Indians found a way as they wrapped up at least a share of the Region 3 girls basketball title with a 36-23 win over Cochranton.

February 10, 2012
WRESTLING: Close decisions push Bears past Blue Devils
CAMBRIDGE SPRINGS — Non-region wrestling foes Union City and Cambridge Springs seemed to want to savor nearly every second of their respective regular season finales.
Going head-to-head Thursday night, eight of the 12 contested bouts went the distance; seven of them were won by decision; and five of those seven were decided by two points or less.

February 10, 2012
Maplewood could be getting a Little Gridders program
It’s still in the early stages, but Maplewood football could be welcoming a new team into its community come August.

February 8, 2012
Lady Scots roar back vs. Knights
Edinboro had trailed just once at halftime heading into Wednesday night’s Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference women’s basketball showdown with Gannon.

February 8, 2012
Lancers roll through MASH wrestlers
It was the Meadville seniors’ party, but they were the only ones that really got to enjoy it, as the Bulldogs’ two 12th-graders were MASH’s only winners on the mat during a 56-15 loss to a talented General McLane squad on Wednesday at the House of Thrills.

February 8, 2012
More Local Sports Headlines

A clean-energy plan to use solar energy in eastern Pennsylvania has been met with resistance, even by environmental groups. Do you think solar energy has a future as a valuable energy source in Pennsylvania?

Local Sports

Search Results

Discussion

’Dogs shows improvement against Greyhounds

A clean-energy plan to use solar energy in eastern Pennsylvania has been met with resistance, even by environmental groups. Do you think solar energy has a future as a valuable energy source in Pennsylvania?

Site Map

Contact Us