By T.J. Turrisi
Meadville Tribune
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.
