Rochester next hurdle for Fort Cherry
Holly Tonini/For the Observer-Reporter
Quarterback Maddox Truschel (3) is key to the Fort Cherry offense.
Mark Marietta
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Senior quarterback Maddox Truschel leads his teammates through an agility drill. The Rangers have been preparing for a key Class A Big Seven Conference game tonight at Rochester.
At the midway point of the high school football season, the games take on more meaning. Chin straps seem to become a little tighter and penalties seem more devastating.
Fort Cherry is tied with three other teams for second place in the Class A Big Seven Conference but a couple of losses could send the Rangers into the netherworld where they simply play out the string.
That’s why tonight’s game against Rochester is so important. Both teams are 2-1 in the conference and both have one double-digit loss, Rochester 16-0 to Union and Fort Cherry 27-6 to Our Lady of Sacred Heart.
OLSH is coming off a loss to Rochester, which had not played in two weeks because of a forfeit by Burgettstown. Fort Cherry won a thriller last week, 29-28, over Northgate.
“Rochester is – and this is no knock on them – the team we know,” said Fort Cherry head coach Tanner Garry. “You always know what you’re going to see when you turn on the Rochester film, a hard-nosed team that is well coached. They know where they’re supposed to be and they’re good at executing. They are very disciplined and physicalness is an attribute they have had for so long.”
Fort Cherry must stop Rochester’s running game to win. Sai Laure is averaging a little more than 100 yards per game. Connor Martin and Antonio Laure average a little more than 50 yards combined. Quarterback JD Azulay has thrown just 25 passes but five have gone for touchdowns.
“They’ll run the ball and lull you to sleep,” Garry said. “Then they’ll hit the long pass.
“One of the things that makes Rochester a good team is they coach up that kid at every position. Whenever they do that, they get rid of any weaknesses. They make sure everyone knows what they’re doing. That’s one of the things at the Single-A level. Kids are forced to grow up faster than those at the 5A or 6A level.”
Fort Cherry’s offense revolves around quarterback Maddox Truschel, who has passed for 530 yards and rushed for 805 yards. Dylan Rogers is Truschel’s favorite receiver, finding him 26 times for 269 yards and six touchdowns.
On the other side of the ball defensive back Shane Cornali has four interceptions in the last three weeks and five overall.
“I’ll be watching for the pass,” Cornali said. “I have good reads from other teams’ game film. They keep throwing it to me and I keep making big plays. Most of the throws are to my man.”
Cornali is turning into a do-everything player, wide receiver on offense, defensive back and now extra-point kicker.
“When we had our game against Avella (in Week 2) my coach came up to me 20 minutes before the game and told me I was going to do extra points,” said Cornali. “The first game I went 3-for-4 or 3-for-5. I played soccer when I was 6 and I think that’s where all my skills transferred from. I watch videos and work at it at home.”
In other games
Moon at Peters Township: PT had all of one week to think about the stinging loss to Upper St. Class last week. It’s still early in the Class 5A Allegheny Six Conference – the opener was last week – but the Indians can hardly afford losses like the 31-3 shellacking to USC.
Monessen at Carmichaels: The Mikes can shake the Greyhound into the rear-view mirror with a win. Both teams are 2-1 in the Class A Tri-County South Conference. With 231 yards passing, Carmichaels quarterback Trenton Carter can reach the 1,000-yard mark.