Vikings Positioned For Postseason Trip D-2 Spot Is Unlikely, But Eastern Conference Berth Seems Realistic After Win Over Susquehanna.
By JOHN ERZAR [email protected]
Sunday, October 21, 2001 Page: 6C
HAZLETON – It’s 10 more months before Bishop Hafey puts on the pads to
prepare for next season, but it’s Saturday afternoons like the one against
Susquehanna that have the Vikings itching for 2002.
This season, though, may go on a little longer than expected.
Ryan DeCosmo nudged Hafey ever closer to the postseason, running for 182
yards and two touchdowns as the Vikings upended Susquehanna 27-8 in a
Northeast Pennsylvania Football Conference Division 4 game.
“I can’t wait for (next season),” said DeCosmo, a junior. “It’s going to
be a lot of fun.”
Hafey (4-3 Div. 4, 5-3 overall) has had its share of fun this year. While
still mathematically alive for a District 2 Class A playoff spot, the victory
moved the Vikings closer to a more realistic shot at the Eastern Conference
playoffs.
“It was a team effort,” Hafey coach John Phillips said. “We’ve haven’t
really put together a really consistent game from special teams, offense and
defense. I think today we did even though we made some mistakes.”
Two miscues, both holding penalties, prevented DeCosmo from eclipsing the
The second wiped out a 27-yard run completely.
Neither, though, caused Hafey to sulk. The offense regrouped and the
defense kept the Sabers (3-4, 3-5) off the board until Larry Cassidy caught a
“We were all confident,” DeCosmo said. “We knew we made mistakes and had
to eliminate them to win.”
Hafey led 7-0 at halftime as Jim McDermott hauled in a 25-yard pass from
Dave Santarelli with a minute left in the second quarter. The 99-yard drive
appeared stalled at the Hafey 5-yard line when Santarelli was corralled for a
new life.
“Things like that hurt, really hurt,” Susquehanna coach Ron Mulka said.
“What was it, third-and-eight? And we give them a 15-yard penalty. Then they
drive right down the field.”
Hafey did the same with its first three possessions of the second half to
take a 27-0 lead.
DeCosmo capped the first drive with a 25-yard scoring run. Hafey averted
trouble when left guard Brian Savage recovered a fumble on the opening play.
The second drive demonstrated how well things were going for Hafey. Matt
Tier ran for 16 yards and a first down on a fake punt, and on the next play
Santarelli collided with Max Whitacre on the handoff exchange, but spun around
and gained 7 yards. Two plays later, Santarelli tossed a 12-yard TD pass to
Matt Singley for a 20-0 lead early in the fourth.
“If we’re going to be a better team, we’re going to need a better balance
with pass and run,” Phillips said. “Fortunately today, we were on.”
DeCosmo made it 27-0, making an excellent cutback on an 18-yard run to end
Hafey’s third consecutive possession of the second half with a touchdown.
Wyoming Seminary 28, New Hampton 2
NEW HAMPTON, N.H. – Wyoming Seminary’s defense forced seven turnovers,
including three interceptions by Larry Johnson, and Joe Hogan threw for 199
yards as the Blue Knights remained undefeated on the road.
Andre Pogue got Seminary (5-2) on the board early, hauling in a 67-yard
touchdown pass from Hogan, who hit Dan Volpetti for the two-point conversion.
On the ensuing kickoff, Volpetti recovered a fumble and returned it 20
yards for a touchdown.
In the fourth quarter, Seminary’s Mike McCurley ran 6 yards to the goal
line and fumbled, but teammate Evan Webber recovered the ball in the end zone
for a 22-0 lead.
Martin Gibson closed Seminary’s scoring with a 3-yard touchdown run.
The Blue Knights host Poly Prep of Brooklyn, N.Y., which is ranked 10th in
the USA Today Super 25 poll, in their season finale next Saturday.
