By Bob Evans
Sports Editor
November 9, 2009
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Malvern's Maurice Johnson runs through the Symmes Valley line in action from last Saturday's 43-0 win in the opening round of the playoffs. The Hornets will take on Bridgeport Saturday night at 7 p.m. in Steubenville at Harding Stadium. |
MALVERN - Playing with heavy hearts, the Malvern Hornets went out and took care of business Saturday night with a 43-0 shutout win over Symmes Valley in the opening round of the Division VI playoffs at Hornet Stadium.
The team learned earlier in the day of the sudden passing of long-time assistant coach and equipment manager George Offenberger, who died of an apparent heart attack.
For Malvern head coach Dave Tucci, it was a saddened win.
"He didn't come to the walkthrough this morning," Tucci said. "I knew something was wrong, so I went to his apartment and found him. He was with me since 1999. It was a sad day for the kids and me. He was a great guy and a great friend. We are all numb."
A moment of silence was held before the start of the game for the 1975 Malvern graduate, and the game was dedicated to him in his honor.
"The kids really liked George, and they came out tonight and played for him. They dedicated tonight's game to him by wearing the letters 'GO' on their helmets."
Malvern will move on to play Bridgeport at 7 p.m. Saturday at Harding Stadium in Steubenville. Bridgeport was a 54-28 winner over Tuscarawas Central Catholic.
The win improved the Hornets to 10-1 for the year.
The Hornet controlled the game on both sides of the ball.
"It was a complete team effort tonight. The kids battled and played through the whistle," Tucci said. "The kids from the starters to the kids who played in the fourth quarter played with determination. You always want to take it up a notch in the playoffs, and I think our kids did that."
Senior quarterback Doug Wood threw four touchdowns passes and ran for another.
Wood hit 12-of-13 passes for 143 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran for 151 yards on 18 carries and a touchdown.
"I think he played a flawless game," noted Tucci. "He ran the ball well and was right on with his passes.
"Defensively, our goal was not to give them any big plays and we didn't do that. We wanted to make them work for everything they got."
Wood hit sophomore Travis Tucci with three scoring strikes of 32, 2 and 13 yards, and Wood's fourth went to Nick Palleschi for four yards. Wood scored the final touchdown of the game on a four-yard run. Senior running back Maurice Johnson added 96 tough yards on 14 attempts and scored the game's first touchdown on a three-yard run.
Johnson also had a huge play on defense. The Vikings' Justin Payne broke through the Malvern line and appeared on his way for a touchdown. But Johnson ran him down inside the five-yard line to keep him from scoring. The Hornet defense stepped up and held the Vikings out of the endzone.
"That was a backbreaker," said Symmes Valley head coach Rusty Webb.
"Malvern was the better team tonight. This is the first time we have been on this stage in a while (2005) and it showed."
Payne led the Vikings with 79 yards on five carries, and Kyle Bowen added 46 on 13 attempts.
The Hornets held a 446-243 advantage in total yards.
SCORING
SYMMES VALLEY: 0 0 0 0 - 0
MALVERN: 12 16 8 7 - 43
FIRST QUARTER
Malvern - Maurice Johnson 3-yard run (kick failed)
Malvern - Nick Palleschi 4-yard pass from Doug Wood (run failed)
SECOND QUARTER
Malvern - Travis Tucci 32-yard pass from Wood (Maurice Johnson run)
Malvern - Tucci 2-yard pass from Wood (Wood pass to Maurice Johnson)
THIRD QUARTER
Malvern - Tucci 13-yard pass from Wood (Wood pass to Palleschi)
FOURTH QUARTER
Malvern - Wood 4-yard run (Eric Hain kick)
STATISTICTS
RUSHING: Symmes Valley - 41-211. Malvern - 44-309. PASSING: Symmes Valley - 4-6-33. Malvern - 12-13-143. TOTAL YARDS: Symmes Valley - 243. Malvern - 446. FIRST DOWNS: Symmes Valley - 9. Malvern - 21. PENALTIES: Symmes Valley - 2-10. Malvern - 2-10. FUMBLES/FUMBLES LOST: Symmes Valley - 4-2. Malvern - 1-0. |
