Outstanding plays by TIMES-NEWS Player of the Week Josh Hontz, QB Cinicola, Redline, McGonigle, Adams, Garland, White, Jones and the entire Olympian team resulted in another X in the win column.

We have some video clips of the game. Here’s one:
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldOROWwP3yA]

Go to our YouTube channel to see them.

Jim Thorpe 31

Schuylkill Haven 6

The Jim Thorpe offense looked sluggish to start the game and the first quarter ended in a scoreless tie. The game did not remain close for much longer. The Olympian offense got a spark when Corey Cinicola completed a 36 yd pass to Craig Zurn. Just a few plays later, Phil Redline scored on a 7 yd TD run. Two plays into the next Haven possession, Zurn intercepted a pass and returned it for a defensive TD. Alex Landon would cap the first half scoring with a 31 yard field goal. Jim Thorpe held a 17-0 lead at the half.

The Red Swarm defense dominated the Haven offense only allowing 147 total yards and causing 2 fumbles. Robert Mathurin was practically unstoppable on the D-Line for the Olympians. Zach Barkett, the AFL’s leading rusher entering the game, finished the night with only 60 yds on 20 carries.

The Olympians used a balanced offensive attack to move the ball on the Canes. Zurn passed for over 100 yards including a 4 yd TD pass to Josh Hontz in the 3rd quarter that expanded the Thorpe lead to 24-0. Redline led the Olympian rushing attack with 60 yds. Zurn rushed for 56 and Joe Garland added 3 carries for 12 yds in his first game since returning from an injury. Zurn completed 3 passes to Raul DeBenedittis for 66 yds, Hontz caught 2 for 12 yds and Ben Flizack had 1 reception for 21 yds.

Zurn rushed for a 15 yd TD early in the 4th quarter to make the score 31-0. The Hurricanes escaped the shutout with an 8 yard TD run late in the final quarter.

Jim Thorpe 38
Pocono Mountain West 28

Pictures from the game.

Jim Thorpe improves record to 7-0.

Jim Thorpe jumped out to an early 14-0 lead Friday on rushing TDs by Phil Redline and Scott McGonigal. The Panthers dominated the remainder of the half scoring 21 points. PMW quarterback Jon Mangual had a tremendous game throwing for 216 yards and evading the JT rush.

JT trailed for the first time this season 21-14 at the half. The Olympians regrouped at the half and scored 17 3rd quarter points. The Red Swarm defense set up the Thorpe offense forcing back-to-back turnovers on Panther drives. Corey Cinicola, making his first career start, threw a 27yd TD pass to Raul DeBenedittis to tie the score at 21. Redline would score his 2nd rushing TD on the next JT possession to give the Olympians a lead they would not relinquish.

Alex Landon connected on his first field goal of the year to expand the JT lead to 31-21. Redline scored a 3rd rushing TD in the 4th quarter to make the score 38-21. The Panthers would not quit and drove for a TD of their own to cut the Thorpe lead to 38-28 with under 5 minutes to play.

An onside kick attempt by PMW was recovered by Mike Thomas. The Olympians would be forced to punt and made a final defensive stand to preserve the win for the Olympians. Cinicola finished 8-15 for 146yds 1td and 2 ints. His main target was Josh Hontz with 4 receptions for 61yds.

Redline had a huge game on the ground carrying 32 times for 135 yds and 3 scores. The Red Swarm defense played a tremendous second half containing Mangual who was so elusive in the first half.

NEXT GAME

7pm Friday October 20th at Schuylkill Haven

Shenandoah 30
Jim Thorpe 20 The Olympian JVs fell to Shenandoah 30-20 on Monday. The Devils hit several big plays and took advantage of poor JT tackling to come away with the victory. Jim Thorpe failed to convert a 4th and 1 on their first possession. Shenandoah connected on a halfback pass on their first offensive play for a 55 yard touchdown to take a 6-0 lead.

Olympian defense would even the score later in the first quarter when Tom Hartman intercepted a screen pass and returned it 35 yards for a TD. The try for 2 failed leaving the score at 6-6. Another SV drive was stopped in the first half by a CJ Lehman interception. JT would take a 12-6 lead when Corey Cinicola connected with Nate Jones late in the 2nd quarter.

The Devils regained the lead just before the half on a 65 yard fade. The 2 pt conversion failed but a JT penalty on the try allowed another attempt. SV scored to make the score 14-12 at the half. SV opened the 2nd half with a long drive for a TD which was aided by JT missed tackles. After the 2 pt conversion the Devils lead was 22-12.

On their next drive the Olympians answered when Tom Ferguson raced 45 yards on a toss to cut the SV lead to 22-18. JT got hard inside running from Bill Rieck and Kyle Busocker and Ferguson continued his success to the outside. Ralph Bertrand led the Olympians with 3 receptions.

The JT defense played well at times with Tony Mistretta recording to tackle for a loss and a big sack by Josh Strohl. The Olympians seemed to take a 24-22 lead late in the 3rd quarter but a holding call negated the score. That drive stalled setting up another big play for the Devils. The SV QB connected on a passs over the middle which was misplayed by the JT defense. The Devil receiver raced 50 yards for the score extending the SV lead to 30-18.

The Olympians threatened one last time but SV intercepted a 4th down pass at the one yard line with 4 minutes remaining. SV would take a safety on 4th down to make the score 30-20 with under 2 minutes remaining.

NEXT JV GAME
Monday 10/09/2006 5pm at home vs Minersville

Olympians dismantle Battlin Miners upping their record to a perfect 6-0. Through most of the first 2 quarters, the Olympian offense controlled the ball driving for 2 scores and a 14-0 lead. Between the 2 scoring drives, Kyle Porembo halted a Minersville drive with a 3rd down interception.

With under 3 minutes remaining in the half, JT QB Craig Zurn was tossed from the game by an overzealous official on a controversial call. They Minersville team and crowd erupted into a deafening roar. The Miners believed that without Zurn, the Olympians would quit.

They couldn’t have been more wrong. Freshman backup QB Corey Cinicola replaced Zurn and the Olympian dominance continued. JT rode balanced offense (101 yards rushing & 121 yards passing) and a stifling Red Swarm defense (forcing 7 turnovers) to a 28-6 AFL victory.

The Miners offense was held in check the entire night with the exception of one big play in the 3rd quarter. A 97 yd TD run by the Minersville QB cut the Thorpe lead to 14-6. On the ensuing kickoff the Olympians were pinned inside their own 5 yd line but the Miners would not be able to take advantage of the field position.

After a scoreless 3rd quarter, Cinicola threw his first varsity TD pass to TE Ben Flizack to extend the lead to 21-6. Just seconds later the Olympians special teams would slam the door on any Minersville hopes. The Miners fumbled the kickoff return which was scooped up by Raul DeBenedittis who raced 24 yards for the final TD of the game. Alex Landon was a perfect 4-4 on PAT attempts.

“Jim Thorpe Pride” overcame adversity as the entire team stepped up in a tough situation. The Olympians never lost their intensity and kept their composure throughout the contest. The Red Swarm was dominant again allowing only 60 yards of offense outside the one Minersville TD run. The Thorpe pass defense stepped up after allowing over 100 yards each of the previous 2 weeks. Miner receivers caught just 3 of 17 pass attempts for 33 yards while the JT defense had 4 interceptions (Eric Busocker 2, Porembo & Josh Hontz).

The Thorpe offense had many contributors. The O-line (Bradley, Andrews, Malatak, Mathurin, Zayas & Mertz) protected Thorpe QBs, giving them time to complete 73% of their passes (Zurn 5-7-0-86 & Cinicola 3-4-1-35). Josh Hontz was the leading receiver catching 4 passes for 71 yards (Redline 2-30, McGonigal 1-11 & Flizack 1-9-1TD). The Olympians rushed for over 100 yards (Phil Redline 25-64-1TD, Scott McGonigal 12-24-1TD, Zurn 9-12, Porembo 1-5).

NEXT GAME

7pm Friday Ocober 13th at Pocono Mountain West

Total team effort dominates North Schuylkill for the entire game.

(1) Spartans were held to 66 yards of total offense (56yds on the one play in the 3rd quarter)

(2) ”Clewless” NS passing attacked had only one completion for 1 yard. No receptions for Robbie Clews.

(3) NS managed only 2 first downs the entire game.

(4) Red Swarm recovered 3 fumbles, recorded a safety and gave the Olympian offense great field position the entire night.

 Inspired by the Red Swarm Defense, the Olympian Offense scored 7 TDs. Kyle Porembo and Phil Redline each scored first half rushing TDs. After the Jim Thorpe Defense scored a safety, “Big Ben” Flizack hauled in a 14 yard TD from Craig Zurn to increase the JT lead to 30-0 at the half. The lone defensive lapse by the Olympians occurred early in the 3rd quarter when the NS quarterback ran 56 yards for the only Spartan score. The Olympians answered on the ensuing drive with a 10 yard TD pass from Zurn to Josh Hontz. Craig Zurn and Tony Mistretta added rushing TDs to reach the final score of 50-6.

The Olympians spread the wealth on offense with the O-line (Lance Malatak, Shawn Bradley, Billy Mertz, Robbie Mathurin, Keith Long & Ben Flizack) opening huge holes for a host of JT runners. 10 rushers gained 301 yards on the ground (Craig Zurn 7-102, Phil Redline 18-91, Tony Mistretta 6-41, Scott McGonigal 6-25, Jake Zurn 2-19, Kyle Porembo 3-17, Tim Kunkel 2-9, Tom Ferguson 1-5, Raul DeBenedittis 1-(-1)). The passing attack was balanced as well. Craig Zurn went 6 for 12 passing for 92 yards and Corey Cinicola completed his only attempt for 8 yards.  6 players pulled down passes for 100 yards (Raul DeBenedittis 2-43, Mike Thomas 1-18, Ben Flizack 1-14, Josh Hontz 1-10, Phil Redline 1-6, Kyle Porembo 1-7).

The complete JT team effort continued when substitutes entered the game. There was no let down when the Olympian second team took the field and played a majority of the 4th quarter. The second team offense added a TD. The second team defense yielded only 1 NS first down and surrendered zero points.

Next Game

Olympians host backyard rival Panther Valley in an Anthracite League game Friday September 22nd at 7pm.

Please come out and show your support…GO THORPE!