BEAVER FALLS — In the recent history of the Pennsylvania-Ohio Football Classic, the games have tended to be close: Penn State led the series 29-14 going into the 45th conference call, but five of the past seven have been decided by a touchdown or less.
But Ohio bucked that trend Thursday night at Geneva College's Reeves Field, taking the opening kickoff and marching down the field before missing a field goal and scoring touchdowns on its next two attempts, ultimately leading to a 28-10 victory for Ohio.
“We had chances, but we were always behind,” Penn State Central Valley coach Mark Lyons said. “They had some guys that played better than us, but we had great kids.
“It was a fantastic two weeks and I'd love to participate again.”
After Ohio State's first points, the home team fought back. Western Beaver's Tyson Florence scored on a 4-yard run in the second quarter and Mohawk's Josh Wilkins booted a 30-yard field goal on the opening drive of the second half, but the 14-10 margin couldn't have been closer.
There were fears that the unusually high temperatures would affect the game, but this did not appear to have had a major impact: the crowd was again almost full, but only on the shady side of the field, so no one was sitting in the sun.
The players were aware of the heat but seemed to be adapting well. The heat wave lasted through practice time and the players practiced on grass in the Central Valley, so it wasn't all new.
“It was really hot,” said New Brighton's Hunter Lewis, who was named Penn State's defensive MVP. “It was hotter than usual on the turf and we only got two full practices with pads on.”
“Ohio is a tough team and we really came to play.”
For Lewis, like many others, the experience is even more meaningful because the bout will be his last in full equipment.
“I'm joining the electricians union so this is my last one,” Lewis said. “I was surprised to win MVP, but I had a great time with some great guys and I'd love to go again.”
Ironically, Penn State's offensive MVP was also playing his final game as he became the inaugural recipient of the newly named Jim Wilson Award, which honors former Freedom head coach and longtime Blackhawk assistant Jim Wilson and his longtime work with other schools.
“I just came here to have fun and play baseball,” said Blackhawk graduate Maurice Watson-Trent, who rushed 13 times for 73 yards. “This is my last game. I'm not going to college and I'm going to start my own clothing line, 'A Maverick.'”
“It was really fun playing against guys I've played against for years.”
For another Blackhawk alumnus, Donta Campagna, playing his final game, the game was also special, not because of the award he won, but because he got to take the field to watch his grandfather, Carl Florey, be elected as the inaugural member of the MAC Coaches Hall of Fame.
“It was a great experience for me and I'm glad to be here,” Campagna said, “but this was definitely the hottest match I've ever played in.”
Joining Florey in the field and in the class were Joe Hamilton, Tom Marsilio, Joe Savage (as a contributor) and the family members of four posthumous Hall of Fame inductees: Tom Alexander, Rich Niedbara, Larry Bruno and Pat Tarquinio.
Many of them were instrumental in establishing the game as a way to give players a chance to play and a coaches association to award scholarships.
Awarded scholarships at halftime were Central Valley's Tyler Costanza, Riverside's Josh Guenther, Beaver's Marco Gutierrez, West Allegheny's AJ Hughes, Central Valley's Donte Newton, Rochester's Michael Norman, Freedom's Cody Patterson, Laurel's Braydon Smith and Ambridge's Grant Ubodic.
