By Greg Seiter
Contributing Writer
INDIANAPOLIS â??? Longtime Roncalli coach Bruce Scifres
entrusted the Rebelsâ?? traditional powerhouse running game to a sophomore Aug.
25 at Franklin Central, and the 6â??2â?, 176-pounder didn’t disappoint.
Following a 162-yard first-half performance by junior
running back Dan Bohn, second-year player Ben Polizzi carried the ball 16 times
for 76 yards during the third and fourth quarters against an undersized Flashes
squad as Class 4A ninth-ranked Roncalli improved to 1-1 with a 21-14 victory, its
third consecutive win against Franklin Central (0-2).
After a disappointing 13-3 road loss to Center Grove last
week in which the defending Class 4A runner-up attempted an uncharacteristic 21
passes, Roncalli effectively re-established its ground attack Friday while
preventing a determined Flashes squad from doing the same. The Rebels amassed
270 rushing yards overall while limiting Franklin Central to just 125.
“I’m very proud of our guys up front,” Scifres
said. “Franklin Central plays a very aggressive style of defense that has
the potential to create chaos. Our guys did a good job of picking up blocks and
creating holes.”
Bohn, who started the game for Roncalli in place of senior
running back Kirk Cahill, ran the ball only three times in the second half
following 20 first-half carries. Cahill missed the Franklin Central game after
suffering back spasms last week.
But Cahill wasn’t the only starter who didn’t play against
the Flashes. In fact, Scifres indicated that eight listed starters missed this
contest because of injuries.
“We only returned six starters from last year’s team,
and just three of them are playing right now,” Scifres said. “I can’t
remember starting a season with a team as beat up as we are, but we definitely
had kids step up tonight.”
While Roncalli’s offense returned to form, its defense also
played admirably against 5A Franklin
Central.
The Flashes managed just 182 offensive yards, including 57
through the air. Additionally, the Rebels forced three Franklin Central
turnovers.
Roncalli took the opening kick and marched 76 yards in nine
plays â??? all on the ground â??? for an early lead as senior Paul Corsaro plunged
one yard for a touchdown following eight consecutive carries by Bohn.
A second-quarter interception by FC senior defensive back
Josh Snyder set up a 51-yard scoring pass from quarterback Nick Sharp to senior
receiver Ray Taylor with 9:21 left on the clock. But the Rebels answered with a
63-yard scoring drive that culminated in a five-yard touchdown pass from
Corsaro to senior running back Chris Jacobs.
A costly fumble by Sharp led to a two-yard Rebels’ scoring
run by Bohn with 1:47 left before the half. But on Franklin Central’s next possession,
junior running back Darius Willis scored on a 3rd-and-8 run from 64 yards
out that pulled the Flashes within seven points at the break, 21-14.
That Willis run, however, accounted for the game’s final
points.
The transfer from Indianapolis
Howe Academy
led the Franklin Central ground attack with 119 yards on 23 carries, while Sharp
completed just 2 of 9 passes for 57 yards.
Roncalliâ??s aerial attack did not fare any better. Aside from
throwing for only 12 yards on 2-of-5 accuracy with a pair of interceptions,
Corsaro ran the ball eight times for 23 yards.
“We came into this game planning to run the ball a
lot,” Scifres said. “In high school football in the state of Indiana, when you’re
able to run the ball effectively, you keep on doing it.”
The Rebels, who are 10-3 against Franklin Central since
1994, are back in action Sept. 1 for their first home game of the season when
they host Indianapolis Chatard at 7 p.m. EDT Franklin
Central, meanwhile, opens Conference Indiana
play next Friday with a 7 p.m. road contest against Bloomington South.
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