Jance Henry's 234 rushing yards leads Central Valley over Blackhawk, 42-14
CHIPPEWA TWP. — Central Valley coach Mark Lyons is the only football coach the program has ever had so there is no confusion.
“We tell our guys that there are no excuses,” said Lyons. “They know what we expect them to do and we expect them to produce.”
And produce is exactly what the Warriors did Friday night as the offensive line dominated for over 500 yards rushing and Central Valley rolled over Blackhawk 42-14. Central Valley is now 5-1, 3-0 in the Parkway Conference while Blackhawk falls to 0-6, 0-3.
“Our motivation is driving the ball,” said senior two-way lineman Nick McCreary. “They’re tough on us during the week at practice so playing games is fun for us.
“There have been times when we’ve walked to the line of scrimmage and told the guy right over us that we were running at them and that they couldn’t stop us.”
“Our goal is to get the backs in the end zone,” said junior two-way lineman Tyler Ondrusek. “Coach Larry (DeVincentis) has the number goals, we just make the holes.”
The holes that McCreary, Ondrusek, and friends made allowed Central Valley to rush for 506 yards on 42 carries. Pull out the two sacks that counted as negative rushing yardage and the team averaged almost 13 yards per carry. Three backs gained 100 or more yards and, be prepared, conference – none are seniors.
Junior quarterback Steven Rutherford gained 100 yards rushing and scored twice while passing for 145 yards (completing nine of 14). He scored the first touchdown of the game on a 43-yard run on the Warriors’ second play from scrimmage as he rolled right, pulled the ball down and ran with it – in just his sixth start.
“He’s had the keys to the offense since the end of last year,” Lyons said. “We trust him.”
Junior Mason Dixon scored the second touchdown that put Central Valley for good but played little after that. He gained 60 yards on eight carries before being pulled for precautionary reasons.
He was replaced by freshman Jance Henry, who rushed for 234 yards and two touchdowns on just 21 carries.
“I didn’t expect to get the ball as much but we all put the work in, just in case,” said Henry, who is listed as 5-7 and 191 pounds. “It doesn’t matter. When one man goes down, the standards don’t change, we still have to get it done.
“I love running behind this line. We usually run three different backs so we’re always ready and the standard is always the standard.”
The third back in the triumvirate also gained 100 yards as sophomore JJ Work gained 112 yards on just six carries.
Despite the offensive attack of Central Valley, Blackhawk stayed in the game until the fourth quarter, trailing just 28-14 after three. The Cougars had an effective game plan but couldn’t keep up.
Blackhawk tied the game before the first quarter was over as Adam Pritchard passed to Cody Woodward for a 21-yard score, after Maurice Watson-Trent had converted a 3rd-and-18 with a 23-yard run. Watson-Trent finished with 115 yards rushing but the Cougars converted only two third downs after that.
“We got the effort we wanted from our players,” said first year coach Pat Feeley. “But Central Valley makes you pay for every mistake you make.”
Feeley did his post-game interview in the crowded lobby of his locker room. The room is loaded with weight equipment as the fitness center is renovated. The two situations could well be related.
“We got effort, but we got worn down,” Feeley said. “We haven’t had a weight room since June and we need to get back to lifting to keep that from happening.”
Blackhawk scored its final touchdown in the third quarter as senior Dontae Campagna scored on a 6-yard run.
This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Jance Henry's 234 rushing yards leads Central Valley over Blackhawk, 42-14
