Central Catholic-Archbishop Wood gamenight blog -- #lvvarsity -- CCHS, Nosovitch amazing in 49-27 win

FROM KEITH GROLLER

10:40 p.m.

My attempts at one final tweet from the stadium proved futile, so we have to recap from the home office here in Allentown. What a night. What an impressive performance. If they didn't know around the state, now they know. Brendan Nosovitch is absolutely off the charts. His performance tonight was breathtaking, simply incredible. It's the kind of night people will be talking about 10, 20 even 30 years from now.

But just as imrpessive was the way the CCHS defense rallied together and refused to lose for Shane McNeely. He has a high ankle sprain and his status for next week's game is in question. But the bottom line is he and the rest of the Vikings will be in Hershey and after what happened on this night, it's hard to imagine anyone beating them next week.

9:31 p.m.

Central just scored again. A 64-yard touchdown pass from Nosovitch to Noah Robb just made it 49-21 with 2:20 left in the game. No words can due Nosovitch's performance justice. We believe he's over 600 yards in total offense.

9:26 p.m.

Snyder-Scipio makes an interception in the end zone to end Wood's possession, and really, last chance to get back in the game. CCHS is headed to Hershey.

9:17 p.m.

Continuing one of the most spectacular offensive performances in PIAA semifinal history, Brendan Nosovitch just went 25 yards for what looks to be the clinching score. Just a breathtaking performance by an incredible player. CCHS up 42-21 with 7:56 left.

9:12 p.m.

The first turnover of the game comes at a critical time. CCHS recovers a fumble in the Wood backfield. CCHS ball at its own 40, looking for the knockout blow. 9 minutes left in the game.

9:07 p.m.

CCHS offense strikes again. Nosovitch hits a wide, wide open Snyder-Scipio with a 64-yard TD pass. Wow. That's all you can say. Wow. CCHS 35-21, 17 seconds into the fourth quarter.

9:04 p.m.

Central Catholic defense starting to take over the game. Airoldi just came up with a big sack on third down and now Wood, down 28-21, will have to put as the third quarter ends.

9 p.m.

Nosovitch keeps for a 1-yard touchdown run and a 28-21 lead, 2:07 left in the third quarter.

8:58 p.m.

Nosovitch just hit Sandherr for a 39-yard pass play to the Wood 3. CCHS very close to taking the lead.

8:57 p.m.

Nosovitch just broke around the right end for a what looked like a 61-yard touchdown run. But a holding call negated the TD run. Still, CCHS has a first down at the Wood 42.

8:49 p.m.

CCHS tries a double-pass on third down, but the ball just falls incomplete negating a potential big play. Wood has the ball at its own 33, 6:28 left in half.

8:46 p.m.

Wood can't gain a first down, has to punt. CCHS ball at own 44, 7:25 left in the third quarter.

8:44 p.m.

CCHS turned away on a Nosovitch sack and an incompletion in the end zone. CCHS fans wanted pass interference or face guarding. Wood ball at its own 18, 9:36 left in 3rd.

8:40 p.m.

Second half is underway. CCHS has the ball and the first crack at scoring. A big pass from Nosovitch to Gulyas has a first down at the Wood 12.

8:19 p.m.

Shane McNeely just received a big ovation from CCHS fans as he was carted off the field and driven to the locker room. What a shame for that kid. The injury looks very, very serious. It's his left leg. He may have played his last football game of his Central career, and he's also a very talented basketball player.

8:17 p.m.

Archbiship Wood lines up for a 42-yard field goal with one second left in the first half and the kick is .... wide right. It will be 21-21 at halftime. Terrific game.

8:13 p.m.

A 30-yard pass play has Wood on the move. First down at the CCHS 32 with 32 seconds left in the half. A stop here is huge for CCHS if it can get it because the guys in green get the ball to start the second half.

8:08 p.m.

Nosovitch somehow escapes the rush, and finds a wide, wide open Jalen Snyder-Scipio for a 7-yard touchdown pass. Tied again, 21-21 with 1:20 left in the half. What a game!

8:05 p.m.

Nosovitch ran 38 yards to set up a first-and-goal at the Wood 7. Injury timeout, 1:44 left in the half.

8:03 p.m.

In what could be the most critical possession of the game, CCHS is on the move. Nosovitch ran for 17 and just completed a 7-yard pass to Sandherrr. Ball at Wood 45, 1:58 left in the half.

8 p.m.

Wood just regained the lead with an impressive drive capped by QB Monaghan's 10-yard TD run. 2:23 left in the half and Philly Catholic League reps are back up 21-14. Wood is as good as advertised, no question.

7:58 p.m.

Wood had a first down at the CCHS 23, but a procedure penalty moves them back 5. They are doing what people thought they might do -- play a game of keep away from potent CCHS offense. Now they complete a pass in the flat, receiver makes a move and its first-and-goal at the 10.

7:54 p.m.

Wood is keeping it on the ground and just trying to pound away at CCHS, especially with McNeely hurt and obviously gone for the rest of the game. Wood just got a big run by Peoples. Now they have a first down at CCHS 35 with 4:40 left in the first half.

7:49 p.m.

CCHS sets up a screen beautifully, Nosovitch flips to Jalen Snyder-Scipio who races away for a 54-yard touchdown. 14-14, 7:31 left in the half. Great game so far.

7:41 p.m.

Wood takes the lead on an 8-yard TD pass from Joe Monaghan to gigantic tight end Colin Thompson. Wood actually had a more wide open receiver on the play that CCHS never covered. It was an obvious missed assignment that had CCHS coaches in box to our left going crazy. Wood still scores and leads 14-7.

7:38 p.m.

For the third straight series, CCHS is stopped without a first down. A weird-looking punt goes 10 yards and Wood takes over at the CCHS 40. Can the CCHS defense rise up again as it did on the last series?

Now a defensive holding call on CCHS moves it to the 14.

7:33 p.m.

First quarter ends with a big sack by Jack Sandherr on third down forcing Wood to punt. First quarter is over. CCHS 7, Wood 7 and the game everybody expected is shaping up.

7:31 p.m.

CCHS goes three-and-out again and gets a bad punt, too. Wood takes over at the CCHS 47, 1:16 let in the first quarter.

7:26 p.m.

As McNeely is being attended to on the sideline with what looks like an injury serious enough to keep him out of the game, Wood just tied it on a 47-yard run by Brandon Peoples. He jumped up and tried to go over the line, bounced off the pile, found a hole and raced away from everybody. An amazing play. 7-7 with 1:45 left in the first quarter.

7:25 p.m.

Wood just picked up a first down and is in CCHS territory. Of much more concern is that star linebacker Shane McNeely, the LVC defensive MVP, is down on the field with an injury.

7:22 p.m.

With help from a penalty, Archbishop Wood defense gets a three-and-out stop. Wood takes over at its own 42. 3:18 left in the first quarter.

7:19 p.m.

Wood tried to counter with a solid offensive drive. They picked up two first downs, but CCHS got a sack by G.B. Harkins on third-and-2.

7:11 p.m.

Amazing, just amazing. It took Central all of two plays to 95 yards for a touchdown. After Nosovitch ran for 25 yards on the first play, he threw a perfect pass to a streaking Kevin Gulyas for a 70-yard TD pass. The PAT kick is good. CCHS leads 7-0, just 2:35 into this one.

7:09 p.m.

A wide open Wood receiver dropped a pass on third that would have gone on first down and for a big game. CCHS forces punt, gets ball at its own 5 and Nosovitch goes for 25 yards on first play.

7:05 p.m.

Crowd has filled in nicely on the CCHS side of the stadium. We heard there was accidents and traffic jams all over the place out there, so perhaps this will be a late arriving crowd.

7:02 p.m.

Central Catholic has won the toss, but will defer. So the CCHS defense will get the first test of the night.

6:44 p.m.

Here at Bethlehem Area School District Stadium for the biggest game of the year -- the much-anticipated Central Catholic vs. Archbishop Wood battle in the PIAA 3A semifinals. But frankly with little more than 15 minutes to kickoff, the crowd is not that great. Talked to a District 11 official who told me that live TV on a cold, cold night like tonight keeps hundreds of people away. The D11 official wishes it would be like the old days when the games were televised only on a tape-delay basis. Frankly, it's so cold that unless you have a son, grandson or nephew playing, it's probably healthier to stay at home and turn on the tube.


http://blogs.mcall.com/groller/2010/12/central-catholic-archbishop-wood-gamenight-blog-lvvarsity.html