MILL HALL — Mount Carmel starting quarterback John Ayres left Friday’s game at Central Mountain with a knee injury to his left leg.
And after a little miscommunication, backup quarterback Tommy McDonald led the Red Tornadoes to a 41-21 rout of the Wildcats.
McDonald completed 6-of- 7 passes for 158 yards and three touchdowns, all in the first half, as Mount Carmel built a 28-7 halftime lead. Running back Kyle Karycki finished the rout with two third-quarter touchdown runs on the way to a 182-yard night.
Ironically, those two misfired on an early handoff and coach John Darrah inserted Zach Zarkowski, who plays on the JV team with McDonald, so the latter would be more comfortable. Zarkowski carred for a first down on third-and-7. After that, everything clicked.
Two plays later, McDonald threw for a 61-yard touchdown to a wide-open Wes Shurock. The pair repeated that play on the next series, this time for a 33-yard touchdown, and before the half was over, McDonald connected with Lane Tanney on a 24-yard touchdown.
“It was basically the same play,” McDonald said. “Play action. I had to get the butterflies out and that run with Zach did that. Other than that, it was just getting used to reps with the first team. The line blocked well. I played some quarterback last year, so I wasn’t really that nervous.”
“Tommy played very well,” Darrah said. “We have a next-man-up mentality and I probably put a little too much on him the first series.”
The teams played a scoreless first quarter but Karycki scored on a 6-yard run, set up by a 24-yard pass from McDonald to Mason Duran, for a 6-0 lead. But the extra point was no good and Central Mountain then grabbed the lead on an 81-yard kickoff return touchdown by Justin Neff and the extra point.
But Mount Carmel dominated the rest of the half, picking up 14 first downs and 313 total yards in the half.
The Tornadoes (2-2) then opened the second half with a nine-play, 75-yard drive. McDonald had a 33-yard run and Karycki carried four times for 44 yards before scoring on a 1-yard plunge.
Karycki then exploded for a 75-yard touchdown on his next carry and the game was essentially over since Neff sat out the second half with his arm in a sling with what appeared to be a sprain.
Central Mountain scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
Game Summary
MC (2-2) 0 28 13 0 — 41
CM (2-2) 0 7 0 14 — 21
MC — Karycki 2 run (kick blocked)
CM — Neff 81 kickoff return (Carson kick)
MC — Shurock 61 pass from McDonald (run failed)
MC — Shurock 33 pass from McDonald (Tanney pass from McDonald)
MC — Tanney 25 pass from McDonald (Zarkowski run)
MC — Karycki 1 run (kick failed)
MC — Karycki 75 run (Pastucha kick)
CM — H. Weaver 5 run (Carson kick)
CM — Harris 21 pass from Carson (Carson kick)
MC Central
First Downs 20 8
Rushes-Yards 43-211 29-81
Passes 7-9-0 5-11-0
Passing Yards 162 70
Total Yards 473 151
Fumbles-Lost 3-1 1-1
Penalties 6-30 5-35
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
RUSHING: Mount Carmel — Karycki 18-182, Yancoskie 6-61, McDonald 4-34, Zarkowski 6-25, Ayres 2-9, Tanney 1-2, Britt 1-3, Cuff 1-(-3), White 3-(-2), Team 1-0. Central Mountain — H. Weaver 16-53, Neff 7-16, Carson 2-8, Mansfield 2-3, T. Weaver 2-1.
PASSING: Mount Carmel — McDonald 6-7-0, 158; Ayres 1-2-0, 4. Central Mountain — Carson 3-6-0, 57; Neff 2-5-0, 13.
RECEIVING: Mount Carmel — Shurock 2-94, Tanney 2-32, Duran 1-24, Karycki 1-8, Yancoskie 1-4. Central Mountain — Harrs 3-36, Zablocki 1-23, Baker 1-11.
INTERCEPTIONS: None.