Salesianum

(12-0) captured its' second consecutive state title (and fifth overall) with a

34-17 victory over Sussex Central (11-1) at Alumni Stadium in Dover on Saturday

night.  With the victory, the Sals

clinched their first perfect season since 1964 and they wrapped up the fall

triple crown (winning titles in soccer, cross country, and football) for the

second consecutive year. 

 

Junior

tailback Sal Viscount led the Sals by scoring three touchdowns and

racking 351 all-purpose yards, including 279 yards rushing on 26 carries. 

The performance capped a remarkable season for Viscount, who rushed for

over 100 yards in all 12 of the Sals' games, including four games with 200 or

more.

 

Viscount

finished the season with an unofficial count of 2,280 yards rushing, breaking

the school record of 1,997 yards that was set by Mark McLane in 1972.

 

"It's

great, but I have to credit my offensive line," Viscount said. 

"Running backs always credit their line, but these guys came into the

season extremely underrated, especially after losing five guys up front. 

We have Mike Phillips at left tackle, Andrew Scheiffer at

left guard, Steve Batten at center, Chris Burcham at right guard, Justin

Schlotterback at right tackle, and Andrew Szczerba at tight end. 

They dominated this year and just did an awesome job for us." 

 

"We

helped out Sal by giving him holes, but you have to give a lot of the credit to

Sal," Szczerba said.

yes">  "Even when there weren't holes (he made plays). 

He's a special player, and it was just awesome to play with the kid."

 

The

game got off to a quick start, with Salesianum talking the opening kickoff and

mounting a six-play, 70-yard drive that ended with Viscount going off left

tackle for a 51-yard touchdown less than three minutes into the game. 

Ross Sylvester added the extra-point for a 7-0 lead.

 

Sussex

Central came right back with a two-play, 33-yard drive that was set up by a

43-yard kickoff return by Darshon Adkins. 

On the first play, Courtland Conaway scooted up the left side for

23 yards, setting up a 10-yard touchdown run by quarterback Brad Hilovsky

on a bootleg to the right side.  C.J.

Bell drilled the ensuing extra-point, tying the score at 7-7 with 8:39 left

to play in the first quarter.

 

Central

struck again on their next possession, driving 62-yards in eight plays, but they

were forced to settle for a 26-yard field goal by Bell – his state-leading

eighth of the season - that gave them their only lead of the night, at 10-7,

with 2:23 left in the first.

 

Sallies

moved the ball to the Central 46-yard line on their next possession before being

forced to punt.

yes">  Punter Jordan Ottinger followed with a 45-yard punt

that pinned the Golden Knights at their own one-yard line.

 

Central

managed to pick up one first down before being forced to punt from their own

21-yard line.  The momentum took a

drastic turn when Viscount fielded Bell's rolling kick at the Central 47 and

then raced down the left side for a touchdown and a 13-10 lead. 

 

"That's

what a big-play kid will do," Salesianum coach Bill DiNardo said of the

punt return.  "He's such a

talented player and on that play he showed what he can do."

 

The

Sals were unable to extend the lead on the ensuing extra-point attempt when a

low snap forced holder Will Salus to roll left and toss a pass into the

end zone that was intercepted by Central's Brian Scott.

 

The

Golden Knights went three-and-out on their next series and following a punt,

Salesianum took over with the ball at their own 34-yard line. 

Following a four-yard run by fullback John Prisco on first down,

Salus connected with Szczerba for a 62-yard touchdown strike. 

Szczerba slid behind the coverage and made the catch at the Central

40-yard line, eventually dragging a defender into the end zone with him.

yes">  Following Sylvester's successful extra-point, the Sals led

20-10 with 7:22 left to play in the first half.

 

"We're

basically a running team and everyone knew that all year," Szczerba said. 

"They were stacking the line and I was able to just get behind their

secondary.  Will put the ball on the

money and I was just telling myself, 'don't drop this ball, don't drop

this ball', because last year against Newark we ran the same play to the other

side of the field and a kid from Newark knocked it out of my hands. 

It would have been six points."

 

The

Sals next possession lasted just one play as Salus fired a beautiful 48-yard

touchdown pass to John Kuderka, who was streaking down the right side. 

Sylvester tacked on the extra-point to cap a 20-0 second quarter run that

pushed the lead to 27-10 heading into the locker room at halftime.

 

The

Sals stretched the lead on their first possession of the second half by mounting

a four-play, 65-yard drive.  Viscount

keyed the drive by ripping off a 58-yard run that set up his own one-yard

scoring plunge two plays later.  Sylvester

tacked on the extra-point, giving the Sals an insurmountable 34-10 lead with

8:38 remaining in the third quarter.

 

Central

made the final score more respectable when Adkins scored from seven yards out

with 18 seconds left in the game, ending a run of 27 unanswered points.

 

"It

was a great season for us," Sussex Central coach John Wells said. 

"We were conference champs, going 10-0 in the regular season. 

We didn't play our 'A' game, but you have to give Sallies credit

for being a great team.  

 

"I've

been real blessed with athletes and good coaches around me. 

I can't complain.  It's

been a blessing and believe me, I'm not taking it for granted."

 

For

Salesianum, the victory was especially sweet for offensive tackle-linebacker

Mike Phillips, who missed virtually all of last season with a knee injury.

 

"I

love all these guys," Phillips said.  "I

wouldn't trade this experience for anything in the world. 

Everyone wanted it and it's the most fulfilling and rewarding

experience I've ever had."

 

Phillips

went on talk about the school's dramatic resurgence under third-year coach

DiNardo.

 

"I

hope that what we established carries on," Phillips said. 

"We said before the game that we're a family and we want to take this

tradition to the next level.  The

guys coming back next year are hungry right now. 

They want to have preseason tomorrow. 

They want to win it again and I think they can. 

It's been rewarding to be a part of this rebirth. 

Billy DiNardo is a great man."

 

It

was the fifth state title for DiNardo, who also won three straight Division II

titles at Middletown from 1997-99.

 

"It

never gets old," DiNardo said.  "It's

an unbelievable feeling.  These kids

have worked so hard this year  and

just to reach perfection is a once in a lifetime thing.

 

"I

could talk up anything – X's and O's, and yell and scream, and do this and

that, but it's the kids that did it.  They

took the ball and ran with it.  They

worked so hard in the offseason and they believe in themselves."

 

STATS

 

RUSHING

SUSSEX

CENTRAL (35-165): [30] Conaway 6-92, [24] Adkins 10-30 (TD), [5] Murray 10-28,

[18] Hilovsky 3-8 (TD), [11] Long 1-6, [12] Jones 5-1

SALESIANUM

(49-330): [2] Viscount 26-279 (2 TD), [49] Prisco 16-37, [12] Salus 1-10, [11]

Hansel 1-1, [8] Borochaner 2-3, [7] Lopez 1-1, [22] Fagan 1-0, [16] Breidenbach

1-(-1)

 

PASSING

SUSSEX

CENTRAL: [18] Hilovsky 2-10-1, 21 yards, [11] Long 4-9-1, 65 yards

SALESIANUM:

[12] Salus 2-3-1, 110 yards (2 TD)

 

RECEIVING

SUSSEX

CENTRAL: [12] Jones 3-54, [85] Heald 1-17, [24] Adkins 1-11, [1] Scott 1-4

SALESIANUM:

[89] Szczerba 1-62 (TD), [4] Kuderka 1-48 (TD)

 

TOTAL

OFFENSE

SUSSEX

CENTRAL: 54-251

SALESIANUM:

52-440

 

TAKEAWAYS

SUSSEX

CENTRAL: 4 – [1] Scott INT, [81] Serman, [46] Lee, [24] Adkins FUM REC

SALESIANUM:

3 – [41] Vanover, [81] Pacella INT, [35] Twaddell FUM REC

 

KICK

RETURN YARDS

SUSSEX

CENTRAL (154): [24] Adkins 106, [1] Scott 48

SALESIANUM

(91): [2] Viscount 72 (punt return TD), [4] Kuderka 16, [11] Hansel 3

 

SCORING

SUMMARY

1^st

QUARTER

S-Viscount

51-yard run (Sylvester kick) 7-0 Salesianum 9:05

SC-Hilovsky

10-yard run (Bell Kick) 7-7 tie 8:39

SC-Bell

26-yard field goal

yes">  10-7 Sussex Central 2:23

2^nd

QUARTER

S-Viscount

47-yard punt return (pass failed) 13-10 Salesianum 7:22

S-Szczerba

62-yard pass from Salus (Sylvester kick) 20-10 Salesianum 4:26

S-Kuderka

48-yard pass from Salus (Sylvester kick) 27-10 Salesianum

3^rd

QUARTER

S-Viscount

1-yard run (Sylvester kick) 34-10 Salesianum 8:38

4^th

QUARTER

SC-Adkins

7-yard run (Bell kick) 34-17 Salesianum 0:18