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By Nate Ritchey
nritchey@altoonamirror.com
PORTAGE -- The opening week of high school football means all teams are on equal footing and hope for great things to happen exists.
While one game doesn't make or break the entire season, it sure can provide plenty of insight into each team's initial potential, and how much of the offseason work has paid off.
On Friday night, Portage found out the hard way just how far it has to go in many facets -- both on and off the field.
The Mustangs' offense could never catch up to the good play on the defensive side of the ball as Portage dropped a 21-0 season-opening contest to Marion Center at Mustang Stadium.
"It's a credit to them -- they punched us in the face up front and pushed us around," Portage coach Marty Slanoc said. "Maybe we learned a hard lesson tonight. Our lack of discipline in some of the mistakes we made is very unsatisfactory and that falls on me -- that will change. I don't care if we win another game, things like that won't happen again -- they will not happen again. They can't if you want to build a program.
"But in saying all of that, the biggest changes teams make are from week one to two in the season. So, maybe our inexperience up front we're going to learn some things from it. We're going to find out."
Play of the game: On a second-and-11 from midfield, Marion Center quarterback Camden Rising threw a pass to wide receiver Noah McCoy, who tipped the ball to himself, spun around to catch the deflection and hauled it in before turning back around to find open field for a 50-yard TD at 6:17 of the second quarter to put his team up 14-0 following the two-point conversion.
Marion Center coach Adam Rising: "Noah McCoy made an acrobatic catch there. He tipped it, came up and spun, came down with it and it was just great focus on his part. … It takes plays like that (to win games)."
Player of the game: Rising completed three of his six passes for 59 yards -- all to McCoy, while also scoring on a 3-yard scamper to put the Stingers up 6-0 at 4:15 of the opening stanza.
Unsung heroes: The Marion Center defense gave up 65 yards in the opening half but then held Portage to just three total yards after the break.
Most vital statistic: The Mustangs only had the ball in MC territory twice -- once they turned the ball over on downs at the 42 and the second time they were forced to punt the ball away from the 47.
Coach Rising: "We struggled the last couple of years getting that number one win. It's a huge confidence booster. You always worry week one -- are we going to be clean with the football, are we going to control the turnover margin, are we going to limit penalties? I think overall, besides that one pick … we were pretty clean on penalties."
Notable: Portage's Issac Willinsky tallied 48 yards on 12 carries in the opening half, but departed for the locker room early in the third not long after picking up a personal foul penalty and never returned to the sideline … Mustang QB Easton Slanoc came up with an interception in the second stanza. … Despite giving up prime field position to Marion Center (it started in Mustang territory on six drives), the Portage defense kept the Stingers from completely blowing the game wide open. … MC's Tyler Phillips capped the scoring with an 8-yard run at 4:22 of the third.
Coach Slanoc: "Our defense kept us in the game. We get a stop after the half and it's going to be a fourth-and-long and we take a personal foul that's uncharacteristic and that gives them (Marion Center) a fourth-and-short and they pick it up. Then, they end up scoring on that drive. Those are the things that you just can't do as a growing team. So, we have to really figure out what our identity is, get to work and see how we respond."
Records: Marion Center (1-0); Portage (0-1).
Next week: Marion Center travels to Homer-Center next Friday; Portage hosts Conemaugh Valley the same night.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Marion Center 6 8 7 0 -- 21
Portage 0 0 0 0 -- 0
First quarter
MC--Rising 3 run (kick failed), 4:15.
Second quarter
MC--McCoy 50 pass from Rising (Stormer pass from Rising), 6:17
Third quarter
MC--Phillips 8 run (Haggerty kick), 4:22.
TEAM STATISTICS MC P
First downs 9 7
Total yards 168 68
Rushes-yards 43-109 33-56
Yards passing 59 12
Passing (comp.-att.-int.) 3-7-1 2-5-1
Punts-avg. 3-33.3 8-31.0
Fumbles-lost 1-0 3-1
Penalties-yards 2-20 8-60
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING--Marion Center, Trent Slovinsky 11-29, Rising 12-15, Runk 5-18, Ploskunak 2-20, Reaugh 1-1, Haggerty 1-2, Phillips 8-36, Troy Slovinsky 2-(-6), Fabbri 1-(-6). Portage, I. Willinsky 13-49, Slanoc 9-13, Gouse 2-1, Smithtro 6-(-8), Layo 2-(-1), N. Willinsky 1-2.
PASSING--Marion Center, Rising 3-6-1-59, Troy Slovinsky 0-1-0-0. Portage, Slanoc 2-5-0-12.
RECEIVING--Marion Center, McCoy 3-59. Portage, Gouse 1-9, Smithtro 1-3.