Published: October 10, 2009 12:50 am      

Johnstown blanks Bishop Carroll

LORETTO — Johnstown’s combination of big plays on offense, defense, and special teams was too much for Bishop Carroll on Friday night as the Trojans rolled to a 35-0 Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference win over the Huskies at St. Francis University.

Johnstown (4-2) capitalized on seven turnovers by the Huskies (0-6), including six fumbles and an interception.

“Everything went our way,” Trojans coach Kevin Marabito said. “Bishop Carroll is a better team than that final score indicated, but they put the ball on the ground, and the bounces went in our favor. Our defense has played well all year, and they were a key in this game.”

A steady rain throughout most of the game didn’t hamper the accuracy of Johnstown quarterback John Siciliano.

Siciliano completed nine of 16 passes for 91 yards and two touchdowns, while he also rushed for a game-high 84 yards on nine carries and two more scores.

“The weather didn’t really affect us,” Siciliano said. “We were able to run and throw the ball, and once we got ahead we just wanted to hold on for the win.”

Bishop Carroll coach Craig Sponsky said, “It’s really simple: We didn’t take care of the ball, and when you give a team like that as many opportunities as we did, they’re going to score. We didn’t block, and we didn’t go after the ball on defense.”

Siciliano got Johnstown on the board quickly with a 45-yard touchdown run on the game’s opening series, and Oskar Almgren added the first of his three extra points for a 7-0 lead.

The Huskies then fumbled on their second play, and Johnstown’s Donnie McKinley recovered at the Bishop Carroll 33. Five plays later, Siciliano fired an 18-yard scoring pass to Ryan Sisco.

Early in the second quarter, the Huskies were pinned at their 3 following a punt.

Josh Schall was then brought down in the end zone for a safety, and on the ensuing free kick by Bishop Carroll, Johns-town’s Calvin Anderson went the distance on a 62-yard return that made it 23-0.

Another Huskies fumble set up Johns-town at the Bishop Carroll 31 with just over nine minutes left in the first half. A 10-yard run by Siciliano and a 17-yard pass to Sisco was followed two plays later by a 5-yard touchdown pass from Siciliano to Richard Agurs.

Tyler Arsenault’s interception of a Drew McCabe pass at the Bishop Carroll 36 in the third quarter led to Johnstown’s last score of the contest. Siciliano connected with Agurs for 11 yards and Sisco for 12, and he finished the drive with a 12-yard dash up the middle that set the eventual 35-0 final.

Johnstown finished with 223 total yards, including 132 rushing, while the Huskies gained 137 total yards. McCabe completed eight of 14 passes for 85 yards for Bishop Carroll.

The Huskies will travel to Somerset next Friday, while Johnstown will host unbeaten Bishop McCort.