Published: November 07, 2009 12:25 am      

Berlin edges Everett in playoff game

EVERETT — They call football a game of inches and that’s how close Berlin Brothersvalley came to losing to Everett on Friday night.

The Mountaineers (5-5) made a defensive stand at the 12 with time winding down to defeat the Warriors 21-20 in the opening round of the District 5 Class A playoffs. Berlin plays next Saturday at 7 p.m. at Windber.

“It was all about heart,” said Berlin senior lineman Kyle Landis. “We had the most heart out here (Friday night). We had to make a big stand, and we made it. We had to control our gaps, and we did it all night. I can’t say any more about our defense. They played an amazing game.”

Added Berlin coach Doug Paul: “Goal-line stands like that come down to heart and effort. Hat’s off to our defense. They did a great job in that situation.”

Ian Sayler finished with 184 yards on 24 carries with Tyrel Stockwell adding 69 yards on nine carries, all in the second half. It was the first time all season that the Warriors allowed a running back to gain more than 100 yards.

“It was one of those things as a coach that sometimes you outsmart yourself,” Paul said. “Everyone keys on Sayler, and we know that, so you try to put some different things in to mix it up a little bit. And then finally you say scratch it and let’s go to what got us to where we’re at. Dance with the girl that got you to the dance. We went back to that with Ian and Tyrel in the second half. It led to an explosion for us and had them on their heels.”

After a scoreless first half, Berlin got on the board first, mounting a six-play drive which was capped by an Sayler’s 39-yard run off the left side. Brandon McCauley added the extra point for a 7-0 lead at the 5:35 mark. The drive covered 77 yards.

The Warriors evened the contest with just 29.8 seconds remaining in the half, capping a 13-play drive with an 8-yard Zach Millen run and a Tyler Bulger kick.

The Mountaineers regained the lead in the third quarter after taking the second-half kickoff at the 33. A pair of runs by Stockwell and two by Sayler, including the touchdown plunge from a yard out, put Berlin ahead.

The Berlin defense held against Everett’s first stand of the second half and after a punt, the Mountaineers took over at the Berlin 40.

Eight plays later, Alex Will hauled in an 18-yard pass from Stockwell. A successful McCauley kick appeared to give Berlin a comfortable margin.

The Warriors scored just a minute and a half later when quarterback Richard Brallier threw a 60-yard bomb to Bulger.

In the fourth, with Berlin putting its ball-control offense in gear, Sayler fumbled at the Everett 18. Millen scooped up the ball and ran it back for an 82-yard score.

Bulger’s possible game-tying kick hit the crossbar and bounced back.

Everett (6-4) had one last chance late in the quarter, but turned the ball over on downs, coming up short by inches.

It was the second straight season that Everett had lost in the playoffs to a WestPAC opponent.

“We always get a bad rap in the WestPAC,” Paul said. “But they play some tough teams out here. They only lost to Bellwood-Antis by seven points earlier in the year. It’s great to come down here and get a win, not only for the boys from Berlin but also the WestPAC.”

Berlin used nine underclassmen on either side of the ball.

“Luckily for us we were one point ahead at the end,” Paul said. “We did everything in our power to give them this football game (Friday night).

“Defensive breakdowns and then the fumble that their speedy back (Millen) returned there for a score. Our guys could have hung their heads there and gave up. But they sucked it up and held strong. A couple mistakes on our part let them back in the game.”