Different Styles of Running Ball on Display When Pine-Richland Takes on Mars

Successful running teams use two basic methods to move the football on the ground.

The first is to knock the tacklers out of the way with blockers.

The second is to fool the defenders into moving themselves out of the way by the use of a scheme involving shifts, fakes and misdirection.

Both styles of running the football will be on display when (0-1) hosts Mars (1-0) in the 14^th Annual Cup Game at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Pine-Richland senior guard Ross Shipley knows which style he prefers – and he has the protective cast on his injured left forearm to prove it.

“I love hitting,” Shipley said. “It’s a great feeling when a running play goes for 10 yards because you pulled from your guard position and you hit your guy.”

Of course, Pine-Richland has the usual bag of schemes and tricks to disguise where the ball is going. Then the Rams get basic and fundamental. They like to attack using the strong side (tight end side) of their offensive line.

That allows Rams coach Clair Altemus to use Shipley as an extra blocker by lining him up on the weak side and pulling him around.

Shipley is a converted linebacker and fullback, so he has the speed to get across the line quickly enough to deliver some crunching blocks.

“I didn’t think I wanted to move to guard, but ever since our first scrimmage against Indiana when I started pulling around and making my blocks, now I love it,” Shipley said.

Shipley said he’d like to continue his football career at the next level and is considering a list of teams including Slippery Rock University and IUP.

For now, Shipley said he’ll have his hands full against a Mars defensive line that includes 6-foot, 290-pound nose tackle Chris Panza.

“I know Mars has some good, tough guys,” Shipley said.

Mars likes to run the ball with a scheme that forces defenders to make extra reads because the ball isn’t always going where it appears headed.

“They have a Wing-T offense, and we’re thinking if we can keep that under control and execute our offense, we’ll be in pretty good shape,” Rams senior linebacker and fullback Matt Mahood said. “It was a real intense game last year.”

Altemus said defenses must remain patient and tackle well against the Wing-T style.

“They play a lot of misdirection, so if you don’t play disciplined and stay home (protect each running lane), they’re going to run the ball all over you,” he said. “Their misdirection is designed to get you out of position, and all of a sudden they’re cutting back the other way.”

Following the game, the St. Barnabas Medical Cup will be presented to the winning team for display at the school for a year. The most valuable players of both teams also will pick up trophies.

“It’s a huge trophy, and it’s bragging rights for the year,” Altemus said.

The rivalry between the two schools dates back to the mid-1930s, and it was brought back last year after a brief lapse following Pine-Richland’s move to Class AAAA. Mars plays in Class AAA.

“It’s been a great rivalry for us the 15 years I’ve been here,” Altemus said. “Last year they took the trophy back from us after we had it for seven years in a row.”

Mars came back from a 14-point deficit to win last year’s matchup, 29-24.

“It was a tough game, a real battle,” Rams senior split end and safety Steve Szelong said. “We battled the whole way through, but we knew what to expect. We’ve been playing them since youth (football leagues), and it’s always a real good game.

“We should have a good turnout at home,” he said. “It’s a pretty big game and everybody is kind of hyped up in school.”

Mars defeated , 26-8, in its non-conference opener last week, while against highly ranked Mt. Lebanon.

“In the WPIAL, we’re allowed to schedule anyone we want in our first game, and I wanted to start out tough,” Altemus said. “I think we have one of the toughest schedules in all of the WPIAL.”