Old Forge at Carbondale

Recap

CARBONDALE 24, OLD FORGE 13

The weather was perfect at kickoff but there was a storm brewing in Carbondale on Friday night. 

Senior tailback Ethen Brewen carried the ball 33 times for 190 yards and two touchdowns as the Chargers turned back Old Forge, 24-13, on Senior Parents’ Night at the Cerra Sports Complex. 

Carbondale set the tone on the opening drive with a 17-play, 92-yard march that took 9:40 off the first-quarter clock. Brewen finished the drive with a 13-yard scoring jaunt, his ninth carry of the drive. He had 61 yards rushing on the drive and hauled in a pass for 15 yards. He also added the two-point conversion for the 8-0 lead. 

The Chargers converted three third downs and a fourth down on the drive. It’s was a narrative that would continue throughout the night. 

Old Forge (4-6) responded in the air as T.J. DiMattia completed 4-of-5 passes during an 81-yard drive, including a 17-yard scoring strike to Frankie Pero. Isiah Rodriguez extra-point closed the deficit to 8-7 with :01 left in the first quarter. 

But Carbondale answered with another methodical drive, going 80 yards on 15 plays as Brewen scored this time from 1-yard out. Freshman quarterback Cole Becchetti ran in the conversation and the Chargers led 16-7 with 4:59 left in the first half. 

The Blue Devils tried to answer but Francisco Roman intercepted a pass with less than two minutes left in the half. It would be the first of three Old Forge turnovers that stopped potential scoring drives. 

The teams played scoreless ball in the third quarter before Carbondale (6-4) scored on the first play of the fourth quarter. Becchetti found Daniel Gonzalez in the background of the endzone for a six-yard touchdown. The play capped a 12-play, 80-yard drive. Brewen added the two-point conversion for the 24-7 lead. 

Old Forge tried to rally when Nick Hewitt scored from six yards out just three minutes later but the Chargers took eight minutes off the clock on its next drive to put the game away. 

DiMattia finished the night for Old Forge throwing for 149 yards on 13-for-21 passing. Chris Rasmus had six catches for 57 yards and Pero added three for 45 yards. 

SCORING SUMMARY

1st Quarter

CAR – Ethen Brewen 13-yd run (Brewen run) – Carbondale 8-0

OF – Frankie Pero 17-yd pass from T.J. DiMattia (Isaih Rodriguez kick) – Carbondale 8-7

2nd Quarter

CAR – Brewen 1-yd run (Cole Becchetti run) – Carbondale 16-7

3rd Quarter

None

4th Quarter

CAR – Daniel Gonzalez 6-yd pass from Becchetti (Brewen run) – Carbondale 24-7

OF – Nick Hewitt 5-yd run (Run failed) – Carbondale 24-13