Central Cambria hammers Heights

BY JUSTIN AMBRISCO
For The Tribune-Democrat

PATTON September 20, 2008 12:24 am

— After a heartbreaking loss to rival Penn Cambria last week, Central Cambria took out its frustrations on Cambria Heights behind 145 yards from senior tailback Andrew O’Saben in crushing the Highlanders 42-6.
“We got together at the beginning of this week about some different things,” Central Cambria coach Ken Bussard said. “We discussed how (Friday night) would be the start of a new season for us, and to try and go 7-0.”
Central Cambria got on the board first on an unusual play. Cambria Heights quarterback Caleb Vescovi dropped back from his own 8-yard line when he was hit by a Red Devils defender. As he was going down, he got turned around and threw the ball out of the back of the end zone for the safety and 2-0 Red Devils lead.
After Central Cambria sacked Vescovi for a 16-yard loss and a 25-yard punt by the Highlanders put the Red Devils in business at the Highlanders’ 39. They wasted little time, as on the third play of the drive Tim Myers hit Ben Ridgeley on the outside. Ridgeley dodged several tacklers and ran 29 yards to put the Red Devils up 8-0 with 9:06 left in the second quarter.
Central Cambria again used strong defense, recovering a Bryon Stanek fumble at the Highlanders’ 43. O’Saben took it in from the 19 three plays later, giving the Red Devils a 15-0 lead at the half.
“I think our defense was a little insulted,” Bussard said “We have given up a lot of yards in the first few games and they responded.”
For the rest of the contest it was all Central Cambria.
On the opening drive of the third, O’Saben again took it in from 24 yards out to make it 22-0. The Red Devils scored three more times in the half and Cambria Heights’ lone score came on a 63-yard pass from Vescovi to Stanek.
“I thought we played very well in the first half,” Cambria Heights coach Justin Myers said, “ We made some key mistakes, and they stacked the box and held Jeremy (Priester) down (12 carries 18 yards) and we could not make up for it in the passing game.”
Central Cambria’s Tim Myers had a solid game running and throwing the football, going 4-for-9 for 104 yards and a touchdown. He added 62 yards on eight carries and two scores.