Derry overcomes slow start, penalties to defeat Mount Pleasant
By: HSSN Staff
Friday, October 6, 2017 | 10:54 PM
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Derry's Colton Nemcheck carries the ball for a touchdown Friday, Oct. 6, 2017 during WPIAL football at Mt. Pleasant High School.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Derry's Colton Nemcheck carries the ball for a touchdown Friday, Oct. 6, 2017 during WPIAL football at Mt. Pleasant High School.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Derry's Onreey Stewart keeps a distance from Mt. Pleasant defender Alex Shafley on Friday, Oct. 6, 2017 during WPIAL football at Mt. Pleasant High School.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Mt. Pleasant's ball carrier Cody Reese attempts to dodge Derry's defense Friday, Oct. 6, 2017 during WPIAL football at Mt. Pleasant High School.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Derry's Onreey Stewart charges forward as Mt. Pleasant's Jacob Johnson closes in Friday, Oct. 6, 2017 during WPIAL football at Mt. Pleasant High School.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Mt. Pleasant's Michael Govern takes a hand off from quarterback Lucas Pieszak on Friday, Oct. 6, 2017 during WPIAL football against Derry at Mt. Pleasant High School.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Mt. Pleasant's quarterback Lucas Pieszak throws a pass right before Derry's Hunter Hebenthal closes in Friday, Oct. 6, 2017 during WPIAL football at Mt. Pleasant High School.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Derry's Will Huss kicks the ball for a field goal Friday, Oct. 6, 2017 during WPIAL football at Mt. Pleasant High School.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Mt. Pleasant's ball carrier Michael Govern is brought down by Derry defenders Onreey Stewart (4) and Justin Huss on Friday, Oct. 6, 2017 during WPIAL football at Mt. Pleasant High School.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Mt. Pleasant's Cody Reese blocks an intended pass to Derry's Onreey Stewart on Friday, Oct. 6, 2017 during WPIAL football at Mt. Pleasant High School.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Mt. Pleasant High School varsity team takes to the field Friday, Oct. 6, 2017 before their game against Derry in WPIAL football at Mt. Pleasant High School.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Mt. Pleasant High School varsity team takes to the field Friday, Oct. 6, 2017 before their game against Derry in WPIAL football at Mt. Pleasant High School.
Derry's Colton Nemcheck carries the ball for a touchdown Friday, Oct. 6, 2017 during WPIAL football at Mt. Pleasant High School.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Derry's Colton Nemcheck carries the ball for a touchdown Friday, Oct. 6, 2017 during WPIAL football at Mt. Pleasant High School.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Derry's Onreey Stewart keeps a distance from Mt. Pleasant defender Alex Shafley on Friday, Oct. 6, 2017 during WPIAL football at Mt. Pleasant High School.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Mt. Pleasant's ball carrier Cody Reese attempts to dodge Derry's defense Friday, Oct. 6, 2017 during WPIAL football at Mt. Pleasant High School.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Derry's Onreey Stewart charges forward as Mt. Pleasant's Jacob Johnson closes in Friday, Oct. 6, 2017 during WPIAL football at Mt. Pleasant High School.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Mt. Pleasant's Michael Govern takes a hand off from quarterback Lucas Pieszak on Friday, Oct. 6, 2017 during WPIAL football against Derry at Mt. Pleasant High School.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Mt. Pleasant's quarterback Lucas Pieszak throws a pass right before Derry's Hunter Hebenthal closes in Friday, Oct. 6, 2017 during WPIAL football at Mt. Pleasant High School.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Derry's Will Huss kicks the ball for a field goal Friday, Oct. 6, 2017 during WPIAL football at Mt. Pleasant High School.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Mt. Pleasant's ball carrier Michael Govern is brought down by Derry defenders Onreey Stewart (4) and Justin Huss on Friday, Oct. 6, 2017 during WPIAL football at Mt. Pleasant High School.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Mt. Pleasant's Cody Reese blocks an intended pass to Derry's Onreey Stewart on Friday, Oct. 6, 2017 during WPIAL football at Mt. Pleasant High School.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Mt. Pleasant High School varsity team takes to the field Friday, Oct. 6, 2017 before their game against Derry in WPIAL football at Mt. Pleasant High School.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Mt. Pleasant High School varsity team takes to the field Friday, Oct. 6, 2017 before their game against Derry in WPIAL football at Mt. Pleasant High School.
Derry ran the ball over Mount Pleasant's defense on multiple occasions in its 41-9 road victory.
“They beat us. Hands down, they just beat us,” Vikings coach Jason Fazekas said.
After a slow start for Derry — thanks to Mount Pleasant's impressive first-quarter defense — the Trojans offense took off in the second quarter.
Derry opened the scoring with 46.7 seconds left in the first quarter as Ryan Polinsky hit Justin Flack with a 16-yard touchdown pass for a 7-0 lead.
After Mount Pleasant's Bradley Tait responded with a 41-yard field goal to make it 7-3, the Trojans scored 34 consecutive points.
“We didn't execute,” Fazekas said. “We didn't help ourselves. Everything goes to them. They deserved to win.”
However, Derry coach Tim Sweeney did not take many positives from his team's win.
“I was embarrassed from all of our mental mistakes and penalties,” Sweeney said. “That was a poor effort. That starts with me. I don't think I did a good job preparing our kids. It was an embarrassment the way we played tonight.”
Derry was penalized 10 times to Mount Pleasant's 5, resulting in a total of 75 yards lost for the Trojans.
Despite the penalties, Derry's offense managed to propel the team to victory.
Junior Colton Nemcheck rushed for 81 yards, including a 52-yard run resulting in one of his three touchdowns on the night.
“We had some nice special teams plays and returns,” Sweeney said. “We had some nice kickoff returns.”
Sophomore Justin Huss rushed for 81 yards, including a 49-yard touchdown run.
“The only thing we were doing was getting lucky tonight,” Sweeney said. “We were lucky we had some good ball carriers that made some guys miss on their side. I give Mount Pleasant a lot of credit.”
For Fazekas and the Vikings, they'll turn their focus ahead.
“We've got to get better at everything,” he said. “We practice hard every week. We have structure to the practice. We'll be back out there on Monday.”
