USC Records Second Straight Shutout In 42-0 Win

The stage is set for a monster match-up next week when No. 2 ranked visits No. 3 ranked North Allegheny. Both teams have rolled past their opponents in the first two weeks—USC coming off Friday's 42-0 thumping of Norwin, North Allegheny winning at Butler 49-7.

The Panthers moved the ball early and often in the contest. They out-gained the Knights on the ground 209 yards to 26 yards in the first half. Matt Paxton led the way with 87 yards on 7 carries. A.J. McGuire added 64 yards on just 5 carries.

"We were ready to play both weeks. Sometimes these teams read the paper and don't give great respect," said Coach Jim Render following his teams second straight shutout.

USC's defense will head into the biggest game the WPIAL has to offer next week at North Allegheny having not surrendered a point.

"I wouldn't go so far to say they are in mid-season form, but they are a fast team," Render said of his stout defense.

The Panthers forced a quick 3 & out in Norwin's first series. Rori Blair has been a special teams beast in the first two games and almost blocked a punt after the first series in his second consecutive game.  Nearly missing the block must have just angered the junior wide receiver/defensive end because he would get that second blocked punt in two games later in the contest.

USC went right to work from their own 23 yard line. A.J. McGuire scored from 25 yards out with 8:02 remaining in the first quarter completing a 77 yard drive in 7 plays. Six of those plays were on the ground.

The next Panther series ended with Dakota Conwell's first interception of the season. It was a wobbly deep ball that must have slipped out of his hands and into the hands of Kyle Baum. A play that gave Norwin some very short lived momentum.

The Knights next drive would end in a fumble, one of three turnovers USC caused in the game. After Conwell had a 27-yard TD run called back because of penalty, the Panthers handed the ball off to Matt Paxton four straight times. The final run was a 9-yard score that made it 14-0 early in the second quarter.

The ground game continued to churn out big yardage going 91 yards in 10 plays capped off by McGuire's second touchdown of the game, this one from 27-yards out.

Later in the second quarter after Blair's aforementioned blocked punt, sophomore running back Phil Saracco carried the ball three straight times scoring from 2 yards out and made the score 28-0 at the half.

As successful as the running game has gone for USC, they are going to need their passing game to start clicking if they are going to beat a powerhouse like North Allegheny next Friday.

Conwell was 0-2 passing in the first quarter with that one interception. He would finish the half 2-5 for 26 yards.

The passing game is obviously a concern for Render. Last week he pointed out a bomb to Mike Wilcox will show other team's they can stretch the field.

USC came out early in the second half trying to make a statement regarding that passing game. On the first play of the second half Conwell threw a picture-perfect deep ball 50 yards in the air to Ryan Boyd. It was a catchable ball that Boyd was unable to come down with but on film it will make its necessary point.

USC scored just three plays after that incompletion when Conwell took it in from 4 yards out to make the score 35-0.

Two plays after that score, senior linebacker Greg Chaffee returned a fumble 21 yards and suddenly it was 42-0.

"I wanted to do some passing in the second half, but after that quick defensive touchdown I had to take out the starters," Render said admitting he wanted to shore up a passing game and carry some aerial momentum into next week's contest.

For the second straight game Render removed his starters early. Last week against Shaler they only played halfway into the second quarter.  This week against Norwin they only managed one series in the second half.

"I have too much respect for coach Gordon and and coach Conwell to leave my starters in. Some other coaches, maybe I would have, but not these guys," Render said.

"Our starters got a lot of work against tough defenses in Franklin Regional and North Hills in the scrimmages, they'll be OK," Render said, explaining why he is not so worried about the lack of work.

USC proved they have not overlooked their first two opponents, but they have had their eye on this North Allegheny game for awhile.

"We've been preparing for N.A. for the past week, we'll be ready," said senior wide receiver Mike Wilcox.

They'll need to be firing on all cylinders next Friday. North Allegheny is explosive on offense and a third consecutive shutout isn't a probability.