Blog Archives - Eight & 322/Eight & 27

Rockets not awarded the nod, solid season comes to an end

10/29/2023

“I would like to thank our supporters. We could not have had a successful season without your presence. Thank you for coming to our games, cheering us on, and helping us to make this season one to remember,” said coach Mike Reynolds after learning the Rockets were not awarded a playoff bid by the District 10 committee.

Titusville enjoyed their best season since 2016 with six wins. Unfortunately their 6-4 record meant that their playoff fate would be decided by a bunch of old folks in suits and not on the field.
On Sunday the D10 decided. The Rockets are out.

Friday they knew they had to win to put themselves in the discussion. And they did with a tough win over Corry 28 - 21.

The problem is there are three other teams on the bubble and Fort LeBoeuf, General McLane and Fairview also won their final games and that left the Rockets, whose six wins all came against teams with losing records, now having to clean out their lockers at Carter Field and the athletes shifting gears to their winter sports.

“We had opportunities early on (in the year,)” Reynolds said. “Defensively speaking against Sharpsville, we had structural issues we needed to fix. Had those happened preseason, we win that game.” Reynolds, after every loss this season, blamed himself and the coaching staff for not having the kids prepared enough.

“Additionally during the LeBoeuf game we were rolling early on, committed a turnover and made a bad decision on a fourth and one that led to a score… Once again, we protect the ball and we win that game. This was still a learning year for both our kids and staff.”

Covell finished the year with 23 touchdowns and over 2,000 all-purpose yards. The prolific running back ran for 1,353 yards and also caught 27 passes for 541 yards. He is 16 yards away from 3,500 all-purpose yards in his career. Mong had 733 all-purpose yards on the season. He also led the team with eight sacks
McDonald had 1,041 yards passing and 12 touchdowns and added another 325 on the ground. He was also a solid defender with 37 tackles and three interceptions.

JJ Miller led the team with 91 tackles. Senior Nate Stearns had 73 with Brett Schmidt close by with 71.

“I want to... thank all of our athletes, families, and supporters. We had a great season, and I am proud of all that our team accomplished,” Reynolds said. He added a thank you to his seniors for their leadership and dedication. For the underclassmen he hopes to improve on what they are built already and has already come up with the team mantra for next season - “#LeaveNoDoubt24”

Making a case

10/28/2023

Titusville's first winning season since 2016 has them on the bubble, with three other teams, for the last three spots of the District 10 class 3A playoff bracket. One team is going to be left out. One community is going to feel slighted by a group of suits sitting around on a conference call deciding who is worthy of a shot at the district crown and therefor has the potential for a cinderella trip to Hershey.

They went into week nine against Oil City knowing if they could knock out the Oilers they would have a legitimate seat at the table. They couldn't pull that off making the final week of the season a must win against the 3-6 Corry Beavers.

They needed to win with enough gusto to make the district executives take notice.

They won 28-21.

The Rockets know it isn't the best scenario to have a decision made in an office and not on the field.

So how do they make their case?

"We have relentlessly scored points throughout the season, we have an affective offense, our defense has gotten significantly better since the (second week of the season) at Sharpesville. We're one of the top eight teams in District 10," said coach Mike Reynolds just after winning their sixth game of the season. "At this point, we told the kids, 'you can only control the things you can control.' We knew it was going to be a battle to the end of the game. They execute well, they throw well that's a real good quarterback and they have a couple real good receivers." He said Corry beat Leboeuf last week so they were not a push over

"We did what we do running the football and you saw, there were times where maybe we were getting a yard or two, but all of a sudden a big play would come and at the end they just kept the peddle to the metal and just jammed it down their throat to finish off well," Reynolds said. "The defense played big tonight."

District 10 has their hands full. The Rockets are 6-4, but they did not beat a team with a winning record. They scored 330 points in 10 games this season. That has to mean something.

Fairview is 6-4 as well with big a win over North East last week and crushing Northwestern in the finale. They did lose big to General McLane in week eight 42-7.

McLane is also 6-4 and have scored over 40 points in each of their last three games against Fairview, Girard and winless Warren. They did lose to Leboeuf, but it was in week two 38-28. They scored 326 points in ten games.

Leboeuf is 7-3 , but were upset by Corry last week. They rebounded to win their last game convincingly over Sharpesville. They also won a barn burner overtime game against Fairview In week four.

So the D10 folks have a real mess to figure out.

Against Corry Jaxon Covell had in the neighborhood of 200 yards rushing. Kameron Mong had a huge game rushing for 120 yards and added another 17 in receiving. Mong also had a huge punt on a bad snap that pinned Corry deep in fourth.

Mong and McDonald had touchdowns as well as two by Covell.

"Communication was big tonight, the kids told us something was open and we listened and adjusted to what the kids were telling us. I'm so proud of these kids," Reynolds said. "Now it is up to the D10 committee to decide who goes where."

Rocket girls get playoff nod

10/19/2023

For the first time in many years, the Titusville Rocket girls soccer team reached the playoffs. The went 8-8-2 in the regular season.Thursday morning District 10 awarded them a game against the 7-1 in the region and 12-5 overall Grove City Eagles. They will square off at 3 p.m. this Saturday at Franklin High School.

“For the players, this means the world to them,” said Rocket coach Kim Wheeling who sai that making the playoffs was one of the goals she and the girls set for themselves at the beginning of the year. “The girl's have worked extremely hard this season, but it actually started last winter and into the spring. I am so, so proud of them. They never give up, until the final buzzer each game and they so deserve this chance at the playoffs.”

Below is the story we wrote for this week’s Titusville News-Journal whose deadline was right when the news broke so only a sentence got added in.

Successful soccer is about finding the back of the net.

Seems simple, but have you ever tried kicking a soccer ball to hit a target?

Now put an energetic gutsy, not afraid to get hit hard , sometimes in the face, individual in the way trying to knock your shot down.

Goalkeepers are a different breed.

Titusville has a couple top-notch goalkeepers. Danica Fonzo and Joe Herman have done their best to keep the girls and boys teams in the game this season.

And for the most part they’ve done remarkably.

Fonzo’s girls have had a better season than most of the Rockets’ team in recent memory. They finished .500 and the most goals scored against them was six by a very talented North East squad. Their spirited regular season ended with a loss against Slippery Rock Wednesday which left them at 8-8-2 on the season. Thursday they were awarded a playoff game, the first in many years. They will take on the 12-5 Eagles of Grove City on Saturday at 3 p.m. at Franklin High School.

The boys, like the girls, started hot, but struggled to find the net as the season wore on.

“Our season was hot and cold. We started the season on fire by winning three of our first four and our loss was in overtime,” said coach Joey Timon. “The next two games were double overtime ties. At this point Aidan Stover was leading all of our region, and I think D10, in goals scored in the season.”

But then things got a bit cold for the Rockets. Stover couldn’t find the net and their opponents were just strong. They had a seven game stretch they just couldn’t match up and few goals to the positive.
“We had a young team with a strong group of seniors. Although our number of players were down (17), we have a bright future with possibly a larger freshmen class entering next fall,” Timon said.

He pointed out the strengths of the team this year.

Senior Colin Wagner was a leader and a playmaker. “He hustled and played almost the entirety of all of the games he was in,” Timon said.

Keeper Joe Herman's voice could be heard all the way to Taco Bell during Rocket home games. Timon praised his junior, “Absolutely amazing as a keeper and is a special athlete and teammate. He leads from the net with his voice, play, and never-ending hustle. He had 4 shutouts this year.”

Timon said Jake Hauptman was an incredible defenseman. “He locked it down back there and seemed to be everywhere when the opposing team's attacked. He prevented goals, cleared the ball, slide tackled for 50/50 balls, and always hustled.”

The Rocket’s season came to an end, but they didn’t go quietly without leaving their mark and making other teams take notice.

Rockets win fourth in a row

10/15/2023

With the ball virtually touching their own goal line, Titusville mounted a 99-yard, 35 and 15/16 inch drive for a touchdown.

And it only took them five plays with an 83-yard scamper around the right end by Nate Stearns.

Though it wasn't even the first score, no was it even the longest play, it was tone setter for the rest of the night.
The Warren Dragons were not going to be able to stop the Rockets.
The nearly 100-yard touchdown drive came just after a fourth and one goal-line stand where Warren looked like they were about to tie the game at seven.
Titusville's Landen Wolfkiel had already taken the opening kickoff 85 yards for the first score in the opening seconds..
“That defensive stand early on, when Warren was giving us everything they had, was a great job,” coach Mike Reynolds said at the end of the game. “Then coming back, getting out of that hole and going 99-yards - that’s a lot of composure.”
Titusville went on to a 49-19 victory against the winless Dragons. It was a great way to celebrate homecoming after spending three straight weeks on the road.
Jaxon Covell eclipsed 1,000 yards with his 172-yard two touchdown effort on the ground. He went over 200 total yards again with a 44-yard touchdown catch and over 70-yards on special teams.
Ian McDonald had another fine effort with over 100 total yards including 97 passing and two touchdowns, one to Covell and a a 34-yarder to JJ Miller.
Kam Mong also scored by punishing a would-be Warren tackler who met him at the three-yard line but got put on his back in the end zone.
The Dragons managed 19 points mostly through a solid game byTommy Nyquist who had over 200 yards of total offense for Warren.
The Rockets moved to 5-3 on the season. They have not had a winning season since 2016.
They’ll face a very tough challenge this week against Oil City with the all-time leading rusher in District 10 history Ethen Knox visiting.
Though Oil City pasted Conneaut 70-6 Friday, they have shown some vulnerability of late struggling to gain yards or score against Meadville and Holidaysburg.
“We’ve been talking about what October 20 means to us in playing (Oil City). We know we’re going to have to execute a clean game offensively and move the football.” Reynolds said they have to be solid all around if they are to have a chance against the Oilers with District 10 all-time leading rusher Ethen Knox.
If they come away with an upset next week they secure their winning season and put a very good word in for themselves in the playoffs.
Even with a loss they have a legitimate shot at a 6-4 season with their final game against Corry who is 2-5.
Reynolds said his players are playing with a lot of confidence now. “We knew from the get-go that this is a good group of kids,” Reynolds said.
“We just have to finish the season really strong.”

Scenes from Homecoming

10/14/2023

Pictures from Titusville's 49-19 Homecoming win over Warren, Alexis Banner was named this years homecoming queen. Jaxon Covell reportedly went over 1,000 yards on the season. We'll have more photos and a game story later this weekend.

PHOTOS: Rockets pick up much needed win after slide

10/12/2023

Titusville girls soccer team was rolling along this season when all of a sudden someone build a brick wall right in from of the net that they couldn't get through. They were shutout in four straight matches and dropped from a commanding 7-2 to just hovering above .500.

They needed to find a way to get the ball in the net and beat Franklin. And they finally did when Addison Burliegh's goal and good defense found them headed to overtime tied at 1.

The first overtime netted no goals and finally in double overtime Graci Sampson got the game winner.

"It was a much needed win," said coach Kim Wheeling knowing that if they have a shot at the playoffs they need to score goals and win.

"Hopefully we can carry this momentum into the final two games to help get a couple more wins. If we can stay above .500 and the other Regions have a he Rocket's hadfew opt out, hopefully that will allow us to make the playoffs."

The Rockets shot the ball 45 with 34 of them being on goal, so a lot of credit also goes to fine work by the Franklin keeper.

Rocket VB has come on at the end, but might be running out of time

10/12/2023

A month ago the Titusville girls volleyball team was a hapless 1-4. Their only win was 3-1 take down on the road in Oil City. They then couldn’t get any momentum, only winning one set in the next four matches.

“If you talk to anybody who plays volleyball, momentum is a huge thing,” said head coach John Baldwin. “If you’ve got it, you never want to lose it and if you lose it you're just begging to try to buy it back as best you can.”

Baldwin was talking mostly about a match, but it applies to a season as well. Since then they’ve gone 4-3 with good battles against Mercer who they defeated 3-2 and Franklin they just fell short of defeating in five sets 24-26, 25-27, 27-25, 25-17 and 7-15.

That was some good volleyball with both teams seemingly cruising only to have the other team make a game of it.

The first set Titusville was down 9-2 and the 21-10 and battled back to tie it at 24 only to lose a couple points later.

The second set wasn’t dramatically different, nor was the third, but Titusville prevailed in the third. They then had momentum winning the fours set reletively easy and was cruising in the tie breaker when the wheels came off after they went out to a 5-1 lead.

Franklin got hot and took the much needed match for the Rockets.
“We needed this one to at least put a strong bid in for the playoffs,” Baldwin explained that his now 5-7 Rockets need to have a .500 or better record. “We’re probably going to come in just under it.”
They were scheduled to play Oil City again on Thursday after our deadline.

They end the season against Mercyhurst Prep who are currently 9-6.

Though the playoffs might be out of reach, Baldwin said he’s considering an appeal since they are coming on at the end of the season.

“We’re really peaking, you want to peak at the end of the season and they’re starting to do that,” he said looking at the strengths of this team as the season progressed.
“We don’t ever give up, the team is really strong, I’m proud of them,” Baldwin said.

“The girls have been really strong mentally, really focussed on playing well. Tonight again, they were mentally tough, but Franklin came up tough at the right time and pounded some balls down and they came together, that’s all there is to it.”

Baldwin has seen improvement all year with his squad. “Our outside hitter Chloe Miller is really coming on strong. She has gotten us out of a lot of tight spots. Kira Adkins also, she puts a hurting on the ball.”

Baldwin said his players have been serving well and that has resulted in several rallies the last few weeks.

“That has kept us out of a lot of trouble. I’m really proud of the girls, they’ve been really working on their serves and keeping it tough.”

The serving has allowed them to come back.

“I’d say, normally if you get down six or so points you’re done, but I saw tonight that wasn’t the case.”

Below are more pics from the Franklin v. Titusville barnburner.

Rocket girls stay ahead of the pack, win region, undefeated for six years

10/12/2023

Undefeated for six years.

Say that one more time. Undefeated for six years.

The Titusville girls were taking their region win streak into Oil City to face a very tough Oiler team led by Corabel Shiley. Both squads wanted the win because the region title was also at stake.

A lot of pressure was put on Titusville’s number one runner Anna Mehlenbacher to secure a second place finish. Shiley smashed the course record with a 19:55 run a full minute ten seconds ahead of Mehlenbacher who was 15 seconds ahead of Oil City’s Addison Wyant who came in the number three spot.

It was then key for the next four Titusville runners to finish strong.

Eight and 11 seconds after Wyant finished, Titusville’s Sophia Sampson and Mackenzie Covell crossed the line. Madeline Johnson took the number seven spot by edging out Olivia Vorse and Emma Wright was just five seconds later getting the important number nine spot as Titusville’s fifth scorer ahead former course record holder Kennedy Liederbach.

“We knew they had a strong top (group of runners) and we had to stick at least one runner in there,” coach Joe Covell said. “And that was Anna, that was her job and then everyone else had to do their job.”

The way scoring works in team cross country is the the top five runners from each team score and the place they finish becomes their score Soa runner who finishes first gets one-point, a runner who finishes sixth gets six-points.
Low score wins.

Titusville won 27-28. That’s how close this win was.

“It took everybody today, not just one person,” Covell said. “It’s neat to see such and individualized sport come down to - it takes all seven on one day to win a race.”

The Titusville girls will be competing in the Rocky Grove Invitational which has become a premier local race over the years attracting over 40 or 50 schools. They are defending champs in the event.

After that are districts and they are hoping to break a streak they’re not as happy about. They haven’t had a state qualifier in over three years. “D10 is so difficult, you need to be state-caliber to come out of D10.” In the history of girls cross country the girls have been state champs twice in 1977 and 1994.

The young boys haven’t fared as well going 0-3 in the region this year. Covell said the Oil City team even without the top runner, who is injured, is looking to go to states as a team.

Rocket’s Bryan Johnson was the only runner to crack into Oil City’s top five taking fifth-place. Andrew Bryan, Josiah White, Even Slocum and Cash Lavery finished seven through ten.

Oil City won 16-39.

“You can say we have a rivalry, but it’s a friendly one,” Covell said. “All their kids know our kids and coaches all talk to each other so it’s a neat thing we have going on.”

Covell has talked all year about his team being young and there is a learning curve to team running.

“Our guys ran well today. The 0-3 record doesn’t show the caliber of runners we have. We’re just not there yet, we’re young, we have no seniors. Three of our top five are freshmen and we’re looking good. They ran exceptionally well today even though it doesn’t show that on the scoreboard.”

Covell looks to the future with the boys team as they build and learn. “They’re starting to believe in themselves when it becomes race time,” he added.
“I’m very proud of both the girls and the guys.”

Rockets roll to winning record

10/8/2023

See more photos at https://www.zenfolio.com/sayerrich/e/f700082825

For the second week in a row, the Rockets’ football squad put up over 50 points in its 55-13 blowout over backyard neighbor Maplewood Tigers.
The week before they dismantled Conneaut 56-12.

The win puts the Titusville at 4-3 for the season.

The Rockets started right off the bat pounding the ball down the Tigers' throats with runs including a couple heads-up quick snap quarterback keepers for first downs. After a touchdown was called back for a helmet-to-helmet personal foul put them back to a first and 25, they pounded it right back down on fourth and goal. Jaxon Covell punched it in at 6:23 in the first quarter.

Maplewood wasn’t able to muster much and Titusville came back, capping it off with a 27-yard touchdown by Covell to go up 13-0 with 3:44 left in the quarter.

Titusville’s O-line was moving the Tigers back at will, giving their runners plenty of room.

They scored again as the time ran out on the quarter with a nifty short pass to Landon Wolfkiel, who took the pass diagonally across the field for an official 12-yard score that spanned about 40 yards.
The two-point conversion put them up 21-0 at the end of the opening stanza.

At 8:20 in the second on a first and 25, Mason Titus took the ball 59 yards for their fourth touchdown of the night. Maplewood finally got on the board with a 60-yard pass from Kyle Jordan to Dominick Kinney.

It didn’t take Titusville long to come right back down to score their fifth TD. This time it was a quick over-the-middle pass from Ian McDonald to JJ Miller. The Rockets were up 35-7.

They got the ball back quickly. A Tiger punt that was run back to the Wood 15. Titusville scored immediately after on a touchdown pass from McDonald to Covell.

The Rockets had some difficulties with penalties on the night, on the last drive before the half there were 45 yards on penalties alone. But they were able to keep Maplewood from scoring going into the locker room with a 42-7 lead.

Titusville came right out and scored on a 54-yard scamper by Covell who amassed 159 yards rushing and 180 total on the night, including three touchdowns. They went up 49-7 with only seconds off the clock in the second half.

The running clock was on as the fog rolled in.

Titusville and Maplewood would each score one more time. Titusville went up 55-7 when Ian McDonald took an interception around the 34-yard line and ran it back 66 yards.

Maplewood scored their final points on a 23-yard pass from Jordan to Kinney again with just over five minutes to go. On the night, McDonald threw for 95 yards and ran for an additional 47. His pick-six gave him over 200 yards of productivity on the night.

Titusville was just shy of 400 yards of total offense.

Coach Mike Reynolds' Rockets have a chance to go 5-3 when they face the 0-7 Warren Dragon Friday night for homecoming.