Herald Staff reports

Greenville High football team held serve Friday night in its quest for a District 10 Class AA playoff berth.

The Trojans’ 42-7 triumph over Reynolds at Stewart Field fanned the flames as they contend with Hickory and Oil City for either the fourth spot out of Region 3-AA or possibly an at-large berth.

Wilmington (6-1, 8-1) and Sharon (6-1, 7-2) are assured spots, while Hickory (4-1, 5-2) hosts Oil City (3-2, 6-2) tonight. Greenville has suffered setbacks to Wilmington, Sharon and Oil City, but beat Hickory.

“If we can win next week (hosting Slippery Rock), maybe the District 10 committee can take a look at us. I think we’re deserving,” Trojans’ taskmaster Brian Herrick said in a post-game interview.

Dylan Zuschlag zigged and zagged for a 6-carry, 114-yard rushing performance that included scoring sprints of 35 and 63 yards; R.J. Malson — playing on a severely sprained ankle — contributed 34- and 2-yard touchdown runs and his kick-out block sprung Zuschlag on his latter TD, and David Holiga had a 7-for-10, 106-yard, 2-TD passing performance, with Nate Houpt hauling in 4 aerials. Holiga hit Houpt and Chris Roberts for 9- and 7-yard 2nd-stanza TD tosses.

Greenville garnered a 6-0 first-quarter lead, then extended its edge to 35-7 by the break and 42-7 through three periods.

The Trojans (3-3, 6-3) totalled 415 yards, averaging 10 yards per play, and Zuschlag is zeroing in on the 1,000-yard plateau, with 946 yards on 122 totes (7.7 yards/carry) and he has tallied 10 TDs.

“Greenville has a lot of speed, a lot of depth, a lot of talent,” 2nd-year Reynolds head coach Jerry Pacifico praised, adding, “but I thought we played well.

“We played hard for the first half, then in the third quarter (the Trojans) wore us down because of their size,” Pacifico assessed. “They’re bigger than us, a little stronger, and they wore us down. But our kids never quit playing.”

Owing to injuries, illness and other factors, Pacifico had just a 23-player Raiders’ roster at his disposal. Still, Justin Wolfe and Brandon Weaver collaborated on a trio of tosses, including a 24-yard fade to the left corner of the end zone for Reynolds’ lone score.

“I told the kids earlier this week, ‘Don’t look at the scoreboard; just play hard,’ and that’s exactly what they did,” Pacifico praised. “They did a good job, and I’m very proud of our leadership. Our seniors stepped up. We’re banged up a little bit, but played hard. That aspect, and they never gave up,” Pacifico concluded.

Note: In a series that began in 1965, Greenville, with its 4th consecutive win, extended its all-time edge to 25-16-2. — By Ed Farrell, Herald assistant sports editor.

ä Farrell 36, Conneaut Lake 6 — At Conneaut Lake, the unbeaten Steelers of coach Jarrett Samuels rested some players who were dinged up or suffering from illness, but still rolled easily over the Indians.