First-half surge ignites Allen Park past Taylor Kennedy

Detroit — No football coach will ever say a game is over before the clock expires in the fourth quarter.

One could make the case that Allen Park’s 62-0 win over Taylor Kennedy at Wayne State Friday was decided in the first quarter.

Allen Park led 34-0 after 12 minutes, and scored twice more in the second quarter to take a 48-0 halftime lead.

“Just keep playing,” said Allen Park first-year coach Tom Danosky of his message to the team at halftime. “Just try to go through and try to get better. Just do what you’ve been told to do. Try and focus on what you’ve been taught and your techniques, and don’t get sloppy because we’re up.”

Antonio Mangiapane was 4-for-4 for 122 yards and three touchdowns in the first half. He was replaced by Austin Dietz with five minutes left in the second quarter.

Mangiapane was one of two players to be named Most Outstanding Player. Kennedy receiver/defensive back Savion Grey was the other.

“He’s a three-year starter,” Danosky said of Mangiapane. “He’s cool and calm. Nothing really rattles him.”

Allen Park needed only two plays to score its first touchdown. Mangiapane found Matt Arnoldy for a 25-yard gain before Issac Montie scored on an 18-yard run. After Kennedy went offsides on the extra point attempt, Ryan Fish punched in the 1-yard run on the two-point conversion. With 9:35 left in the first quarter, Allen Park led 8-0.

“We were clicking really well,” Mangiapane said. “We had great pass (protection). It was a great team win and we just have to get ready for next week.”

After Kennedy’s second straight three-and-out to start the game, Mangiapane connected with Reid Paffhausen on a 38-yard touchdown on the first play of the drive. A bad snap on the PAT made it 14-0 with 8:13 left in the first.

Allen Park turned yet another Kennedy three-and-out into a touchdown on its third drive. On the third play, Mangiapane threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Alexander Hinojosa. The extra point was no good, and Allen Park had a 20-0 lead with 4:38 left in the first.

Allen Park forced a Kennedy fumble on the first play of the ensuing drive and on the very next play, Paffhausen took the snap in the wildcat formation for a 12-yard touchdown to make it 27-0.

Donovan Ebo added to Allen Park’s lead with a 19-yard run, pushing it to 34-0 with 1:22 left in the first.

On Allen Park’s first play of the second quarter, Mangiapane connected again with Hinojosa for a 40-yard touchdown to make it 41-0 with 11:39 left in the half.

Allen Park started its next scoring drive at its own 39-yard line after a block in the back near midfield. Mike Tereowicz scored from two yards out, which was set up by his 59-yard run a play before, for a 48-0 cushion with 9:13 remaining before halftime.

The total yardage in the first half was as lopsided as the score was. Allen Park ran 16 plays for 290 yards, while Kennedy ran 24 for minus-25.

Michael Bress added a 2-yard touchdown and John O’Dowd punched in a 1-yarder in the fourth quarter to cap Allen Park’s scoring.

Allen Park hosts Wyandotte on Thursday, while Kennedy hosts Woodhaven.

Al Willman is a freelance writer

Twitter: @AlWillmanSports