The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
AREA DUO SPARKS MOUNT ON GROUND
Perry grad Petruccelli impressing as freshman, West G product Fornaro enjoys FB role
Joe Fornaro remembers the one game in high school he played against Josh Petruccelli.
Fornaro was a West Geauga senior linebacker, Petruccelli a Perry junior running back. Asked how many times he tackled Petruccelli in that game, Fornaro said: “I might have had one. He was one of the best players on Perry that year.” That was two years ago. Things have changed a bit for Fornaro, but not for Petruccelli.
As a freshman, Petruccelli is already one of Mount Union’s best players as the Purple Raiders look to add to their NCAA football record 12 national championships.
Mount plays Mary HardinBaylor on Dec. 15 in Salem, Va., in the Stagg Bowl for the Division III national championship.
For Fornaro, he’s no longer a linebacker. Between his freshman and sophomore seasons, Coach Vince Kehres asked Fornaro about a switch to fullback. He jumped at the chance.
“I’ve fallen in love with the position,” said Fornaro, a sophomore. “The best thing I like about football is the physical play, and being a fullback still allows me to be physical.”
It also allows Fornaro to line up close to Petruccelli.
“It’s really awesome to watch him run, and especially when I’m blocking for him,” said Fornaro.
Per football rules at Mount, freshmen are not allowed to talk to the media, so Fornaro and Mount teammate Braeden Friss, a senior wide receiver with 11 touchdowns, did the talking for Petruccelli this week.
That’s because last week was a big one for the Purple Raiders and Petruccelli. In a national semifinal game at WisconsinOshkosh, Mount trailed in the third quarter, 35-10, before rallying for a 43-40 win. Petruccelli had the best game of his young college career with 132 yards on 27 carries and two touchdowns.
He and teammate Jawanza Evans-Morris have shared rushing duties all season, and their stats are almost identical. Petruccelli has 1,034 yards on 145 carries and six touchdowns. Evans-Morris has 146 carries for 1,044 yards and 11 TDs.
“Josh has done a great job,” said Friss, a graduate of Avon High School. “He came in (early in training camp) and was banging bodies around, and he was being physical early. He didn’t show he was intimidated whatsoever. It’s showed because he’s played great for us, and come through in the clutch.”
Said Fornaro about Petruccelli: “You have to be one of the most elite freshmen in Division III to make the (varsity) roster here at Mount. Josh brings so much energy and different styles of running to the offense.”
The game vs. HardinBaylor could mean something will give in the Stagg Bowl. Mount has the nation’s No. 1 offense and Hardin-Baylor the top defense. If the game turns into a defensive struggle, the likes of Petruccelli and a lead blocker such as the 250-pound Fornaro could be important.
Last season in a national semifinal, Mount lost at Hardin-Baylor, 1412. Fornaro didn’t make that trip last season, but made this one. He and the Purple Raiders are looking for redemption.
“We want to prove to everyone we’re good enough to be there, and good enough to win it,” said Fornaro, who said a big thrill this season was scoring his one and only TD this season vs. Muskingum. “I think when people realize they’re playing Mount Union, it’s going to be the hardest game they play all year.”