Mustangs down Yough for second win in a row
HERMINIE – Amos Alonzo Stagg may be rolling over in his grave, but Laurel Highlands coach Scott Knee is probably still smiling after his team beat Yough, 18-12, for its second consecutive win. In a sloppy game that was marred by a combined 30 penalties for 247 yards, Laurel Highlands turned back a Yough rally to improve to 2-3 overall and 1-1 in the Keystone Conference.
“I’m seriously happy,” said Knee, the first-year coach. “We have a long way to go yet, but these kids played their hearts out and have come a long way in a short period of time. They deserve the feeling they have right now and I’m so happy for these guys. I really am. It’s a good feeling.”
Laurel Highlands nearly let that good feeling slip away, however. After Corey Nesser scored on a 1-yard touchdown run and added a 2-point conversion, the Mustangs led by 18-6 with 7:38 remaining. But Yough rallied.
The Cougars returned the ensuing kickoff to their own 43 and a facemask penalty moved them to the LH 42. Six plays later, a pop-up of a touchdown pass moved Yough to within 18-12.
Laurel Highlands punted the ball back with 3:41 left and Cougar Mountain was hopping with energy. But after Yough advanced to the LH 22, three consecutive sacks clinched the Mustangs’ win.
Linebacker Tim Hirsch had the first sack, defensive end J.T. Stefanik had the next two, and Hirsch finished Yough off by tackling quarterback Scott Kasics after he’d scrambled for a 2-yard gain on fourth-and-33.
“When they got the ball back, I was concerned because we’re not used to winning,” Knee said. “But our kids stepped it up. That showed me something. They’ve come a long way.”
The pass rush at the end of the game was similar to the pressure Laurel Highlands applied early in the game. Kasics was sacked on his first two pass attempts, had his helmet knocked off on his next attempt, and was generally abused throughout the first half. But he came back to lead Yough in its rally before the Laurel Highlands pressure re-surfaced.
“Our defensive coaches did a tremendous job,” Knee said. “We came out pumped up, hit a lull, but then found another gear late. They weren’t going to let it slip away.”
Laurel Highlands scored on its first drive of the game as quarterback Matt Humbert returned after missing a game with a shoulder injury. His 18-yard touchdown pass to Greg Palladino capped the opening drive of the game before Yough cut the lead to 7-6 on Dave Sidun’s 1-yard scoring run late in the second quarter.
Humbert led Laurel Highlands on another scoring drive on its first drive of the second half.
A 26-yard pass to Tony Patitucci set up Paul Briczinski’s 22-yard field goal for a 10-6 lead. Nesser’s 8-pointer in the middle of the fourth quarter provided the insurance. Nesser was Laurel Highlands’ leading rusher with 53 yards on 19 carries, while Humbert completed 13 of 27 passes for 162 yards to drive the offense.
“Matt had a great game. He really did,” Knee said. “I’m so happy for Matt. Even though he was here last week, he didn’t really get to experience the win, and all he wants to do is win. He’ll do anything to win.”
So he may want to do something about Laurel Highlands’ penalty problems. The Mustangs were flagged 18 times for 141 yards.
“The first three games we had so many penalties,” Knee said. “Last week we had three and I thought we had taken care of that problem. That is just something that has to stop. We’re killing ourselves. It’s just discipline, but it’s correctable.”
It didn’t help that the officials often appeared confused.
“I can’t say that,” Knee said. “I’m not allowed to say that.”
But he would say that the playoffs are beckoning if Laurel Highlands continues to play as it has the last two weeks.
“We dug ourselves a big hole at 0-3 but now we’re climbing back out of it,” he said. “We have a chance to get back to .500 and 2-1 in the conference next week against Derry.
“That’s pretty good, considering our start.”