Sep 19, 2004 By Rob Burchianti 3 min read

ROSTRAVER TWP. – Belle Vernon could manage only one scoring drive against visiting Laurel Highlands in their Keystone Conference clash on Friday night. That was all the Leopards needed, though, to pull out a rugged 6-0 victory on a rainy, windy night at James Weir Stadium.

C.J. Bell’s one-yard touchdown plunge capped a 35-yard drive with 1:34 left in the first half to give Belle Vernon the only points of the game.

It was the third win in a row for coach Jesse Cramer’s Leps, who improved to 3-1 overall and 2-0 in the conference.

The Mustangs fell to 1-3 and 1-1 despite a valiant effort.

“The kids don’t deserve to be feeling like this,” LH coach Scott Knee said after watching his dejected players slowly walk off the field. “Our kids played their hearts out. They do every week. But Belle Vernon had field position and put together that one drive and they were able to hold us off.

“The conditions didn’t suit us as well as them, the way we run our offense,” said Knee, whose team employs a shotgun formation and relies more on a passing attack than Belle Vernon.

The Leopards’ scoring drive was set up by Doug Ivill, whose punt pinned the Mustangs down at their own one-yard line. Belle Vernon forced the Mustangs to punt, took over at the LH 35 and moved in from there.

“I didn’t think one touchdown would hold up, I honestly didn’t,” Cramer said. “Every year we play them it’s a good game that goes down to the final minutes or the final play.”

Laurel Highlands threatened several times, even after an injury to starting quarterback Jared Jodon forced freshman Kaleb Ramsey to step in behind center in the second half.

Jodon completed two of five passes for 15 yards and was picked off once by Mike Jurcevich.

Ramsey connected on five of 12 passes for 79 yards in the tough passing conditions, but he also was intercepted by Jurcevich on the Mustangs’ final drive.

Laurel Highlands took over on its own 28 with 3:05 left in the game, but consecutive passes by Ramsey to Gregg Forse went for 14 and 36 yards to the Belle Vernon 22. Shane Dongilli recorded his second sack of the game two plays later, dropping Ramsey for an eight-yard loss, and Jurcevich came up with his game-saving interception on the next play with one minute remaining.

Belle Vernon had its opportunities as well. The Leopards had two field goals and an extra-point blocked.