High school football leaders noted
Defense and offense each had their moments last weekend One favorite topic among football coaches is what is more important to winning games – offense or defense.
Both sides have their talking points, and the Pittsburgh Steelers proved four times over the years, that “Deeee-fense” wins a lot of games.
Scholastic coaches will also tell you that holding an opponent to less than 10 points in a game is a big step toward winning, and that was proven right on three occasions the past weekend as scholastic teams kicked off another season.
Carmichaels, Beth-Center and Brownsville held their opponents to one touchdown and came out with opening wins, although the Mikes had to work overtime to get theirs.
Carmichaels and Burgettstown battled on even terms through three scoreless quarters before each scored once in the fourth. Here, defense again came to the front as Burgettstown blocked the PAT kick.
BHS scored late in the fourth, but its kick went wide, and regulation ended in a 6-6 tie. They moved to overtime, and Logan Phillips settled the issue for the Mikes when he booted a 22-yard field goal for a 9-6 win.
Brownsville also ceded one score in the third quarter but still claimed a 14-6 defensive battle win over Albert Gallatin, while Beth-Center ceded one score to Jefferson-Morgan, also in the third, in a 20-7 win.
One defensive move that should stand the rest of the season was made by Troy Cree of Waynesburg who grabbed a West Greene pass at the goal line and returned it the length of the field for a touchdown.
The only way this mark can be surpassed is for a defender to make a similar grab a yard deep in the end zone.
Offensively, Waynesburg, Connellsville and Mapletown set the pace.
Waynesburg scored 20 points in the fourth quarter to settle what had been to that point a close battle with West Greene and win, 42-20.
Connellsville didn’t wait that long.
The Falcons scored 20 points in the first quarter and went on to hand new head coach Tommy Dolde Jr. his first win, 34-14, over long-time rival Uniontown.
Mapletown had a battle royal going with Bentworth, before the latter pulled out a 28-27 win.
Some top figures from opening week included:
– Longest TD run – 74 yards, Donte Valentino, California, vs. Riverview; 72, Mitch Erdely, Geibel, vs. Serra Catholic; 71, Monty Davis, Beth-Center, vs. Jefferson-Morgan.
-Pass-run TD – 41 yards, Steve Kezmarsky to Kevin Sanders, Uniontown, vs. Connellsville; 25, Nate Turner to Mark Brown, Albert Gallatin, vs. Brownsville.
-Kickoff return TD – 90 yards, Joe Fleck, Brownsville, vs. Albert Gallatin.
-Pass-interception TD – 100 yards, Troy Cree, Waynesburg, vs. West Greene.
-Field goal – 22 yards, Logan Phillips, Carmichaels, vs. Burgettstown.
-PAT kick scoring – 4, Joe Miller, Connellsville, vs. Uniontown; Nick Patton, Waynesburg, vs. West Greene.