Uniontown makes most of three fumble recoveries
ELIZABETH – It was a night for fumbling, and recovering. A pair of Uniontown defenders came up with three key fumble recoveries in the second half to lead the Red Raiders to an improbable 16-14 win over Elizabeth Forward in a non-conference game last night.
Uniontown gained only 45 yards rushing, and when it turned to the air Steve Kezmarsky completed only 40 percent of his passes and threw three interceptions.
Uniontown also played the second half without star wide receiver Quindell Dean, who caught four first-half passes for 60 yards. Uniontown had gained only 99 yards as a team in the first half.
“He had a deep bruise in his thigh,” said Uniontown coach John Fortugna. “We also had our first-team tackle out, (Josh) Anderson, and we told the kids inside they had to pick it up.”
The players listened; they picked up three fumbles. The first was returned 44 yards for a touchdown by linebacker Terry Guthrie.
Elizabeth Forward held a 10-7 lead and was driving into Uniontown territory on its first possession of the second half, when quarterback Randy Santina bounced a hard pitch off his halfback’s shoulder pads.
Players from both teams knocked the ball back 18 yards before Guthrie scooped it up and sprinted the rest of the way for the touchdown.
Elizabeth Forward drove right back down the field. The 80-yard drive was capped by Santina’s 33-yard touchdown pass to Todd Hanus to re-take the lead in the third quarter.
Uniontown appeared to have taken the lead on a 39-yard Kezmarsky pass to Kevin Saunders early in the fourth quarter, but the play was called back because Uniontown had an ineligible receiver downfield.
Uniontown did receive a break when Elizabeth Forward fumbled deep in its own territory. Josh Malenke recovered at the Elizabeth Forward 12 with 4:51 remaining in the game. On the next play, Jonathan Farrell broke free up the middle for a touchdown, but the extra point attempt failed and Elizabeth Forward remained within two points.
Elizabeth Forward’s Hanus returned the kickoff 60 yards and a fumble pushed the ball to the Uniontown 29. EF drove to the Uniontown 22, but fumbled for the seventh time in the game. Malenke fell on it for his second recovery and Uniontown’s fifth.
With 3:50 to kill, Uniontown turned to Farrell. He gained 15, 3 and 14 yards for a pair of key first downs. His 3-yard run on fourth-and-1 sealed the win.
After gaining only 10 yards on 7 first-half carries, Farrell finished as the game’s leading rusher with 89 yards on 18 carries.
“We just went after them,” said Fortugna. “We didn’t change the game plan, just ran some power inside and power outside and Jonathan Farrell did an excellent job running the football for us. We started opening up the holes. Our line started blocking.”
What about the fumble recoveries?
“Our defense played one heck of a game,” Fortugna said. “They improved from last week to this week 200 percent. They created some fumbles and we got some turnovers. Defense kept us in the game.”
Uniontown came into the game off a 34-14 loss to Connellsville, while Elizabeth Forward came in off a 41-8 win over Mt. Pleasant. And it wasn’t only the EF margin of victory that was impressive.
“We scouted them and thought they were a very good football team,” Fortugna said. “When I saw them I thought they were going to be real hard to beat. Our kids sucked it up and did a great job tonight. They played really well.”
Uniontown opens Keystone Conference play next Friday at Belle Vernon.