Sep 2, 2006 By Mike Ciarochi 3 min read

It was one of those nights when everything one team did worked and just about everything the other team tried backfired. That sums up Laurel Highlands’ 47-7 loss to Peters Township in the exhibition football opener for both teams Friday night at the Mustang Corral.

“We didn’t get a good feel for Peters Township from the film we had,” Mustangs coach Jack Buehner said. “So we told our kids to play aggressively. We came out very aggressively on the first play and they burned us for a big play. It kind of snowballed after that.”

The Mustangs came after Indians quarterback Tyler Porco so aggressively that they neglected tight end Will Fife, who ran into the open and under Porco’s pass. The play resulted in a 69-yard touchdown on the game’s first play from scrimmage to set the tone for the night.

Nicholas Fazio followed with touchdown runs of 2 and 24 yards before the first quarter ran its course and the Mustangs found themselves in a 21-0 hole.

Even when PT’s Kevin Noone lined up for his second extra point attempt and the snap sailed over the holder’s head, it worked out great for the visitors when Noone picked up the loose ball and passed to Fazio for a two-point conversion.

By the time the quarter ended, the Indians had amassed 160 yards and a 21-0 lead, while the Mustangs had mustered six total yards of offense.

Peters Township went to its bench early in the second quarter and Joe Smith ran 36 yards for a touchdown the first time he touched the ball to stretch the Indians lead to 27-0 11:51 before halftime.

Laurel Highlands mounted its best drive of the game early in the third quarter. Brandon George kept it going with a 10-yard run on a fake punt and Danny Pegg completed 5-of-8 passes for 60 yards on the 16-play, 59-yard drive, including a 10-yard TD pass to Randy Rankin.

But the Indians answered with a 60-yard drive of their own, capped on a 21-yard Porco-to-Mike Divella touchdown pass to make it 34-7. Early in the fourth quarter, Porco hit Spencer Smith with a short pass and 63 yards later Smith was in the end zone to make it 40-7. Patrick Gallagher capped the scoring with a 56-yard jaunt with 2:24 remaining.

“Certainly, we’re better than this,” Buehner said. “Peters is a good team, but we’re better than what we showed tonight. We didn’t coach very well and we didn’t play very well, but we have to sharpen this thing up and we have to do it in a hurry.”

The Mustangs travel to defending PIAA Class AAA champion Franklin Regional next Friday before opening Keystone Conference play a week later at home to Derry.

“We have to strive to be better,” Buehner said. “I told our players that we’re still evaluating everybody for everything. Competition breeds success and we have a lot of good competition on this team. We have to get better next week before we open conference play a week later.”

George led LH with 35 yards rushing on nine carries. Gallagher’s one carry for 56 yards was good enough to lead all rushers. Porco completed eight of 12 passes for 235 yards and three touchdowns.