Sep 23, 2006 By Jim Downey 4 min read

Highlands scored two touchdowns within eights seconds late in the third quarter to break open a close game on the Golden Rams’ way to a 28-0 non-conference victory over Uniontown Friday night at Bill Power Stadium. Running back Billy Devin slipped through the Golden Rams’ offensive line and sprinted 35 yards through the Uniontown defense for a 35-yard touchdown run at 3:47.

Uniontown took possession at its own 20-yard line after Nick Bouchat’s kickoff sailed into the end zone – he did so on all five kicks.

Quarterback Douglas Sanner looked into the left flat, but Jeff Graham stepped inside of the intended receiver at the 25 and raced into the end zone as the Golden Rams pulled away to 21-0 with 3:39 remaining in the third quarter.

The first touchdown scored in the quarter by the Golden Rams allowed coach Sam Albert and his staff to alter their defensive approach.

“I think the game changed when we scored the first time in the second half,” said Albert. “We baited them into throwing to the outside. We had the cushion on defense after the touchdown.”

Uniontown’s quarterbacks threw a total of six interceptions, including three in the first half, but the Red Raiders’ defense managed to keep the Golden Rams out of the end zone.

The Red Raiders stopped the Golden Rams on four plays inside the Uniontown 7-yard line after the first interception. John Duffy’s 15-yard punt return on Dan Rush’s punt from out of the end zone gave Highlands great field position at the Uniontown 26, and the Golden Rams needed only five plays to score the game’s first touchdown when Jimmy Nagle hit Ben Douglas with a swing pass for a 9-yard touchdown.

“I was frustrated in the first half,” Albert said about the missed scoring opportunities that included Duffy’s 67-yard punt return for a touchdown called back on an illegal block. “We were real proud of the kids at halftime. The kids regrouped.”

The game might have been more out of hand if the Uniontown defense hadn’t stoned the Golden Golden Rams offense in the first half.

“Defensively, we did a good job. They kept us in the game,” said Uniontown coach John Fortugna.

The Red Raiders mounted their best drive early in the third quarter when Sanner found Brandon Bowers open on the sideline for a 37-yard completion to the Golden Rams’ 27-yard line. Uniontown came to the line quickly and ran the same play to the 6-yard line, but the play was called back on a holding call.

The drive stalled and Uniontown wouldn’t cross the 50-yard line again.

“We might score (on the drive stalled by the holding penalty). If we score, it’s a different game,” said Fortugna. “We couldn’t get a rhythm going. We got out of sync. We were out-executed.

Douglas capped his night with a 3-yard touchdown run to bring his total to 108 yards on 20 carries. Billy Devlin rushed for 46 yards. Nagle completed to six passes for 77 yards, three to Nick Glesk for 51 yards.

Albert was impressed with Uniontown and was concerned about the Red Raiders coming into the game.

“Uniontown has some great athletes. I was scared to death. They have great size. (Kevin Sanders) can break at anytime,” said Albert, whose Golden Rams improved to 4-0. “We usually use our speed, but we had to buckle up and play smash-mouth football.”

Highlands held the Red Raiders to minus-9 yards rushing. Sanner completed 8-of-20 passes for 116 yards and four interceptions, while Michael Dvorchak was 1-of-5 for eight yards and two interceptions. Sanders caught five passes for 87 yards.

Uniontown (0-1, 0-4) returns to Keystone Conference action Friday night when the Red Raiders host winless Derry.