Sep 6, 2009 3 min read

REPUBLIC – Brandon Decarlo scored on a five-yard keeper in overtime as Brownsville picked up a 21-14 victory over South Allegheny Friday in Interstate Conference play. The Falcons had first crack in overtime at the Gladiators’ 10-yard line. Tre Hall gained one yard on first down and Levon Mickens gained four on second to set up Decarlo’s score on third-and-goal.

Donald Thomas added his third PAT for a seven-point lead. Hall had 75 yards on nine carries.

The Gladiators’ Nick Camponizzi was stuffed for a two-yard loss on first down and quarterback Dylan Fox could not find the end zone with three straight incomplete passes.

“Our defense has played solid,” Brownville coach Von Braddock said. “We have to pick it up on offense. We left it all out here tonight. This is my first win with these kids.”

Fumbles were the story of the first quarter as both teams combined for five turnovers. The Falcons put the ball on the grass two times and the Gladiators three as neither team scored in the opening quarter.

“We had a lot of first-game jitters,” South Allegheny coach Pat Monroe said. “Our backs that played tonight had about 14 carries combined last season.”

Brownsville took advantage of the Gladiators’ third fumble at 11:30 of the second when Decarlo took a keeper into the end zone to give the Falcons a 7-0 lead after Thomas’ PAT. The drive was set up in the first when Carl Gaddis recovered a fumble at South Allegheny’s 41.

On the next play, Mickens pulled in a 29-yard pass from Decarlo to put the ball at the 11 and Decarlo took it in three plays later. Brownsville took a 7-0 lead into halftime.

South Allegheny’s Cameron Mehalcik took the opening kickoff of the second half to the Falcons’ 25 and Fox scored six plays later on a six-yard run. Dylan Bogdan’s PAT tied the game at seven. Camponizzi was the key player on the drive with 20 yards rushing.

“I was proud of how our guys made the adjustments at the half,” Monroe said.

Brownsville took the lead again at 11:34 of the fourth when Brandon Franks caught a 25-yard touchdown pass form Decarlo and the Falcons had a 14-7 lead after the PAT.

Camponizzi pulled the Gladiators within one at 8:28 when he scored from one-yard out and the PAT tied the game.

Brownsville will travel to Jeannette next week while South Allegheny plays Waynesburg Central.

“We’ll look at the game film of Jeannette and go from there,” Braddock said.