Mistakes cost Mustangs in 48-27 loss to Rams
Laurel Highlands' Joe Pegg (17) finds an opening and runs back a Ringgold punt in the second quarter Friday at Laurel Highlands High School.
Ringgold quarterback Chris Spahr (10) gets hit by several Laurel Highlands defenders and fumbles the ball which was recovered by Laurel Highlands' Jacob Johnson during second quarter action Friday at Laurel Highlands High School.
Laurel Highlands' Antonio Agostini (9) pulls in a Ringgold kickoff and runs it back for the Mustangs during their game Friday at Laurel Highlands High School.
John F. Brothers/HeraldStandard.com
Laurel Highlands quarterback Raphael Cannon (2) finds a hole and gains yards for the Mustangs during their game Friday against Ringgold at Laurel Highlands High School.
Laurel Highlands' Dantay Jacobs (27) is wrapped up by a pair of Ringgold defenders after gaining a few yards for the Mustangs at Laurel Highlands High School Friday.
Laurel Highlands kept fighting, even after four interceptions and a turnover in the end zone, but couldn’t quite get over the hump in a 48-27 loss to Ringgold Friday night in Big 9 Conference play at the Mustang Corral.
The Mustangs (0-2, 0-2) had a rough start in their opening possession when quarterback Raphael Cannon was intercepted and Demetrius Louis scored on a 17-yard run.
Louis had 210 yards on 11 carries and scored three touchdowns. He added a 79-yard score at 10:54 of the second quarter when he break several tackles before scoring and also scored on a 58-yard run at 4:51 of the fourth.
Cannon did come back to throw three touchdown passes and was 19-of-35 for 204 yards. He also ran for 126 yards on 24 carries. Cannon threw touchdown passes of 35 and three yards to Joe Pegg and a five-yard strike to Keith Liptock.
Freshman quarterback Jimmy Pierce took some snaps for LH.
“We made some mistakes, but I couldn’t be more proud of my guys,” Laurel Highlands coach Zach Just said. “They fought hard for all four quarters. You are looking at two plays on offense and two on defense that would make this a whole different game. We are a young team and looking to get over the hump. That said, we are not at all happy about this loss.”
One of those plays Just alluded to was a 79-yard interception return by the Rams’ Joey Wall at 9:26 of the fourth that gave Ringgold a 40-20 lead. The Mustangs had blocked a punt that Brett Kusnier returned to the 25 before the interception.
Wall also recovered a fumble in the end zone for a score at 8:21 of the third.
“We had some big plays, but we also made some mistakes,” Ringgold coach and former Laurel Highlands star quarterback Matt Humbert said. “That is how this team plays. If we could put it all together, we would be a pretty good team.
“You have to take your hat of to Laurel Highlands. They kept fighting and played a helluva game. We knew we needed to contain Cannon. A lot of times I have seen games with Laurel Highlands would have packed it in, but this team played us tough.”
Returning to his stomping grounds wasn’t anything different for Humbert.
“It’s always great to come back home, but I don’t look at this game any differently than the others we play,” Humbert said. “Scott Knee has coached at Laurel Highlands so this was kind of a homecoming for him as well.”
Anna Pirl kicked a 23-yard field goal for the Mustangs at 1:03 of the first and Darin Beres scored a safety with 56 seconds left in the opening quarter after the snap flew over the head of Ringgold quarterback Chris Spahr.
Laurel Highlands hosts Elizabeth Forward in its next game while the Rams welcome Belle Vernon to town.
“It is always going to be a battle in this conference,” Just said. “Every team is good and the coaches are solid from top to bottom.”
Big 9 Conference
Ringgold 14-13-7-14 — 48
Laurel Highlands 12-0-8-7 — 27
First Quarter
R: Louis 17 run (Brisco kick), 11:33 (7-0)
R: Law 40 run (Brisco kick), 8:06 (14-0)
LH: Pirl 23 field goal, 1:03 (14-3)
LH: Safety, :56 (14-5)
LH: Pegg 35 pass from Cannon (Pirl kick), :18 (14-12)
Second Quarter
R: Louis 79 run (kick failed), 10:54 (20-12)
R: Chaney 6 run (Brisco kick), 7:31 (27-12)
Third Quarter
R: Wall fumble recovery in end zone (Brisco kick), 8:21 (34-12)
LH: Liptock 5 pass from Cannon (Cannon run), :23 (34-20)
Fourth Quarter
R: Wall 79 interception return (kick failed), 9:26 (40-20)
LH: Pegg 3 pass from Cannon (Brisco kick), 5:04 (40-27)
R: Louis 58 run (Law run), 4:15 (48-27)