GAME OF THE WEEK: Pioneers race past Greyhounds, end playoff drought
West Greene running back Ben Jackson (34) out-runs Monessen's Gage Hayden (11) and Isaiah Beltram (17) on his way to a 59-yard touchdown run during their game at Kennedy Field on Friday night.
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard
West Greene’s Connor Main (85) reaches for a pass thrown by Monessen quarterback Dawayne Howell (28) to running back Elijah Davis (32) during their game at Kennedy Field on Friday night. Main intercepted the ball and returned it 45 yards for a touchdown. The Pioneers won, 48-16, to clinch a WPIAL playoff berth for the first time since 1993.
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard
West Greene’s Nathan Brudnock (22) confronts Monessen’s Isaiah Beltram (17) during their game at Kennedy Field last season. The Pioneers won, 48-16, to clinch a WPIAL playoff spot for the first time since 1993.
West Greene's Connor Main (85) is upended by Monessen's Dawayne Howell (28) after catching a pass from Zach Pettit during their game at Kennedy Field on Friday night.
Monessen quarterback Dewayne Howell (28) prepares to pitch the ball to running back Elijah Davis (32) against West Greene during their game at Kennedy Field on Friday night.
Monessen's Isaiah Beltram (17) helps bring down West Greene running back Christian Fox (23) after a good gain as the Greyhounds' Luke Farmer (74) closes in during their game at Kennedy Field on Friday night.
The scoreboard tells a happy story for West Greene coach Rod Huffman as he surveys the field early in the third quarter during the Pioneers' game against Monessen at Kennedy Field, on Oct. 13, 2017. West Greene won, 48-16, to clinch a WPIAL playoff spot for the first time since 1993. Huffman guided West Greene to another postseason berth and a share of the Tri-County South title in 2018.
Monessen's Isaiah Beltram lofts a pass during the Greyhounds' game at West Greene's Kennedy Field on Friday night. The pass was caught by Lyndon Henderson for a 42-yard touchdown, and Beltram would run in the two-point conversion.
Monessen coach Mikey Blainefield talks to Dontae Cook (50) during the Greyhounds' game against West Greene at Kennedy Field on Friday night.
West Greene quarterback Zach Pettit (10) prances into the end zone on a seven-yard touchdown run against Monessen during their game at Kennedy Field on Friday night. The Pioneers won, 48-16, to clinch a WPIAL playoff berth for the first time since 1993.
West Greene's softball team stands on the field during halftime of the Pioneers' football game against Monessen after receiving their PIAA championship rings on Friday night at Kennedy Field.
West Greene softball coach Billy Simms displays one of the rings that were presented to each member of his PIAA championship team during a ceremony at halftime of the Pioneers' football game against Monessen at Kennedy Field on Friday night.
ROGERSVILLE — For the first time since 1993, West Greene is playoff bound after a 48-16 victory over Monessen Friday night at Kennedy Field in the Herald-Standard Game of the Week.
“This is super big for us and for the school,” West Greene coach Rodney Huffman said. “The kids fought hard and it’s been a long time coming. We knew this season was right around the corner and the kids kept pushing towards the goal. We set this goal three years ago, and it feels good to accomplish it tonight.”
On a wet and muddy field on Senior Night, the West Greene’s offense exploded with the opening 41 points of the contest and set up a post-game celebration that was 24 years in the making.
“This is just incredible to take this in (making the playoffs),” West Greene senior quarterback Zach Pettit said. “I’m not even sure how we are going to react to this. This team has been a family since day one and I’m really glad we get to enjoy this together.”
Pettit accounted for 91 yards of total offense and two touchdowns, while sophomore running back Ben Jackson was once again the workhorse for the Pioneers (6-2, 4-2) with 172 yards on 17 carries and two scores.
“I give all the credit to the linemen for the running game,” Jackson said. “They opened up the holes and stayed on their blocks, and I just ran through the holes. The lanes were there and we were effective on the ground.”
West Greene’s defense was also stingy in the win, as the Pioneers registered three interceptions and limited the Greyhounds (2-6, 1-4) to two total yards of offense in the first half.
The Pioneers will travel to non-conference foe Western Beaver next Saturday, before closing out the season at California.
Despite the loss, Monessen is still alive for the fifth and final playoff spot in the Tri-County South Conference. The Greyhounds have two remaining home games left in the regular season against Avella and Mapletown.
“We are just going to try to focus on the positives out of this one tonight,” Monessen coach Mike Blainefield said. “Our guys have learned to fight adversity so much this season with injuries and losing people. We only had 13 kids, and only four linemen.”
West Greene elected to receive the opening kickoff and four plays later held a 6-0 lead after a 27-yard scoring toss to senior tight end Connor Main from Pettit.
After the visitors turned the ball over on downs at the 27-yard line on its first possession, the Pioneers doubled their lead to 12-0 after a 6-yard plunge into the end zone by senior fullback Patrick Brady.
West Greene went into their bag of tricks on its next drive, as Jackson threw a 20-yard halfback pass to junior wideout Nathan Brudnock for a touchdown. Jackson converted the two-point run and the home team led 20-0 with 3:37 left in the opening quarter.
“During warm-ups, I wasn’t even supposed to pass the ball on that play,” Jackson said. “But coach told me that if it was there, to look for the pass. I got the ball and I saw Nathan’s hand go up, so I just passed it. In my head, I was hoping it wasn’t intercepted.”
The Pioneers’ defense got into the scoring, as Main intercepted a Monessen’s pass and returned it 45 yards to end zone midway through the second stanza.
“Monessen has a big-play, strike ability on offense,” Huffman said. “They throw the ball down the field a lot, but they also have a screen package and like to do the halfback pass. Our secondary read their routes and reacted to the plays. Of course the sloppy field slowed them down, but our kids always hustle on defense.”
West Greene led 41-0 at intermission after scoring two touchdowns, a 19-yard score by Jackson and a 7-yard dash to the end zone by Pettit, with less than two minutes left in the second quarter.
“We were really in tune on offense tonight,” Pettit said. “We were able to hit on those pass plays early to make their defensive backs respect our passing game. We were able to run the ball and Ben gave us a couple of long runs.”
The Greyhounds broke through in the third quarter, as freshmen quarterback Isaiah Beltram threw a 42-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Lyndon Henderson. Beltram, who had a team-high 79 yards on the ground, ran in the two-point conversion.
“We have to get the ball into the hands of our playmakers in the next two games,” Blainefield said. “We have a lot good athletes on offense. They have the talent and I think now they have the confidence.”
The Pioneers responded on their next drive with a 59-yard sprint to the end zone by Jackson with 42 seconds remaining in the third.
Monessen had the final score of the night at 7:03 of the fourth quarter when freshman running back Elijah Davis threw a 5-yard halfback pass to Beltram.
Sophomore quarterback Dawayne Howell found Henderson in the back of the end zone for the two-point conversion.
Tri-County South Conference
Monessen 0-0-8-8 — 16
West Greene 20-21-7-0 — 48
First Quarter
WG: Connor Main 27 pass from Zach Pettit (kick failed), 9:57 (6-0)
WG: Patrick Brady 6 run (run failed), 6:55 (12-0)
WG: Nathan Brudnock 20 pass from Ben Jackson (Jackson run), 3:37 (20-0)
Second Quarter
WG: Main 45 interception return (pass failed), 7:28 (26-0)
WG: Jackson 19 run (Jackson pass from Pettit), 1:55 (34-0)
WG: Pettit 7 run (Gavin Scott kick), 0:21 (41-0)
Third Quarter
Mon: Lyndon Henderson 42 pass from Isaiah Beltram (Beltram rush), 4:00 (41-8)
WG: Jackson 59 run (Scott kick), 0:42 (48-8)
Fourth Quarter
Mon: Beltram 5 pass from Elijah Davis (Henderson pass from Dawayne Howell), 7:03 (48-16)
Records: Monessen (2-6, 1-4), West Greene (6-2, 4-2)