Warriors hold off Vikings for key 16-14 win
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
The Vikings’ Jared Yester attempts to wrestle Elizabeth Forward’s DaVontay Brownfield to the ground during the first quarter of Friday’s Interstate Conference game at Mount Pleasant.
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
Mount Pleasant’s Robbie Labuda (18) slips through an opening in the line as Elizabeth Forward’s Vernon Settles (22) closes in for the tackle in the first quarter of their Interstate Conference game at Mount Pleasant on Oct. 16. Both teams are in the WPIAL playoffs.
Elizabeth Forward's Vernon Settles steps into a pass in the first quarter of Friday's Interstate Conference game at Mount Pleasant.
The Vikings' Asher O'Connor (1) sprints around left end for a good gain during the first quarter of Friday's Interstate Conference game against Elizabeth Forward at Mount Pleasant.
Mount Pleasant's Donavin Bair makes a diving interception in front of Elizabeth Forward's Zachary Boyd in the second quarter of Friday's Interstate Conference game in Mount Pleasant.
Elizabeth Forward's Nick Mrvos (2) sprints to the end zone with Mount Pleasant defenders Aaron Alakson (11), Robbie Labuda (18), and Tyler Reese (5) in pursuit on the first play of the second quarter in Friday's Interstate Conference game at Mount Pleasant. Mrvos ran 70 yards on the scoring play on a fourth-and-1.
Tyler Reese’s fumble return for a touchdown cut Mount Pleasant’s deficit to just two points, but Elizabeth Forward held on in the final 2½ minutes Friday night for a tight 16-14 Interstate Conference road victory.
The Warriors clinch the Interstate Conference title with the win, improving to 4-0 in the conference and 5-0 overall. The Vikings (4-1, 4-2) play South Park in the season finale for second place in the conference.
Elizabeth Forward scored first in the fourth quarter on Zach Boyd’s 67-yard touchdown pass from Nico Mrvos at 10:43.
The Warriors were driving in the fourth quarter when Reese scooped up a loose ball and sprinted 89 yards for a touchdown at 2:29. Robbie Labuda added the extra point.
Elizabeth Forward scored first when Mike Collodi opted to go on fourth-and-1 on the Warriors’ 30-yard line on the first play of the second quarter. Mrvos broke through the line, cut to his left and out-ran a trio of Mount Pleasant defenders for a 70-yard scoring run just 13 seconds into the quarter.
The Vikings drove the EF 5-yard line in the first quarter, but mishandled snap and a pair of offensive holding calls pushed the home team out of field goal range. Another Mount Pleasant drive in the first quarter was stopped by a Mrvos interception.
Andrew Smith extended the visitors’ lead to 10-0 when he connected on a 31-yard field goal with 2:03 left in the half.
The Vikings responded on the last play of the half on Aaron Alakson’s 49-yard touchdown run. Labuda added the point-after.
Labuda led Mount Pleasant with 75 yards rushing on 19 carries. He also caught a team-high three passes for 34 yards.
Mrvos led the Warriors 140 yards rushing on 14 carries, including a 34-yard gain that helped Elizabeth Forward hold the ball late in the game. Mrvos and Vernon Settles both played quarterback with the absence of Evan Lewis due to an injury.
McKeesport 35, Laurel Highlands 20 — McKeesport scored three unanswered touchdowns in the second quarter to pull away from visiting Laurel Highlands for a Big South Conference victory.
The Mustangs (1-4, 1-5) tied the game at 7-7 on Rodney Gallagher’s one-yard touchdown run, but McKeesport (4-1, 5-1) responded when Kenneth Thompson returned the ensuing kickoff for a 99-yard touchdown.
Gallagher had a pair of touchdown passes in the fourth quarter. He hit Matt Lucas for an 18-yard scoring pass and Joe Chambers on a 2-yard touchdown pass.
Gallagher completed 13-of-23 passes for 131 yards and two touchdowns.
Frazier 39, Beth-Center 0 — Kenny Fine celebrated senior night with a five-touchdown explosion as Frazier rolled past visiting Beth-Center in a Century Conference game.
The victory sets up a second-place showdown at Washington for the Commodores (4-1, 4-2) next Friday night with a possible playoff spot on the line.
Fine rushed for 114 yards and three touchdowns, caught a 13-yard TD pass and returned one his two interception 85 yards for a score.
Fine scored on runs of 1 and 14 yards in the first quarter as Frazier went up 12-0. The senior star added another 1-yard TD run and his long interception return in the second quarter as the Commodores took a 25-0 halftime lead.
Fine’s touchdown reception came in the third quarter from Dom Dorcon to make it 31-0.
Adam Phillips’ 20-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter capped the scoring for the Commodores.
Quarterback Colby Kuhns led the Bulldogs (1-4, 1-5) with 78 yards rushing.
Penn-Trafford 64, Connellsville 28 — Connellsville running back Ky’ron Craggette had a monster game with four touchdowns and 240 yards rushing, but the Penn-Trafford offense was just as unstoppable as the host Warriors rolled to a Big East Conference win.
Craggette had touchdown runs of 42, 63, 14 and 76 yards, and needed 19 carries for his game-high rushing total.
The Falcons (0-4, 0-6) tied the game twice in the second quarter at 21-21 and 28-28.
The Warriors (3-0, 4-1) scored 36 unanswered points in the second half.
Penn-Trafford quarterback completed 8-of-12 passes for 139 yards and three touchdowns.
Ligonier Valley 42, Waynesburg Central 7 — Haden Sierocky ran for two touchdowns and passed for two more to lead visiting Ligonier Valley to a non-conference victory at Waynesburg Central.
Sierocky had touchdown runs of 12 and 5 yards, and threw scoring passes of 15 and 2 yards.
Darnell Johnson scored the only touchdown for Waynesburg (0-6) on a 10-yard run in the fourth quarter.
The Raiders’ Breydon Woods carried the ball 20 times for 102 yards.
Valley 32, Yough 14 — Yough’s rally in the second half fell short in a non-conference loss to visiting Valley.
Valley led 24-0 at halftime.
C.J. Waldier provided a spark for Yough with an 84-yard kickoff return to start the secon half.
The Cougars’ Gamal Marballie scored on a 16-run in the fourth quarter to close the scoring.
Waldier caught 12 passes for 148 yards. Gavin Roebuck completed 13-of-22 passes for 153 yards, but had four interceptions, including Justin Hooper’s 55-yard return for a touchdown.
Marballie carried the ball 23 times for 115 yards.
Thomas Jefferson 41, Ringgold 0 — Conner Murga scored a pair of rushing touchdowns Friday night as Thomas Jefferson shut out Ringgold, 41-0, for a Big Eight Conference road victory.
Justin Lekse scored on a blocked punt, DeRon VanBibber had a 13-yard touchdown run, Jake Pugh threw a 52-yard touchdown pass to Jack Konick, and Elias Lippincott added a 61-yard scoring run for the Jaguars (5-0, 5-0).
Ringgold slips to 0-5 in the conference and 1-5 overall.