Big plays fuel Falcons’ 48-13 victory over Colonials
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
Connellsville’s Jayden McBride catches the ball in stride for a 66-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter of Friday’s non-conference game against Albert Gallatin at Connellsville Stadium.
Connellsville's Bruce Giles (22) breaks free from Albert Gallatin's Caleb DeHaven on his way to a 64-yard touchdown run in the first quarter of Friday's non-conference game at Connellsville Stadium.
Albert Gallatin's Caleb DeHaven (88) breaks free from Connellsville's Jayden Mickens (23), Bruce Giles (22), and Crue Harwell to keep the play alive in the first quarter of Friday's non-conference game at Connellsville Stadium.
Connellsville's Grayden Gillott (18) powers into the end zone for a 19-yard scoring reception in the second quarter of Friday's non-conference game against Albert Gallatin at Connellsville Stadium.
CONNELLSVILLE — Connellsville hit the 2023 season running Friday night after Jayden McBride returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown to spark the Falcons to a 48-13 non-conference win against Albert Gallatin at Connellsville Stadium.
McBride gathered in the first kickoff of the season and sprinted through the Albert Gallatin defense for an 85-yard touchdown return and a 6-0 lead just 12 seconds into the game. Hunter Brown added the point after.
“I think our main goal was to play a full game and we took a step in the right direction,” said Connellsville coach Chad Lembo. “We’ll watch the tape (Saturday) and try to clear things up.
“(The way Connellsville played) gives us a little confidence heading into the next game (at home against Hempfield).”
Albert Gallatin tied the game three minutes later on Nasir Moore’s nifty run through the Connellsville secondary.
Moore broke through the line, cut left and sprinted down the Connellsville sideline for a 51-yard touchdown run. T Guesman added the extra point to tie the game at 7-7 with 8:30 to go in the first half.
“They were a little bit more ready than we were. Hat’s off to them,” said Albert Gallatin coach Drew Dindl. “The first drive we had, we were ok.
“They did everything we expected. We didn’t execute. They did.”
The Connellsville offense took off from that point with three touchdowns in the final eight minutes of the first quarter.
The Falcons didn’t score on the ensuing kickoff, but did so on the first play from scrimmage when Bruce Giles broke tackles and ran the final 50 yards or so untouched for a 64-yard touchdown run. Giles finished with 86 yards rushing on nine carries.
Kasey Stanton’s point after gave Connellsville a 14-7 lead just 16 seconds after the game was tied.
The Falcons then turned to the passing game to increase their lead.
Connellsville forced a punt and steadily moved down the field until Anthony Piasecki hit Capone Mickens in stride for a 22-yard touchdown pass with 5:30 left in the quarter.
The Falcons once again held Albert Gallatin, forcing a punt.
The home team needed just one play when McBride sprinted past the Albert Gallatin defense and Piasecki laid the ball right into his hands for a 66-yard catch-and-run touchdown with 31 seconds remaining in the quarter. Piasecki’s two-point run gave Connellsville a 28-7 lead.
Piasecki hit a third different receiver for a touchdown to increase the lead early in the second quarter.
Piasecki found Grayden Gillott opened in the right flat. Gillott broke one tackle around the five-yard line and powered through another Albert Gallatin defender at the goal line for a 19-yard touchdown reception with 7:13 left in the half.
Piasecki finally scored a touchdown of his own late in the first half on a one-yard dive into the end zone, but the point after failed and the 35-point mercy rule at the start of the second half was avoided.
The mercy rule was enacted early in the third quarter when the McBride-Piasecki connection worked for a 45-yard touchdown. Kasey Stanton’s extra point gave Connellsville a 43-7 lead with 8:38 left in the quarter.
Piasecki completed 5-of-8 passes for 175 yards and four touchdowns.
Guesman powered into the end zone from a yard out with 23 seconds remaining in the quarter. Guesman finished with 32 yards rushing.
“T is going to be a special player on Friday night. I forget he’s a sophomore,” said Dindl. “That’s not a new thing for him.”
Cyrus Potkul led the Colonials with 59 yards rushing on 12 carries.
Both coaches turned to the game over to the reserves in the fourth quarter. The Colonials threatened midway through the quarter after Connellsville lost a fumble, but the Falcon defense held on downs.
The game started to get chippy in the second quarter with a number of offsetting personal fouls called.
“We took a lot of bad penalties,” said Lembo.
Dindl did see positives to carry into next week’s road trip to Spring Mills (W.Va.)
“The good thing is we only had one person miss an assignment,” explained Dindl.