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Showing their mettle

Mustangs overcome injuries, early TD in 12-7 win over Ambridge

By Rob Burchianti 7 min read
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Laurel Highlands’ Jonah Coleman (13) returns an interception 66 yards to the Ambridge 14-yard line with help by a block from Colton Sweitzer on Enzo Kittrell (6) late in Friday night’s game at Mustang Field. The Mustangs defeated the Bridgers, 12-7.
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Laurel Highlands running back Marion Jones plows his way into the end zone for a touchdown against Ambridge during Friday night's game at Mustang Field.
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Laurel Highlands quarterback Gabriel Centofanti (18) completes a pass around Ambridge’s Martese Priest (16) during Friday night’s game at Mustang Field. Centofanti completed 9 of 13 passes for 105 yards and a touchdown in the Mustangs’ 12-7 win.
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Laurel Highlands’ Gio Guerriere runs for positive yardage despite a facemask penalty by an Ambridge defender that would add 15 more yards to the play Friday night at Mustang Field. Guerriere left the game due to injury in the second quarter but still rushed for a team-high 82 yards in the Mustangs’ 12-7 win.
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Laurel Highlands’ Nick Crouch (4) fights his way into the end zone for what would prove to be the winning touchdown on a 38-yard pass from Gabriel Centofanti in the third quarter of Friday night’s game at Mustang Field.
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Laurel Highlands' Marion Joness (23) sacks Ambridge quarterback DJ Cain for a six-yard loss during Friday night's game at Mustang Field.
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Laurel Highlands head coach Aaron Raffle shouts out instructions to his players during Friday night's game against Ambridge at Mustang Field.
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Laurel Highlands' Paxton Sigler (52) and Nick Crouch (4) pressure Ambridge quarterback DJ Cain to throw a fourth-down incompletion late in the fourth quarter of Friday night's game at Mustang Field.

Way back in January first-year Laurel Highlands football coach Aaron Raffle talked with his players about handling adversity.

“We’ve always focused on what we do when we face adversity and how we get over that,” said Raffle, who gave a tip of his hat to his father who recently passed away. “That’s something that my dad taught me years ago and I’m trying to bring it to these guys. They’re seeing it come to fruition, all that success you can have when you’re able to stay focused and rise up when things aren’t going our way.”

Raffle’s team showed plenty of mettle Friday night.

The Mustangs watched Ambridge return the opening kickoff for a touchdown then had to deal with losing two key offensive starters – running back Gio Guerriere and quarterback Noah Lion – to injury during the first half and still managed to gut out a 12-7 victory over the Bridgers in a non-conference clash at Mustang Field.

“These guys faced adversity today and pulled through,” Raffle said.

Laurel Highlands’ defense didn’t allow a touchdown in limiting the Bridgers to 125 total yards and the Mustangs got fourth-down touchdowns from Marion Jones on a 2-yard run and Nick Crouch on a determined 38-yard reception to improve to 2-0.

Guerriere left the game with a foot injury after a 62-yard run to the Ambridge 1-yard line that set up the Mustangs’ first score midway through the second quarter. He still led LH in rushing with 11 carries for 82 yards.

Lion completed 3 of 4 passes for 31 yards before leaving with a shoulder injury after the first quarter but Laurel Highlands got a big lift from freshman Gabriel Centofanti who stepped in and completed 9 of 13 passes for 105 yards and a touchdown.

Raffle praised Centofanti for his play in a relief role.

“He showed a lot of composure out there for a young player,” Raffle said.

Laurel Highlands found itself behind after the game’s first play as Ambridge’s Martese Priest returned the kickoff for an 88-yard touchdown down the left sideline. Ryan Lambert added the extra point for a 7-0 lead but the Bridgers (0-2) would not score again.

“That’s obviously a stunning way for our team to start the game,” Raffle said. “But they shook it off, overcame it and kept moving forward.”

The Mustangs’ defense dominated much of the first half and forced a pair of turnovers with an interception off a tipped pass by Alafia Calloway in the first quarter and a fumble recovery by Colton Sweitzer in the second quarter.

Lion guided LH on a drive into Ambridge territory that began late in the first quarter, completing passes of 11 yards to Crouch and 17 yards to Scott McClay on third and 14 to the Bridgers’ 35. Lion left with his shoulder injury after the quarter and the Mustangs turned the ball over on downs at the 33.

Still down 7-0, Laurel Highlands’ defense forced a three-and-out and on the next play from scrimmage from the LH 37 Guerriere broke free on his long jaunt to the Bridgers 1 but he was injured on the tackle.

“It was a beautiful run,” Raffle said. “Everything Gio does is a work of art. He’s a phenomenal athlete and we’re hoping we get him back for next week.”

Ambridge’s defense kept the Mustangs out of the end zone for three plays but Jones would not be denied on fourth down as he plowed in from the 2 to get LH on the board with 5:36 left in the first half.

The extra-point kick was blocked, leaving the hosts behind 7-6.

“Everybody here has heart,” Raffle said. “You saw that with Marion Jones on that run.”

Jones also played a strong game on defense, making several key tackles, including a sack, and deflecting a pass, despite leaving the field twice himself with injuries.

The Bridgers, riding the running of quarterback DJ Cain who led his team with 79 rushing yards, advanced inside the LH 40 late in the half. Crouch’s 8-yard sack of Cain at the LH 46 led to a punt and the half ended with Laurel Highlands down by one.

The Mustangs opened the second half with an eight-play, 70-yard drive that ended with Crouch’s spectacular touchdown. On fourth and 7 from the Ambridge 38, Centofanti lofted a deep pass down the left sideline that Crouch and Priest both jumped for at the 9-yard line with the LH receiver not only coming down with the ball but then battling his way into the end zone for the go-ahead score with 7:56 remaining in the third quarter.

The extra-point attempt hit the crossbar, leaving the Mustangs up by five, 12-7, but the defense would make the lead stand up.

“The way he went up and battled for that ball, it was highly contested and he just did a phenomenal job pulling it down,” Raffle said of Crouch’s TD. “And then to keep moving after he secured it and getting into the end zone, just an outstanding effort.”

Laurel Highlands’ defense forced a three-and-out and Centofanti then led his team on another lengthy drive from the LH 17 to the Ambridge 27 that ate up 6:10 off the clock. Centofanti completed third-down passes of 9 yards to Josh Reed and 26 yards to Crouch to keep the march going before the Mustangs turned the ball over on downs early in the fourth quarter.

Laurel Highlands controlled the ball for all but 1:49 of the third quarter.

Needing a touchdown to win, the Bridgers put together their best drive of the game when they got the ball back, moving 63 yards in 11 plays to the LH 36. The Mustangs defense rose up again on third and 17 as Reed hit Gavin Kolder just as Cain’s pass arrived at the LH 23 and the deflected ball was intercepted by a leaping Jonah Coleman at the 20 and returned 66 yards to the Ambridge 14.

“It was well timed,” Raffle said of Reed’s hit, “and then it was a tip drill and a great job by Jonah.

“Jonah has been working really hard with us and getting the schemes down, being disciplined and getting his footwork right and his hips right and taking those little things that we teach everyday and applying them to the game.”

LH took over with 3:15 left and three runs and Centofanti’s fourth-down interception by Priest in the end zone for a touchback took the clock down to 2:07 as Ambridge used its final two timeouts. Raffle chose not to risk a blocked kick on a potential game-clinching 34-yard field goal.

The Mustangs defense made one final impressive stop as the Bridgers took over at their own 20, forcing four consecutive incomplete passes to seal the win. Crouch and Zi’Miere Green deflected the second- and third-down throws and a furious rush by Crouch and Payton Sigler led to a fourth-down toss that fell harmlessly to the ground near the line of scrimmage.

Cain finished the night completing just 1 of 10 passes for 13 yards and two interceptions.

Crouch led LH with four receptions for 82 yards, Reed also had four catches for 22 yards and McClay reeled in a trio of throws for 30 yards.

Laurel Highlands’ defense, which threw a shutout in a win at Uniontown last week, has yet to allow a score this season.

The Mustangs travel to Southmoreland, also 2-0, for another non-conference game in Week Two.

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