GAME OF THE WEEK: Mustangs’ offense comes alive in 63-26 win over Colonials
Laurel Highlands' Cheikh Dossou pursues Albert Gallatin's Christian Stone during the first half of Friday's Big Nine Conference game at Mustang Field.
Jonathan Guth | Herald-Standard
Laurel Highlands coach Zack Just watches a play develop during the first half of Friday’s Big Nine Conference game against Albert Gallatin at Mustang Field. Just coached his final game with the Mustangs. He will take a job as head principal at an elementary school in the South Allegheny School District. Just coached at LH for seven seasons.
Laurel Highlands' Ian Edenfield points at Albert Gallatin's offense prior to the Colonials being called for a penalty during the first half of Friday's Big Nine Conference game at Mustang Field.
Jonathan Guth | Herald-Standard
Albert Gallatin’s Javon Davis looks for a hole during the first half of Friday’s Big Nine Conference game against Laurel Highlands at Mustang Field.
Albert Gallatin's Trevon Oliver (12) blocks for Domonick Lewellen during the first half of Friday's Big Nine Conference against Laurel Highlands at Mustang Field.
Laurel Highlands' Cody Christopher hits Albert Gallatin quarterback Domonick Lewellen during the first half of Friday's Big Nine Conference game at Mustang Field.
Laurel Highlands quarterback Conner Basinger (9) drops back to pass during the first half of Friday's Big Nine Conference game against Albert Gallatin at Mustang Field.
Albert Gallatin quarterback Domonick Lewellen drops back to pass during the first half of Friday's Big Nine Conference game against Laurel Highlands at Mustang Field.
Zack Just most likely didn’t give his players the “Win one for the Gipper” speech, but his team gave the seven-year coach a perfect sendoff in Laurel Highlands’ 63-26 win over Albert Gallatin on Friday in Big Nine Conference play at Mustang Field.
Just, who has taken a job to be the head principal at South Allegheny Elementary, preferred to comment on his team and not his leaving, but the Mustangs (3-5, 5-5) did the talking for their coach, and sent out their coach and 16 seniors in grand style.
“I think our guys kind of took that personal when they read in the paper it was evenly matched,” Just said. “This program has been on the upswing, and we felt that we were the better team. They came out and played with that edge and chip on their shoulder.”
Laurel Highlands jumped out to a 21-6 lead in the first quarter and held a 35-12 advantage at halftime.
“We had a rough start,” Albert Gallatin coach Shawn Liotta said. “I am not making excuses, but we had a starting lineman go down last week in the Uniontown, and on the first drive, we had two starting offensive/defensive linemen go out of the game. We had to throw some young kids in there. They battled tough and did a good job, but that certainly hurt us on both sides of the football there.
“We didn’t make plays when we needed to in the first half, and did dig ourselves a hole.”
The Colonials (2-6, 2-7) cut the deficit to 35-26 in the third, but the Mustangs scored the final 28 to put the Mercy Rule into effect with 5:25 remaining.
“They cut into the lead with two quick scores but we blame ourselves for that,” Just said. “The first one was on four penalties. Once it got close, our guys turned it up a notch and never looked back. I couldn’t ask for a better way to go out.”
Laurel Highlands junior quarterback Conner Basinger accounted for six of the Mustangs’ nine touchdowns with four passing and two rushing. Basinger was 11 of 18 for 224 yards. He rushed for a game-high 112 yards on 18 carries.
“We were really looking forward to this game,” Basinger said. “We lost to TJ last week. It was pretty much a blowout. We put that game behind us and we wanted to get back to who we really are. I thought we played this team really tough. We struggled in the second half but we kept pushing, and Jadakiss Collins scored. We knew a push was coming. AG is a good team and we wanted to leave it all on the field for the senior class.
“Hats off to Coach Just. He is always pushing me and I couldn’t ask for a better coach. He is like a father for our whole team and we’re all going to miss him.”
Basinger’s favorite target was senior tight end Ian Edenfield, who had five receptions for 154 yards and three touchdowns.
“We ran the hitch route in the first quarter, and I kept telling Coach (George) Mikluscak to keep coming back to it,” Edenfield said. “Coach Just said at halftime to keep putting it on them. We came out slow, but realized what we had to do after those first couple of touchdowns.
“It has been an amazing four years with Coach Just. He’s turned me into the man I will be. He taught us to do the little things.”
Laurel Highlands senior Ryan Richter finished his high school career with three interceptions.
“Ryan (Richter) is a kid that has done everything for us this year,” Just said. “He is such a team player. He did anything for this team all year. He hasn’t even dropped in pass coverage. He has been a stand-up defensive end. He and his brother, Shawn, have done so much for this team and I can’t thank them enough.”
The Mustangs got on the scoreboard at 8:13 of the first when Edenfield caught a 52-yard touchdown pass from Basinger. Alec McLay, who also celebrated Senior Night, made the first of nine PATs for a 7-0 lead.
It didn’t take Albert Gallatin long to find the end zone when Javon Davis pulled in a 27-yard touchdown reception from Domonick Lewellen at 6:18 of the first for a 7-6 Laurel Highlands lead.
Lewellen was 13 of 37 for 178 yards with three touchdowns, but he also threw four interceptions.
“He (Lewellen) had some interceptions but a couple of those weren’t his fault,” Liotta said. “We run a multiple-adjusting offense where our routes adjust depending on the coverage, and we had a couple of times where we had kids misread the coverage.”
Richter’s first interception turned into a touchdown for the Mustangs on Basinger’s 25-yard run at 2:05 of the first for a 14-6 lead.
Following a blocked punt and a personal foul penalty against the Colonials, Basinger scored on a four-yard run at :42.3 of the first and a 21-6 lead.
Jacob Dukman’s 24-yard touchdown reception at 9:24 of the second extended Laurel Highlands’ lead to 28-6.
The Mustangs took advantage of a muffed punt return and scored at 3:23 on Edenfield’s 22-yard touchdown catch for a 35-6 advantage.
Albert Gallatin scored its second touchdown just before halftime when Christian Stone caught a 31-yard reception at 1:13 to cut the deficit to 35-12.
The Colonials’ push came in the third when it took the opening kickoff to the 50, and scored on Davis’ four-yard run at 10:23. Stone ran in the two-point conversion for a 35-20 Laurel Highlands lead.
Albert Gallatin’s Willie Palmer recovered an onside kick, and the Colonials cut the deficit to single digits when Nate Bricker caught a 27-yard pass at 7:30 and a 35-26 Mustangs advantage.
“I am very proud of how our kids came out in the second half and battled,” Liotta said. “We made it basically a one-score game. We had an unfortunate penalty call that gave them momentum in their drive when we were about to get the ball back.”
Laurel Highlands held Bricker, Albert Gallatin’s leading receiver, to just one reception.
“They bracketed Nate (Bricker) the whole game,” Liotta said. “They took the (Ian) Edenfield kid and brought him up in his face, and they wanted to take him away, and that’s what they do with great players. We had other guys step up and make plays. Christian Stone stepped up and made some big catches.”
The Mustangs responded on the next drive and scored on Collins’ one-yard run at 3:05 of the third for a 42-26 lead.
Laurel Highlands got the ball back on Richter’s second interception, and also used a fake punt to pick up a first down. The drive culminated in Edenfield’s third touchdown reception, a 30 yarder at 9:17 of the fourth for a 49-26 advantage.
The teams traded turnovers when Richter picked off his third pass and Bricker pounced on a fumble, but Dukman’s 36-yard interception return at 5:38 extended the home team’s lead to 56-26.
The Colonials fumbled on the ensuing kickoff and Chad Petrush scored the final touchdown of the season for the Mustangs on a 23-yard run at 5:25 for a 63-26 advantage.
Laurel Highlands’ Dominic Richter recovered a fumble. Albert Gallatin had six turnovers.
In addition to Edenfield, McLay and Ryan Richter, Laurel Highlands also honored Collins, Dukman, Petrush, Jacob Mikluscak, Elijah Guynn, Shawn Richter, Jon Lightsey, Robbie Junk, Will Kusniar, Cody Christopher, Manny Kelley, James Baker and Brandon Chury.
Big Nine Conference
Albert Gallatin 6 6 14 0 — 26
Laurel Highlands 21 14 7 21 — 63
First Quarter
LH: Ian Edenfield 52 pass from Conner Basinger (Alec McLay kick), 8:13
AG: Javon Davis 27 pass from Domonick Lewellen (run failed), 6:18
LH: Conner Basinger 25 run (Alec McLay kick), 2:05
LH: Conner Basinger 4 run (Alec McLay kick), :42.3
Second Quarter
LH: Jacob Dukman 24 pass from Conner Basinger (Alec McLay kick), 9:24
LH: Ian Edenfield 22 pass from Conner Basinger (Alec McLay kick), 3:23
AG: Christian Stone 31 pass from Domonick Lewellen (pass failed), 1:13
Third Quarter
AG: Javon Davis 4 run (Christian Stone run), 10:23
AG: Nate Bricker 27 pass from Domonick Lewellen (pass failed), 7:30
LH: Jadakiss Collins 1 run (Alec McLay kick), 3:05
Fourth Quarter
LH: Ian Edenfield 30 pass from Conner Basinger (Alec McLay kick), 9:17
LH: Jacob Dukman 36 interception return (Alec McLay kick), 5:38
LH: Chad Petrush 23 run (Alec McLay kick), 5:25
Records: Laurel Highlands (3-5, 5-5), Albert Gallatin (2-6, 2-7)