Last act: Mustangs’ milestone football season ends with loss to Quips
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard
Laurel Highlands quarterback Rodney Gallagher (2) wards off Aliquippa’s Naquan Crowder (70) with a stiff arm during Friday night’s WPIAL Class 4A playoff game at Moe Rubenstein Stadium.
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard
Laurel Highlands’ Tahji Hooper (15) eludes a tackle attempt by Aliquippa’s Cameron Lindsey (11) on a 10-yard reception during Friday night’s WPIAL Class 4A playoff game at Moe Rubenstein Stadium.
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard
Aliquippa’s Tajier Thornton races to the end zone on a 41-yard touchdown reception against Laurel Highlands during Friday night’s WPIAL Class 4A playoff game at Moe Rubenstein Stadium.
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard
Laurel Highlands’ Tahji Hooper (15) readies for a collision with Aliquippa’s Naquan Crowder (70) during Friday night’s WPIAL Class 4A playoff game at Moe Rubenstein Stadium.
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard
Laurel Highlands quarterback Rodney Gallagher drops back to pass against Aliquippa during a WPIAL Class AAAA playoff game at Moe Rubenstein Stadium on Nov. 12. Gallagher, who begins his junior basketball season with the Mustangs on Friday, revealed on Thursday that he would end his pursuit of playing two sports at the collegiate level and would focus on football.
Laurel Highlands coach Rich Kolesar listens to an explanation from the officials during Friday night's WPIAL Class 4A playoff game against Aliquippa at Moe Rubenstein Stadium.
Laurel Highlands' Jaiden Tucker chases after Aliquippa quarterback Quentin Goode (4) during Friday night's WPIAL Class 4A playoff game at Moe Rubenstein Stadium.
Laurel Highlands quarterback Rodney Gallagher (right) spins away from Aliquippa's Neco Eberhardt to avoid a sack during Friday night's WPIAL Class 4A playoff game at Moe Rubenstein Stadium.
Laurel Highlands' Daniel Carney (18) tackles Aliquippa's Jon Tracy during Friday night's WPIAL Class 4A playoff game at Moe Rubenstein Stadium.
Laurel Highlands' Jayden Pratt (1) leaps to break up a long pass attempt by Aliquippa during Friday night's WPIAL Class 4A playoff game at Moe Rubenstein Stadium.
Laurel Highlands quarterback Rodney Gallagher (2) looks for running room against Aliquippa during Friday night's WPIAL Class 4A playoff game at Moe Rubenstein Stadium.
Laurel Highlands' Tahji Hooper (15) uses a stiff arm to try to ward off an Aliquippa defender during Friday night's WPIAL Class 4A playoff game at Moe Rubenstein Stadium.
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard
Laurel Highlands quarterback Rodney Gallagher (2) completes a pass to Matt Lucas (5) against Aliquippa during Friday night’s WPIAL Class 4A playoff game at Moe Rubenstein Stadium.
Aliquippa's Jon Tracy (25) splits a pair of Laurel Highlands defenders during a 14-yard touchdown run in the second quarter of Friday night's WPIAL Class 4A playoff game at Moe Rubenstein Stadium.
Laurel Highlands quarterback Rodney Gallagher fires a pass against Aliquippa during Friday night's WPIAL Class 4A playoff game at Moe Rubenstein Stadium.
Aliquippa kicker Emmanuel Gyadumantery boots a 36-yard field on the final play of the first half during Friday night's WPIAL Class 4A playoff game against Laurel Highlands at Moe Rubenstein Stadium.
Laurel Highlands coach Rich Kolesar (blue jacket) talks to his players during a timeout in Friday night's WPIAL Class 4A playoff game against Aliquippa at Moe Rubenstein Stadium.
Captains for Laurel Highlands (left) and Aliquippa take part in the coin toss before the start of Friday night's WPIAL Class 4A playoff game at Moe Rubenstein Stadium.
Laurel Highlands' cheerleaders cheer on the Mustangs during Friday night's WPIAL Class 4A playoff game against Aliquippa at Moe Rubenstein Stadium.
Laurel Highlands' band plays before the start of Friday night's WPIAL Class 4A playoff game against Aliquippa at Moe Rubenstein Stadium.
AMBRIDGE — Laurel Highlands’ football team had already met every goal it set for the 2021 season as it headed into Friday night’s WPIAL Class 4A quarterfinal playoff game.
That didn’t make the Mustangs’ 36-0 loss to Aliquippa any more easier to swallow.
Tiqwai Hayes rushed for 150 yards and two touchdowns and Jon Tracy also scored twice while running for 98 yards as the second-seeded Quips (9-1) advanced to the semifinals where they’ll met No. 3 McKeesport.
Aliquippa’s defense held explosive LH quarterback Rodney Gallagher in check most of the night as the 10th-seeded Mustangs (8-4) were shut out for the first time this year.
It was the last act in a remarkable season by Laurel Highlands.
The Mustangs won their first five games for the first time in program history, clinched a winning record for the first time in 25 years, qualified for the postseason for the first time since 2015 and defeated Beaver last week, 28-27, for their first ever playoff victory.
“This might be the best season in the 56-year history of Laurel Highlands and every one of them was part of that and they should be proud of that,” LH coach Rich Kolesar said.
Emotions flowed after the game on the field at Ambridge High School’s Moe Rubenstein Stadium as the Mustangs dealt with the finality of the season.
“This is the first time we’ve ever made it past the first playoff game,” senior Daniel Carney said. “That means a lot to all of us. Everyone worked hard to get here. Lots of memories.”
“It’s tough,” said Gallagher, who is a junior. “We had one heck of a ride. I’m proud of everybody. I appreciate everybody that put their hard work into it. It was a rough ending but we still had a great year.”
“I’m so proud of these kids,” Kolesar said. “They gave everything they had. We spent almost 200 days together this year. They’re like little brothers to me. It’s not going to be the same not seeing these kids every day. I love them. They’ve really changed the culture here at Laurel Highlands.”
Aliquippa, on the other hand, continues to cultivate a championship culture that was established long ago.
“There’s a reason they’ve been to 14 straight championship games,” Kolesar said.
“That’s a great football program so shout out to them,” Gallagher said. “They knew a lot of our stuff. They watched a lot of film.”
Laurel Highlands went toe-to-toe with Aliquippa early on.
The Mustangs got the ball first and avoided disaster on their third play when Aliquippa intercepted a screen pass but committed a roughing-the-passer penalty to negate the turnover.
Laurel Highlands moved the sticks twice more on third down with a 13-yard pass from Gallagher to Keondre DeShields and a 2-yard run by Gallagher but n 12-play drive that ate 5:43 off the clock ended with a Ben Diamond punt.
The Mustangs got the ball back three plays later when Matt Lucas intercepted a pass by Quentin Goode and returned it 23 yards to the Aliquippa 15 to give LH a golden opportunity to get on the board first.
The Quips returned the favor three players later, though, when Donovan Walker intercepted a Gallagher pass at the Aliquippa 10.
Aliquippa followed with a nine-play, 90-yard touchdown drive that was helped by a 15-yard LH penalty and capped by Tracy’s 26-yard run with nine seconds left in the first quarter.
Up 7-0, the Quips took control of the game in the second quarter, following a pair of three-and-outs by their defense with touchdowns by their offense.
Tracy ended a five-play, 49-yard drive with a 14-yard run but LH’s John Deak blocked the extra point. Goode tossed a 41-yard pass to Tajier Thornton to end a two-play, 45-yard drive but misfired on his 2-point conversion pass, leaving Aliquippa’s lead at 19-0.
The Quips drove down field once more late in the half but the Mustangs’ defense stiffened and Aliquippa settled for a 36-yard field goal by Emmanuel Gyadu mantey as time expired for a 22-0 halftime lead.
“We wanted to try to dominate up front but it took us a little while to get going,” Quips coach Mike Warfield said. “It’s the playoffs, everyone is good. We picked that screen early but we got a roughing the passer, which it was, so that set us back and then they got a few first downs. After that we got going.”
The Mustangs pondered what might have been had they been able to put up an early touchdown.
“I think things would’ve been different,” Gallagher said. “It would’ve given us some momentum.”
“You never know,” Kolesar said. “When you score, the momentum starts changing, good things happen. So, yeah, I think an early score really could’ve helped us. We just didn’t play good enough tonight.”
Aliquippa put the game away with touchdowns on its first two possessions of the second half. Hayes capped both drives with runs of 5 and 12 yards to make it 36-0 and kick in the mercy rule.
The Mustangs followed the Quips’ last score with their best drive of the night as they moved from their own 17 to the Aliquippa 2. Gallagher had runs of 18 and 14 yards and completed a 38-yard pass to Lucas to spark the march but LH turned the ball over on downs early in the fourth quarter.
The Quips outgained LH, 356 yards to 142, and had 16 first downs to the Mustangs’ eight.
Gallagher accounted for all but nine of his team’s total yards. He completed 6 of 12 passes for 76 yards and was limited to 57 yards rushing on 23 carries. Gallagher broke five runs of 10 or more yards but also was tackled behind the line of scrimmage 10 times.
Even so, the NCAA Division-I recruit drew praise from Warfield.
“Gallagher, he’s the real deal,” Warfield said. “The kid is good. He’s a great player. It was a challenge for us.”
The key to keeping Gallagher under wraps was team defense, according to Warfield.
“Everyone has to do their job,” Warfield said. “We had to make sure everyone just stuck with their assignments. You can’t peek because he can dip in and dip out.”
Besides the long touchdown pass, Laurel Highlands’ defense did a good job of limiting the Quips’ through the air. Goode connected on 8 of 19 passes for 85 yards with four going to Thornton for 59 yards.
That didn’t concern Warfield, though.
“Championship teams run the ball,” he said. “Passing here and there might look pretty but at the end of the day you’re going to have to be able to run the ball.”
Aliquippa held Tahji Hooper, who rushed for 144 yards and three touchdowns in LH’s playoff win at Beaver, to just five yards on seven carries although he had two receptions for 21 yards as did DeShields.
“We just didn’t get it done on offense,” Gallagher said. “That goes for all of us. We’ve just got to perform better and work harder for next year.”
Kolesar also has high hopes for 2022.
“We’ve taken a step in the right direction and we’ve got to continue to get better next year,” Kolesar said. “When you look around here after the game and see how much it hurts you understand we’ve changed the expectation. These kids expect more and they want more. And that’s a good thing.”