Stevenson runs wild in Maples’ win at Avella
Mapletown蘑菇视频 Brody Evans scores against Avella in the Maples season opener on Aug. 27. Evans scored against the host Eagles again in their Tri-County South game last week. Mapletown won both meetings. (Photo by Rob Burchianti)
Landan Stevenson
AVELLA 鈥� Mapletown opened its football season with a 42-8 non-conference home game win against Avella on Aug. 27 and the two met again last Friday night, this time on the Eagles鈥� home field.
If Maples coach George Messich had any worries about his team taking the rematch, which this time counted in the Tri-County South standings, for granted, those fears with quelled immediately by Landan Stevenson.
The junior running broke free for a 63-yard touchdown run on Mapletown蘑菇视频 first play from scrimmage to start a 23-point, first-quarter barrage that propelled the Maples to a 45-16 victory.
鈥淭hat felt good,鈥� Stevenson said of his explosive start. 鈥淭he line opened up a big hole and I just went through it and took off.鈥�
鈥淚 thought it was huge for our mental state because we were so fired up after that,鈥� Messich said.
Stevenson added three more touchdown runs on his way to a sparkling 216-yard performance on just 18 carries to push him over the 1,000-yard mark for the season while upping his career total to 3,072.
Stevenson had an impact on defense, also, intercepting a pass and returning it for score to give him a five-touchdown night. He was 5 for 5 on extra-point kicks as well.
While it seemed to be an eye-opening showing, it didn鈥檛 surprise Messich.
鈥淭he way Landan Stevenson played tonight, that蘑菇视频 a typical game for him,鈥� Messich said. 鈥淚 expect him to do that every Friday night because I think that蘑菇视频 what a great athlete he is.鈥�
The win evened Mapletown蘑菇视频 conference record and 2-2, pulling it into a fourth-place tie with Monessen, and improved the Maples鈥� overall mark to 4-3.
After Stevenson蘑菇视频 first TD, Mapletown蘑菇视频 Cohen Stout gave his team a 9-0 lead when he tackled Avella蘑菇视频 punter in the end zone for a safety following a high snap.
The Maples went up 16-0 on an 11-yard touchdown run by Brody Evans and Stevenson capped the first-quarter onslaught with a 6-yard TD run.
鈥淚 was just really pleased at the way we came out to start the football game,鈥� Messich said. 鈥淎vella and Mapletown is a great rivalry and if we didn鈥檛 come out from the beginning, we were going to be in a battle.鈥�
The Eagles (0-4, 0-7) fought back in the second quarter, holding the Maples scoreless while scoring eight points on KJ Rush蘑菇视频 1-yard TD run and his two-point conversion pass to Brandon Samol.
鈥淚 give Avella credit, they played a really tough second quarter,鈥� Messich said. 鈥淲e stopped ourselves a few times with holding penalties.鈥�
Mapletown reestablished itself in the third quarter.
Stevenson scored on a 42-yard burst and Evans passed to Clay Menear for a two-point conversion to make it 31-8.
Stevenson added a 26-yard pick-six and a 29-yard touchdown run later in the quarter to make it 45-8, invoking the mercy rule.
Avella got on the board again in the fourth quarter on Rush蘑菇视频 30-yard touchdown pass to Samol. Rush passed to Cole Jaworowski for the two-point conversion to cap the game蘑菇视频 scoring.
Rush led the Eagles in rushing with 82 yards on 21 attempts.
Stevenson gave credit to his teammates.
鈥淭he offensive line was blocking, giving me holes,鈥� Stevenson said. 鈥淭he defensive line got pressure on their offense and we just made the plays.鈥�
Mapletown travels to Greene County rival Jefferson-Morgan next week for another important conference game.
It鈥檒l be no different than any other game to Stevenson.
鈥淪ame thing as every week,鈥� he said. 鈥淕o out there, work hard and win the game.鈥�
Westley Burchianti contributed to this story.