Trinity gradually pulls away for key win over Mustangs
WASHINGTON 鈥� At all levels of football games are won in the trenches. And on Friday night, the Trinity Hillers had a distinct advantage along the line of scrimmage in their Class 4A Big Six Conference clash with Laurel Highlands.
A strong pass rush and a balanced offensive attack sparked Trinity to a 38-3 win over the Mustangs at Hiller Field as the Hillers (3-1, 4-5) kept their postseason hopes alive.
Trinity hosts Belle Vernon next week with second place in the conference on the line.
Hillers quarterback Jonah Williamson had himself a night, rushing for three touchdowns and throwing for another. The junior threw for 164 yards and rushed for another 70 to go with his four scores.
The Hillers defense was dominant, holding the Mustangs (1-3, 4-4) out of the end zone while sacking Laurel Highlands quarterback Noah Lion five times.
鈥淲e have some special, athletic kids that have a knack of getting to the quarterback,鈥� Hillers coach Dan Knause said. 鈥淭hey want to stop the run also. It all starts with Semaj (Fuse) and Owen Gardner, David Gill and Julius Wise. Guys that are nasty.鈥�
Trinity dominated the opening quarter of play, but could not dent the scoreboard. The Hillers marched 66 yards in 12 plays on their first possession. But they were stopped when Nico Mauro was stuffed on fourth and short on the Mustangs 5, giving the ball to Laurel Highlands deep in its own end.
The Hillers forced a punt after three plays and assumed control of the ball on their own 48. Their second possession was fruitful as they marched 52 yards to a score. Williamson capped the march with a 5-yard dash on the first play of the second quarter. Andy Palm蘑菇视频 extra point gave Trinity a 7-0 lead.
Trinity forced another punt and again found paydirt. This time the Hillers drove 67 yards as Gardner capped the march with a bruising 14-yard touchdown run to push the lead to 14-0 at the 6:07 mark of the second quarter.
Mauro left the game at the half with an injury. He finished with 85 yards on 11 carries.
Gardner filled in nicely for Mauro as he finished with 64 yards on 11 carries.
鈥淗e got dinged up there and we will monitor him,鈥� Knause said. 鈥淲e hope to have him back next week.鈥�
Things went from bad to worse for the Mustangs on their third possession. Again, they were forced to punt but the snap went over punter Baker蘑菇视频 head. Trinity蘑菇视频 Ben Priest recovered for the Hillers on the LH 14, but the Mustangs defense held firm and the Hillers had to settle for a 28-yard field goal by Palm to make it 17-0 with 1:32 to go in the first half.
Trinity looked to throw a knockout punch early in the third quarter when it faced a fourth and five near midfield. But Williamson蘑菇视频 pass fell incomplete, giving Laurel Highlands some life.
The Mustangs took advantage of the stop and began moving the ball. An Antwan Black 30-yard catch and run put the ball on the Hiller 18. They would get no closer as the Hiller defense held firm again. Tanner Bruzda came on and drilled a 33-yard field goa for LHl, slicing the Hillers鈥� lead to 17-3 with four minutes to go in the third.
But the momentum that Laurel Highlands briefly gained from the field goal was quickly extinguished as the Hillers moved 73 yards to another score, this one on a 4-yard scamper by Williamson that was set up by a 26-yard pass to Braden Berdar to go with an 11-yard reverse run also by Berdar. Palm蘑菇视频 extra point pushed the Hillers lead to 24-3 with 30 seconds left in the third quarter.
Trinity蘑菇视频 defense was seemingly angered by the Mustangs field goal drive on their previous possession to the point they sacked Noah Lion on three consecutive snaps, forcing yet another Mustang punt.
The Hillers made it 31-3 with 8:25 left in the fourth quarter when Mekhi Bouman recovered a Laurel Highlands fumble to set up Williamson蘑菇视频 35-yard touchdown run. Williamson successfully dove for the end zone pylon as Black attempted to force him out of bounds on the play.
Williamson蘑菇视频 82-yard touchdown pass to Chase Kostelnik at the 3:51 mark of the final frame made it 38-3, triggering the mercy rule..
Priest added another fumble recovery late in the game for the Hillers.