Channel 4 Action Sports anchor John Meyer described this meeting between Keystone Oaks and Sto-Rox and as "the Big Ten against the speed of the SEC," and he was right. Keystone Oaks has built its success off the running game, featuring the "Thunder & Lightning" duo of junior running backs Matt McCann and Jordan Maddox.
Meanwhile, Sto-Rox's multi-faceted offense is headlined by two Division I recruits in senior quarterback Paul Jones (Penn State) and receiver Andrew Carswell (Pitt). But Jones would be a non-factor in the second half after leaving with an injury, and McCann ran the Golden Eagles all the way to a 27-20 victory.
WATCH THE HIGHLIGHTS
McCann rushed for 272 yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries, giving him 1,211 yards and 14 touchdowns on the season, both numbers among the best in the WPIAL.
This game was littered with mistakes and miscues, as Carswell missed the ball on an attempted punt in the first quarter, and was downed at the Sto-Rox 18. It only took two plays for McCann to strike first with a touchdown run, and the Golden Eagles had the early 7-0 lead.
Sto-Rox answered on their next possession with a touchdown by Dontae Gilmore, capping off a drive that was kept alive by a 4th down and 10 conversion on a run by Jones. The two-point conversion failed, however, and Keystone Oaks maintained the lead, 7-6.
On Keystone Oaks' next possession, it was "Thunder & Lightning" that got them another score. McCann thundered through the line and broke a 69-yard run, and then Maddox flashed off left tackle in to the end zone for a 13-6 halftime lead with a missed extra point.
Early in the fourth quarter, after another McCann touchdown run made the score 20-6, Jones was sacked and left the game with an injury, and it appeared that Sto-Rox's hopes of winning were fading. But sophomore Jordan Latimer, who stepped in and led the Vikings to two wins to start the season while Jones was recovering from a broken ankle, stepped in as he did before and kept the Vikings alive.
On Latimer's first play from scrimmage, he launched a deep pass into the end zone that was deflected into the hands of receiver DeJuan Reddix for a touchdown, making the score 20-12.
On the Vikings' next possession, Latimer stepped up again and avoided the rush to lob a high-arching screen pass to running back Joshuae Beverly, who ran through the Keystone Oaks defense for a 31-yard score to cut their deficit to two. On the point attempt, Gilmore took a direct snap and threw a pass into the back of the end zone and Carswell made a diving catch to tie the game with 1:50 left in regulation.
Although Sto-Rox battled back with 14 points in the fourth quarter to give them momentum to possibly force the game into overgame, Keystone Oaks would not be denied. McCann broke a 53-yard touchdown run with just over a minute to go to take a 27-20 lead.
Sto-Rox made one last-ditch attempt to stay in the game, but a 4th and goal pass fell incomplete with nine seconds left to end it.
Keystone Oaks (7-1) clinched second place and will face across-the-road rival Seton-LaSalle in Dormont for their season finale, while Sto-Rox (6-2) will face Northgate at home.
More Eat 'n Park Game of the Week:
Week 7: West Allegheny at Hopewell
Week 6: Aliquippa at Center
Week 5: Springdale at Avonworth
Week 4: Chartiers Valley at West Mifflin
Week 3: Upper St. Clair at North Allegheny
Week 2: Central Catholic at Canon-McMillan
Week 1: Gateway at Penn Hills
More Keystone Oaks:
| photos |
showing 1 to 6 of 15 photo(s). see all |
|
-------------
|
| blogs |
showing 1 to 6 of 9 blog(s). see all |
|
-------------
|
