Nov 2, 2018 3 min read

MT. LEBANON – Canon-McMillan was hoping its first foray into the WPIAL postseason in 10 years would be memorable.

For 24 minutes, the Big Macs seemingly had control of their first-round contest with Mt. Lebanon. Unfortunately, they needed control for 24 more as the Big Macs fell 38-31 Friday night agaianst Mt. Lebanon. The Blue Devils (6-5) will move on to play Pine-Richland in the next round of the 6A playoffs while the Big Macs finish the season at 4-6.

Mt. Lebanon also defeated the Big Macs in August, 43-29.

“I truly believe we can play with anyone in our league,” Big Macs coach Mike Evans said after hugging many of his players following his postgame address. “The worst thing for me is that we won’t get to coach that senior class any more.”

One of those seniors, Drew Engle, had a strong final performance for the Big Macs as he reeled in nine pass receptions for 140 yards and two touchdowns. Josh O’Hare finished with 77 rushing yards on 19 carries.

Quarterback Jonathan Quinque gives the Big Macs hope for 2019 as he finished the evening with 21 completions in 24 attempts for 257 yards.

Mt. Lebanon was paced by quarterback Seth Morgan who completed 16 of 26 passes for 277 yards.

The Blue Devils took control in the third quarter, outscoring the Big Macs 21-0. Evan Jones’ four-yard touchdown run tied the score at 24-24 midway through the quarter. Mt. Lebanon took the lead on its next march when Morgan found Sam LaSota for a 52-yard scoring strike and added on when Mason Ventrone recovered a fumble in the end zone to stretch the Blue Devils lead to 38-24.

“Just a seven-minute stretch there is where we lost control,” Evans lamented.

Engle brought the Big Macs closer with a 14-yard touchdown reception late in the game, but it was not enough.

The Big Macs’ offense rolled to four scores in five possessions in the first half. Josh Byers’ 38-yard field goal on the second possession of the game knotted the contest at 3-3. Canon-McMillan’s offense then found the end zone on their next three drives as they found success both on the ground and through the air.

Engle gave the Big Macs a 10-3 lead late in the first when he took a Quinque swing pass and raced 55 yards for a score.

Following a Mt. Lebanon three-and-out, the Big Macs struck again when O’Hare ripped through a gaping hole and into the end zone from 14 yards out to give Canon-McMillan a 17-3 advantage early in the second quarter.

The Blue Devils’ offense awakened on their next drive when Seth Morgan found Lucas DeCaro for a 19-yard scoring connection, slicing the Big Macs advantage to 17-10 with eight minutes remaining in the half.

Canon-McMillan stretched the lead to 24-10 with under two minutes remaining as Quinque slipped a three-yard touchdown pass to O’Hare.

Fully engaged, Mt. Lebanon responded again with a 66-yard scoring march that was capped via a Morgan 7-yard scoring run.

Mt. Lebanon’s Casey Sorsdal started the scoring with a 33-yard field goal.