Aug 23, 2019 4 min read

UNIONTOWN – Washington took an early punch but delivered a flurry in retaliation that left Laurel Highlands reeling at Mustang Field on Friday night.

The Class AAAA Mustangs hit a long pass play to take a 7-0 lead before the Class AA Prexies kicked into gear and reeled off the next 48 points in rolling to a 48-20 win in the Week Zero non-conference opener for both teams.

Senior quarterback Zach Swartz rushed for 108 yards and four touchdowns and completed 16 of 23 passes for 200 yards and another score to lead the way for Wash High.

“I thought Zach did some really nice things tonight,” said Prexies coach Mike Bosnic. “He made a few mistakes, which you expect the first week. I thought he showed that he’s a threat to run the ball, too.”

Bosnic saw much room for improvement despite the lopsided score.

“We’ve got a lot to work on, made a lot of mistakes,” Bosnic said. “This was good, though. Get a lot of the hiccups out of the way here in Week Zero and see what we need to clean up.”

Washington also suffered a couple key injuries in the first half. One was to running back Dylan Asbury, who was coming off an ACL injury suffered last season. The other was to sophomore running back Tayshawn Levy.

“Levy’s going to go to the hospital and see the extent of it,” Bosnic said. “It was an upper body injury but we’re not sure if it was the shoulder or maybe collar bone.

“Dylan Asbury’s was a lower body injury. We’ll hope for the best-case scenario for those guys.”

Bosnic was pleased with the way other players stepped up after the injuries.

“The kid’s have been working hard. A lot of guys have been stepping up and getting reps,” he said. “I thought we had some guys step in and do a great job.

“But I also saw a lot of things we need to fix up.”

The Mustangs got on the scoreboard first when quarterback Tyler Christopher found Deandre Cook behind the Prexies secondary for a 51-yard touchdown pass with 7:28 left in the first quarter.

Wash High answered with a six-play 55-yard drive capped by Swartz’ first TD run from five yards out.

Swartz scored again on a four-yard scoring run on the final play of the first quarter to give his team a 13-0 lead.

Senior Zahmere Robinsson scored a weaving 39-yard touchdown after catching a swing pass from Swartz early in the second quarter to put the visitors up 21-7.

Swartz then led the Prexies on two touchdown drives in the final 2:06 of the half, one on a two-yard run and the second on a two-yard pass to Chance Cohen with nine seconds left for a 34-7 halftime lead.

Washington scored twice on big runs in the third quarter. Jacobs galloped 35 yards for a touchdown and Robinson added a 41-yard jaunt.

“Zahmere is a play-maker and a great athlete and a terrific player for us,” Bosnic said. “He’s a threat to make a big play all over the field.”

Robinson rushed for 64 yards and hauled in four passes for 94 yards. Levy rushed for 68 yards before the injury ended his night. Cohen made four receptions for 40 yards.

Laurel Highlands added two touchdowns after the mercy rule was invoked, both by Robbie Sleightor on a five-yard run in the third quarter and a 23-yard pass from Christopher in the fourth quarter.

Rich Kolesar, coaching his first game for LH, was impressed with the Prexies.

“They’re a very good football team. That’s why everybody picks them to end up at Heinz Field,” Kolesar said. “They’re a great program. You saw that tonight.”