PT breaks through for first win
McMURRAY – Desperation in high school football can be found in many forms, including two 0-2 teams in a nearly must-win situation.
That was the scenario Friday night at Peters Township High School, where the 0-2 Indians played the 0-2 Big Macs of Canon-McMillan.
The winner would boost their hopes, at least for this week, that a playoff spot was still within reach.
The loser had to realize that it would now take a month’s worth of victories simply to slip above .500.
Cory Owen passed for 202 yards, manufactured three first-half touchdowns and Peters Township repelled a second-half surge by Canon-McMillan to come away with a 27-14 victory in a Class AAAA Southeastern Conference game.
“We talked about not going to 0-3 all week,” said Peters Township head coach Rich Piccinini. “But I told them you can’t be 2-2 until you are 1-2. We finally got off the schneid.”
Owen completed 8 of 14 passes for 202 yards, ran for two scores and threw a TD pass to Tim Swoope as the Indians built a 21-0. Swoope had 6 catches for 158 yards and caught a 14-yard touchdown that made it 14-0 in the second quarter.
“Every time Cory gets the ball, he makes something happen,” said Piccinini. “Swoope can do everything. He can catch, he can run, we can turn to him when we need a play.”
Swoope completed a 52-yard double-pass that set up the third straight touchdown for PT (1-2, 1-2).
“We weren’t thinking about 0-3,” said C-M coach Ron Coder. “We were thinking about winning the game. I told our kids this is a rival game. We had to show up and play hard.”
The Big Macs (0-3, 0-3) found a spark in backup running back Brennen Handyside, who made his first start this season because of injuries. Handyside rushed for 106 yards on 20 carries.
His runs set up two scores, a 19-yard scoring pass from quarterback Dom Eannace to Ahmad Morris Walker and an 18-yard strike to Jordan Smith that made it 21-14 in the third quarter. The Big Macs had scored just seven points total in their first two games.
“Handyside has worked hard,” said C-M coach Ron Coder. “We knew he could get in there and maybe hide behind our line.”
The Indians put the game out of reach in the fourth quarter when Jonathan Despines went over from five yards out to make it a 13-point game.
Peters Township produced a 21-7 lead at halftime on Owen’s legs and arm, and a little “trickeration.”
After a scoreless first quarter, Owen drove the Indians 67 yards on eight plays and capped the scoring with a 13-yard rollout to the right on the first play in the second quarter.
Canon-McMillan gambled on a fourth down midway through the quarter and a fourth-down pass fell incomplete. Three plays later, Owen found Swoope on a fade route for a 14-yard touchdown and a 14-0 lead.
That lead stretched to 21-0 when the Indians used a trick play, a pitch pass that went from Owen to Swoope to Clayton Yeates that covered 52 yards and a first down at the 10-yard line.
Four plays later, Owen faked a handoff then rolled left and outraced everyone to the flag to make it 21-0.
Peters Township got the ball back with 28 seconds left in the half and Owen threw deep for Swoope but it was intercepted by Dylan Dzikowski, who returned it to the 29. PT was penalized for a personal foul on the play and that pushed the ball to the 14.
Two plays later, Dom Eannace hit Ahmad Morris Walker with a 19-yard touchdown to cut the lead to 14.
Notes
In honor of Veterans Appreciation Night, three parachutists landed at midfield prior to kickoff. The middle parachutist had an American flag. Peters Township also recognized the veterans in the stands. … Kyra Murphy, Canon-Mac’s kicker, is one of a handful of girls kicking in the WPIAL this season. … Peters Township was penalized 10 times for 106 yards.