New Brighton stops 2-point play, shocks WHS in OT
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Washington’s Davoun Fuse scrambles 29 yards for the Prexies’ second quarter score, giving them a 7-7 tie with New Brighton at the half Friday night in the WPIAL Class 2A playoff game at Wash High Stadium.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Quarterback Davoun Fuse leaves the field after New Brighton stopped Washington’s overtime touchdown conversion attempt Friday night, ending the season for the Prexies in the WPIAL Class 2A playoff game at Wash High Stadium.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Eddie Lewis scores in overtime for Washington, putting the Prexies a conversion away from a decision Friday night in the WPIAL Class 2A playoff game against New Brighton at Wash High Stadium.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Eddie Lewis scores a second touchdown for Washington in the second half of the WPIAL Class 2A playoff game against New Brighton at Wash High Stadium on Friday night.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Prexies’ Davoun Fuse sprints along the sideline, returning a New Brighton kickoff to the 36 in the third quarter of the WPIAL playoff game Friday at Wash High Stadium.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Tayshawn Levi runs on a handoff from Davoun Fuse in the first quarter of the WPIAL playoff game Friday night against New Brighton at Wash High Stadium.
This was not the scenario the Washington Prexies thought they would face.
Being pushed to overtime by a six-loss New Brighton squad, the Prexies stared at the possibility of their first home loss since 2013. That became reality when the Lions’ staunch defense stopped Davoun Fuse a half-yard short on a two-point run attempt, giving New Brighton a stunning 21-20 win over host Washington in the first round of the WPIAL Class 2A playoffs.
And just like that, the Prexies’ season was over as was their 42-game home winning streak.
“I think going for two was definitely the right thing,” Washington coach Mike Bosnic said. “The (COVID) shutdown we had definitely really hurt us. We’re just not in football shape.”
Eddie Lewis’ nine-yard touchdown run in overtime pulled the Prexies to within one-point, 21-20. Washington went for two and the win, but Fuse was stopped just short by a swarm of Lions tacklers.
“It was unbelievable effort,” said Lions coach Joe Greco. “Our kids just played so very, very hard.”
Keandre Williams gave the Lions (5-6) a 20-14 lead in overtime with a 10-yard sweep into the end zone. Cayden Pauvlinch’s extra-point was good and was the difference in the ballgame.
Perhaps the most telling statistic of the evening was two-pronged. Washington (9-1) turned the ball over four times. Even more destructive to the Prexies’ cause, New Brighton coughed up the ball three times without Washington turning one into a score.
“We just lost focus as the season went on,” Bosnic noted. “At the end of the day, we just weren’t physical enough.”
After a monster game last week against McGuffey, Fuse was held to four completions in 15 attempts for 69 yards and an interception. He rushed 10 times for 49 yards but was under seige all night from the Lions defense. Lewis finished with 65 yards on 12 carries and two scores.
New Brighton quarterback Gary Pugh threw for 102 yards and a score along with two interceptions.
After a sluggish first half and early part of the third quarter that included a Lewis fumble that was recovered by New Brighton on the Prexies’ opening second-half possession, Washington finally took the lead with 1:10 left in the third quarter. Lewis took a pitch and swept right towards the sideline. He turned the corner and raced home for a 20-yard touchdown run. Nick Blanchette knocked home the extra point for a 14-7 Prexies lead.
Tayshawn Levy intercepted a Pugh pass on the next scrimmage play near the Washington 40 and returned it to the Lions’ 42, setting up the Prexies for a potential knockout punch as the third quarter melted into the fourth.
Washington, however, gave the ball away yet again when Fuse was intercepted on the New Brighton 23 by Blake McKay to keep the game alive for the Lions.
Levy appeared to get the ball right back for the Prexies when he intercepted Pugh near midfield, but was called for a questionable pass interference penalty that gave the Lions a first down. New Brighton took advantage of the break when McKay capped a 72-yard drive with a three-yard scoring run. Cayden Pauvlinch kicked home the extra point, knotting the score at 14-14 with 3:57 left.
Fuse looked to give Washington a spark when he returned the ensuing kickoff to the New Brighton 37. But three plays later, Fuse fumbled the snap and it was recovered by Keandre Willams on the Lions’ 12. But the Washington defense held, forcing a punt that was shanked out of bounds at the Lions’ 29 with less than 90 seconds remaining.
Again, Washington could not capitalize and faced fourth-and-11 from the Lions’ 30. Fuse’s fourth-down pass fell incomplete, sending the game to overtime.
The underdog Lions struck first on the game’s second play when Pugh found Eric Montanez on a quick sideline pass that turned into an 81-yard catch-and-run for a score and an early 7-0 lead for New Brighton.
Washington finally dented the scoreboard when Fuse, facing a 4th-and-13 and a fierce New Brighton pass rush, spun right and raced 29 yards down the sideline to the game tying score with 5:48 left in the half.
The Prexies appeared poised to take the lead when Zxavian Willis recovered a Montanez fumble on the ensuing kickoff on the New Brighton 17. But the Lions defense served up another fourth-down stop when Fuse was stopped on a scramble short of the first down marker.