Wash High gets back on winning track
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Washington’s Ruben Gordon hauls in a pass from Davoun Fuse for a 38-yard touchdown in a game last month against Greensburg Central Catholic. The Prexies play tonight at Sto-Rox in a game that could have many touchdowns and will give sole possession of first place in the Class 2A Century Conference to the winner.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
GCC’s Amari Mack (5) is unable to deny Davoun Fuse the end zone as Fuse scores Washington’s seventh touchdown of the game Friday.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Washington's Nick Blanchette catches a touchdown pass from Logan Carlisle for a third-quarter score in the Prexies' victory over GCC at Wash High Stadium.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Washington and Eddie Lewis will try to soar over Serra Catholic in the Class 2A quarterfinals.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Washington's Logan Carlisle scrambles for a two-point conversion.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Washington's Davoun Fuse breaks through on a quarterback keeper.
Washington High School football coach Mike Bosnic knows his Prexies have some work to do as they move toward their Class 2A Century Conference portion of the schedule.
Coming off last week’s one-point loss at Serra Catholic, the Prexies faced another stiff non-conference challenge Friday night in Class A Greensburg Central Catholic and their high-powered offense.
After a back and forth first half, the Prexies pulled away to a 55-27 win, boosting their record to 3-1, while the Centurions fell to 2-2.
Davoun Fuse led the charge for the hosts as he rushed 13 times for 119 yards and completed five of six passes for 105 yards. He threw for two scores and ran for another.
“He’s just a special, special player and a special, special athlete,” Bosnic added.
Ruben Gordon snagged five passes for 103 yards and collected two touchdowns in the process.
Greensburg Central Catholic was paced by Da’sjon Craggette’s 111 yards on 20 carries. Quarterback Tyree Turner threw for 208 yards to help keep the game competitive.
Washington established a modicum of control right off the bat on the second-half kickoff when Eddie Lewis took it 90 yards for a touchdown. Logan Carlisle sprinted into the end zone to notch the two-point conversion, giving the Prexies a 28-13 advantage early in the third quarter.
“I was impressed with Logan there, he finished that run hard on the two-pointer,” Bosnic added. “I was pleased with how all our guys finished runs tonight.”
After a Centurions punt, the Prexies took the ball at the GCC 49-yard line and proceeded to take total control of the contest when they drove to their fifth touchdown of the game. Carlisle capped the drive with a 5-yard scoring toss to Nick Blanchette, who also knocked in the extra-point to give the hosts a 35-13 lead with five minutes left in the penultimate frame.
But Greensburg Central Catholic refused to give in. Driving 95 yards, the Centurions responded with a score when Turner zipped a 27-yard scoring strike to Amari Mack. Turner’s two-point pass attempt fell incomplete, but the Centurions were not quite done, cutting the Prexies’ lead to 35-19 with two minutes remaining in the third quarter.
Fuse and the Prexies offense were undeterred. The Rutgers recruit carried the ball twice for 47 yards on the next Washington drive to the GCC 2. Brenden Sibert capped the march with a scoring plunge, extending the Washington lead to 42-19.
“I was pleased with how Brenden ran,” Bosnic added. “He plays very hard and I was happy to see him do what he did.”
Yet GCC kept clawing back and inched closer when Turner fired a 20-yard scoring pass to Mack with 9:20 left in regulation. Turner’s two-point pass to Samir Crosby clipped the Prexies lead to 42-27.
But Fuse officially turned out the lights on Washington’s next possession. Facing fourth-and-five near midfield, Fuse shoveled toss to Gordon who turned it into a 15-yard first-down conversion. Several plays later, on third and goal from the GCC 8, Fuse dropped back, scrambled left, turned and sprinted right into the end zone for a score, pushing the Prexies lead to 49-27.
“That was a big, big play, for sure,” Bosnic said in reference to the fourth-down conversion. “Ruben did a real nice job finishing the run. We have athletes and playmakers that can do those things.”
GCC turned the ball over on downs on their next possession, giving it back to the Prexies on the Centurions’ 32. Four plays later, Zach Welsh found himself in the end zone with a two-yard touchdown run.
The Centurions started the scoring with a 75-yard march on the game’s opening possession when Turner lofted a 24-yard rainbow to Nate Dlugos who had beaten man coverage. Jacob Reitler kicked the extra-point, giving Greensburg Central Catholic an early 7-0 lead.
Dom Vitula recovered an Eddie Lewis fumble on the Prexies’ 21, briefly halting the Washington’s burgeoning momentum.
Gordon made his presence known on the ensuing Centurions drive when he intercepted a Turner pass near midfield and returned it to the GCC 39. Several plays later, Fuse scrambled right and found Gordon in the right corner of the end zone for a 14-yard touchdown with 11:52 left in the second quarter.
Washington took its first lead on its next possession, but not before some mid-drive drama. On 2nd-and-2 from the GCC 14, Fuse plunged forward and appeared to have the first down. He inexplicably reversed course and tried to bounce outside, giving ground in the process. A gaggle of GCC defenders got Fuse to the ground near the Centurions’ 23.
But Fuse made up for the play when, on third-and-13, he swept around end and rushed 18 yards to the GCC 5. Two plays later, Lewis scampered around left end for a 2-yard score and a 14-7 Prexies lead midway through the second quarter.
The visitors struck back on Turner’s 27-yard scoring pass to Jayadin Canady. Washington blocked the extra-point, leaving the Prexies lead at 14-13 with a little more than 3 minutes remaining in the half.
Unfazed, the Prexies struck again. Fuse capped the drive with a 38-yard TD pass to Gordon that made it 20-13 at the half.
“That’s a real good football team we played tonight,” Bosnic said. “Even though we gave up some points, I thought we did a lot of good things on defense. We’ll get better there.”