PT’s defense delivers as Indians pull away
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Peters Township’s Eliot Schratz breaks loose for a 46-yard touchdown run.
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Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Trinity's Anthony DeRubbo gives the Hillers hope by intercepting a Nolan Dilucia pass at the three-yard line, stopping the Indians in the second quarter.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Trinity wide reciever Dante DeRubbo gets behind a Peters Township defensive back and catches a 80-yard touchdown pass Friday night.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Peters Township’s Preston Blair outruns Trinity’s Tony Cipolettti and leaps over the goal line for the Indians’ third-quarter score.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Peters Township's Thomas Aspinall (8) pulls in a Nolan Dilucia pass and eludes Trinity defender Tony Cipoletti.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Peters Township running back Eliot Schratz breaks away from Trinity defenders.
Something had to give Friday evening at Hiller Field, site of the anticipated clash of Peters Township and Trinity, both coming into the contest with spotless 2-0 records.
Neither team had faced any adversity in this early part of the season. That changed as the two squads collided in a chippy and physical affair that ended with the Indians a 34-7 winner that was closer than the score would indicate.
“They have a real good program over there,” Peters Township coach TJ Plack noted. “We knew coming in this would be a battle.”
Peters Township (3-0) was nursing a three-point lead coming out of the halftime break. But running back Preston Blair (11 carries, 78 yards) gave the Indians a jolt when he busted a 31-yard score to increase the lead to 17-7 early in the third quarter.
Trinity moved to the Peters Township 30 on their ensuing drive, but Jonah Williamson’s fourth-and-15 throw into the end zone fell incomplete.
An Eliot Schratz interception and subsequent 50-yard return to the Hillers’ 3 seemed to put Peters Township on the verge of salting it away. But the Hillers’ defense stuffed Vinny Sarcone on fourth-and-goal from the 1.
Trinity could not take advantage as Williamson was intercepted by Darius McMillon on the Hillers’ 24 a handful of plays later. Carter Shanafelt, whose punting pinned the Hillers back all evening, knocked in a 30-yard field goal with nine minutes remaining in the contest.
Though they pressured Williamson little early in the contest, the Indians’ defense got to work in the second half, sacking him three times and picking him off twice.
“Our defense has been tremendous all year and they were tonight as well,” Plack added. “(Jake) Velgich is just one of the strongest and fastest dudes we have up front, he will be playing college ball somewhere.”
Velgich had one of the three second-half sacks and spent much of the night in the Hillers’ backfield. He also returned a blocked punt for a score to close out the scoring in the game’s waning moments.
Williamson finished with 13 completions in 28 attempts for 231 yards. His counterpart, DiLucia, finished with 12 completions in 27 attempts for 125 yards. He also added 78 yards in nine rushing attempts. His 8-yard touchdown run made it 27-7 with less than three minutes left in the game.
“I think he grew up an awful lot tonight,” Plack added.
Peters Township cashed in on a fumble on the game’s opening kickoff when Dominic Sirianni recovered the ball on the Hiller 30. The Indians drive stalled on the Trinity 12, leading to Shanafelt’s 29 yard field goal which gave Peters Township a 3-0 lead nearly four minutes into the contest.
Both defenses flexed their muscles the remaining of the opening quarter as neither team could score. Peters Township appeared poised to add to its lead late in the first when they marched to the Trinity 13, where the drive stalled out. Shanafelt missed the 30 yard field goal which set the table for Trinity to strike on the first play of the second quarter.
Trinity thrilled the home crowd on the second play of the second quarter when Williamson executed a pump fake and lofted a rainbow toward Dante DeRubbo who gathered the ball in near midfield, broke a tackle and raced home for the go ahead 80 yard score. Andy Palm’s extra point was true and Trinity suddenly led 7-3 less than a minute into the second frame.
Peters Township responded when Schratz returned the ensuing kickoff 46 yards to the Hillers 38. DiLucia gave the lead back to Peters Township when he eluded the Trinity pass rush and scrambled 23 yards for a touchdown. Shanafelt knocked in the extra point, giving the Indians a 10-7 advantage with 9:41 left in the half.
“Our line did a great job, they were pushing people out, I had to scramble and get in,” DiLucia added. “I just had to stay on my feet.”
Trinity then began their next drive from their own 20 and eventually moved to the Peters Township 6. A Schratz interception earlier on the drive was nullified by a roughing the passer call. However, the defense stood up and rebuffed the Hillers when Williamson’s fourth down pass for DeRubbo fell incomplete late in the quarter.
Trinity’s defense kept Peters Township off the board for the rest of the half via interceptions by DeRubbo and Andrew Durig to keep the Hiller deficit at three entering the halftime locker room.