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Avellla hangs on for big win over West Greene
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ROGERSVILLE — It wasn’t pretty but Avella will take it.
Wins over West Greene don’t come very often for the Eagles so their 21-20, nail-biter was something to celebrate, even if you had to keep a social distance.
It also brought their record to 3-0, the first time that has happened since 2013.
It was the first victory for the Eagles over the Pioneers since 2016, when Avella won 32-26. Since that game. West Greene has outscored the Eagles, 160-7.
“This is huge'” said Avella football coach Ryan Cecchini. “Last time we got this far and played them, it propelled us to something bigger. Two undefeated teams, they are a very good team. We knew we would have a dogfight coming in here. Nothing was going to come easy.”
Quarterback KJ Rush had a love-you, hate-you type of game. He threw four interceptions but threw two touchdown passes — an 11-yarder to Gabe Lis that turned out to be the game-winner — intercepted a pass and recovered a fumble.
“We were a dollar late and a day short all game but credit them,” said West Greene head coach Brian Hanson. “They are a much better football team. We saw it on film. We knew not to take them lightly.”
Trailing 21-14 in the fourth quarter, West Greene pulled within one on an eight-yard run by Wes Whipkey with 5:12 to play. West Greene went for two and Avella stopped the run.
Colin Brady-s 43-yard run gave West Greene a 14-6 lead in the third quarter. But Avella tied when Rush found Tanner Terensky for a 19-yard pass late in the third quarter.
Avella entered the game with a 2-0 record for the first time since 2013, when the Eagles finished witha 6-4 record. That was a playoff year and Avella lost in the WPIAL first round to Sto-Rox.
West Greene, which was forced to postpone its Week 2 game with California because of the corona virus is off to a 2-0 start. The Pioneers are one of eight undefeated teams heading into Week 3.
West Greeme led 8-6 at halftime but the Pioneers had to feel fortunate to hold that lead.
On the second play of the game, Corey Wise and Wes Whipkey connected on a beautiful 65-yard touchdown pass for an 8-0 lead. Wise broke two tackles on the play.
West Greene appeared to make it 14-0 when Wise ripped off a 31-yard run down the left side of the field. But the Pioneers were called for an illegal block on the play. Two plays later, Rush intercepted a Whipkey pass at the midfield.
Avella put together an eight-play, 48-yard drive that K.J. Rush capped witha one-yard run. The run for the two-point conversion failed.
Rush recovered a fumble on West Greene’s next possession and came within a yard of taking the lead. Avella had a first-and-goal at the one but West Greene held and preserved the lead for halftime,