Sep 7, 2023 6 min read

The second time was the charm for Avella.

Cole Jaworowski threw a 23-yard tiebreaking touchdown pass to Isaiah Bradick with 14 seconds remaining in the first half and Avella’s defense shut out Mapletown over the final three quarters to defeat the Maples 14-7 in a non-conference game Friday night.

It was the second consecutive win for Avella (2-1) after starting the season with a loss at home to Mapletown. This time, in the rematch played in Greene County, Avella overcame an early 7-0 deficit.

Mapletown (2-1), which had its 12-game regular-season winning streak snapped, took a 7-0 lead less than four minutes into the game when Evan Griffin ran 23 yards for a touchdown.

Avella pulled to within 7-6 in the second quarter as Caleb Rush ran five yards to the end zone but the Eagles had a two-point conversion pass fall incomplete.

Late in the first half, Avella caught a break when its punt hit a Mapletown player who was blocking and the Eagles recovered the fumble deep in Maples territory with about one minute to play. Jaworowski’s TD pass to Bradick, and Bradick’s conversion run, gave the Eagles a 14-7 lead.

Fort Cherry 49, Beth-Center 6

Matt Sieg continued to shine for Fort Cherry in the Rangers’ 49-6 non-conference victory at Beth-Center.

Sieg threw an eight-yard touchdown pass to Shane Cornali and scored on runs of 37 and 3 yards. The sophomore returned an interception for a touchdown 30 seconds after his second rushing touchdown.

Sieg was 10-of-15 for 118 yards with one touchdown and he gained 67 yards on five carries.

Ethan Faletto (6 yards) and Nate Heirendt (27 yards) added touchdown runs. Faletto gained 84 yards on 14 carries.

Ryan Huey scored on a 21-yard run to extend Fort Cherry’s advantage to 49-0.

Cyncere Cruz got the Bulldogs (0-3) on the scoreboard on a 95-yard touchdown run with 1:59 remaining.

Belle Vernon 21, McKeesport 14, OT

Quarterback Braden Laux ran three yards for a touchdown in overtime as Belle Vernon rallied to beat visiting McKeesport 21-14 in a non-conference game.

Belle Vernon (2-0) trailed 14-7 in the third quarter but Anthony Crews broke off a 65-yard touchdown run that tied the score at 14-14. Crews scored both of the Leopards’ TDs in regulation. He opened the scoring by catching a 31-yard touchdown pass from Laux in the first quarter. Laux completed 13 of 21 passes for 102 yards.

McKeesport (2-1) tied the score on a 30-yard TD jaunt by Anthony Boyd in the second quarter and took a 14-7 lead in the third quarter when Garret Tarker ran 12 yards to the end zone.

Carmichaels 27, Chartiers-Houston 7

Carmichaels received touchdown runs from four different players as the Mikes rolled to their first victory of the season, 27-7, over visiting Chartiers-Houston.

The Mikes (1-2) led 14-0 in the first quarter and were in control the rest of the way. A three-yard TD run by Ayden Adamson and a four-yard scoring jaunt by Ambrose Adamson gave the Mikes the early 14-0 lead.

Will Murray’s 24-yard TD scamper in the second quarter made it 20-0.

Carmichaels pushed the lead to 27-0 in the third quarter, when A.J. Donaldson rambled 46 yards to the end zone.

The lone touchdown for Chartiers-Houston (0-3) came in the fourth quarter on a seven-yard pass.

Monessen 48, Frazier 19

Monessen jumped out to a comfortable first-quarter lead and never looked back in a 48-19 non-conference victory over visiting Frazier in non-conference action.

Monessen’s Tyvaughn Kershaw opened the scoring on a 27-yard touchdown run and teammate Daevon Burke added two scores for a 22-0 advantage heading into the second.

Rodney Johnson (4 yards) and Tavian Taylor (27 yards) scored rushing touchdowns for the Greyhounds (1-2). Monessen’s Dailan McManus threw a 56-yard touchdown pass to Chase Fulmer.

Mt. Pleasant 26, McGuffey 21

Mt. Pleasant scored 14 unanswered points in the third quarter and held off a late McGuffey rally in a 26-21 non-conference victory.

The Highlanders (1-2) increased their lead to 21-12 at 6:46 of the third after Lincoln Johnson pulled in a 33-yard touchdown reception from Connor Crowe after Dylan Stewart made his third extra point.

The Vikings (2-1) responded 42 seconds later on Cole Chatfield’s 39-yard touchdown pass to Luke Nicotera to cut the deficit to 21-19 after Jarrett Garn made the first of two PATs.

Garrett Eicher scored what would turn out to be the game-winning touchdown on a five-yard run with 41 seconds remaining in the fourth.

Greensburg CC 48, West Greene 30

Colin Brady ran for 209 yards and three touchdowns, but Greensburg Central Catholic had too much firepower in a 48-30 victory over West Greene in non-conference action.

Billy Whitlatch scored on an eight-yard run and Brady on a four yarder to provide the Pioneers (3-1) with a 14-7 lead with 5:39 left in the second quarter after Patrick Durbin kicked two PATs.

The Centurions would score four touchdowns before halftime to regain their advantage at 34-14 at halftime.

GCC added another touchdown for a 41-14 lead before Brady scored his final two touchdowns.

South Side 41, Burgettstown 7

Ryan Navarra rushed for two touchdowns and South Side Beaver crusied to a 41-7 victory over Burgettstown in a non-conference game.

The lone score of the night for Burgettstown (1-1) came on special teams in the third quarter when Zack Schrockman returned a kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown.

Leechburg 28, Bentworth 21

Bentworth’s fourth-quarter rally fell short in a 28-21 setback to Leechburg in non-conference play.

The Bearcats (1-2) trailed 21-8 after three before Vitali Daniels and Lucas Burt hooked up for two of their three TDs. Burt, who pulled in a 16-yard reception from Daniels in the first quarter, caught another 16-yarder and a 24-yard pass in the final frame.

Jayden Floyd, who got the Blue Devils (2-1) on the scoreboard after returning a blocked field goal 75 yards for in the first quarter, scored on runs of two and 23 yards.