Game Summaries - NA-Mt. Lebanon

2003 GAME SUMMARIES

MT. LEBANON EDGES TIGERS, 10-6

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The Tigers gave a valiant effort against the Mt. Lebanon Blue Devils on Friday night at Newman Stadium but came up a little short as Lebo downed NA, 10-6. After Mt. Lebanon took a 7-0 halftime lead, junior Andrew McMillen ran 5 yards for a Tiger touchdown with 17 seconds left in the third quarter. The extra point was blocked and Lebo still led, 7-6. The Tigers had several chances late in the game but could not score. Blue Devil kicker Brad Stombaugh added a 25-yard field goal to close out the scoring.

In the first quarter, the Tigers held Mt. Lebanon to nine yards on three plays. Junior Wade Wolowiec broke through to block Scott Brown’s punt, and NA took over at the Tiger 47. McMillen picked up 11 yards and a first down on two plays, but the Blue Devil defense held and the Tigers were forced to punt. After an exchange of punts, the Tigers started another drive from their 42. The NA ground game moved the ball behind the running of McMillen, senior Dan Bartos and junior QB Andrew Krewatch. McMillen got four, Bartos added 7, Krewatch ran a keeper for 8, and Bartos picked up seven more to move the ball to the Lebo 32. After three plays gained only 3 yards, the Tigers were faced with a 4^th and 7. Krewatch’s pass to senior WR Chris Huber was complete but short of a first down at the Lebo 25. Once again, the Tiger defense forced Lebo to punt and NA took over at the Tiger 30. After Krewatch gained three to the 33, the first quarter ended scoreless.

Early in the second quarter, Bartos ran for 5 yards and McMillan gained a first down with five more yards to the NA 40. The Blue Devil defense stiffened and forced the Tigers to punt. After Krewatch’s punt was downed at the Mt. Lebanon 15, the Blue Devils put together the only sustained scoring drive of the game. With a second and nine, senior QB Andy Goff took off on a keeper for 11 yards and a first down at the 27. Two consecutive passes of 13 and 14 yards from Goff to WR Mike Matthews moved the ball to the NA 46. After senior RB Adam Giron gained two, Goff tossed a perfect pass to senior WR Matt Franchick who caught the ball on the NA 15 and went untouched into the end zone. Stombaugh added the point and Lebo had a 7-0 lead with 7:37 remaining in the half. After Bartos returned the kickoff 20 yards to the NA 25, Coach Jim Rankin sent senior QB Dan Williams into the game. On his first play of the season, Williams ran for three yards but left the game limping. Williams did not return. McMillen then picked up five and Bartos four more for a Tiger first down. On the next play, pass interference was called on Mt. Lebanon and the fifteen-yard penalty gave the Tigers a first down at the Lebo 48. The Blue Devils held, however, and Krewatch punted to the Mt. Lebanon 22. The teams exchanged punts and Mt. Lebanon took over at the Lebo 48 with little time remaining. Senior LB Josh Zunic made two great tackles to keep the Blue Devils in check, and a desperation pass at the buzzer was knocked down by senior DB Jason Strimmel. Mt. Lebanon took a 7-0 lead to the intermission.

After TE Tom Dunn covered the kickoff at the NA 27, the Tigers picked up one first down on a Krewatch keeper, but were forced to punt. Franchick returned it to the NA 48. A holding penalty and two incomplete passes put Lebo in a third and 26. A pass from Goff to Franchick gained 25 to the NA 30. On fourth and one, the NA defense rose up and stopped Giron for no gain. On third down, Chris Barr made a leaping interception of a Krewatch pass, and Lebo was in business at the NA 45. Once again, the Tiger defense came up big, giving up only three yards on three plays. After a punt into the NA end zone, the Tigers could not move the ball and were forced to punt. Franchick returned this punt to the Lebo 42. On the first play after the punt, Bartos fell on a Mt. Lebanon fumble at the 34. After McMillen ran 8 yards, Bartos picked up 14 and a first down at the Lebo 11. Krewatch got three, McMillen two, and Bartos 1, and the Tigers were faced with a fourth and four at the Lebo 5. The Tigers went to the power I, and McMillen followed his blockers into the end zone for a Tiger touchdown. The extra point attempt by senior Lee House was blocked and Lebo held a 7-6 lead with just 17 seconds left in the quarter.

Early in the fourth quarter, good pressure by the Tigers forced a poor punt by Brown that went out of bounds at the Lebo 48. Once again, NA had good field position. After two plays gained only a yard, Krewatch hit Rogers for a first down at the Blue Devil 20. After two running plays gained only three yards, the Tigers tried the option. Once again, disaster struck as Mt. Lebanon recovered the ball to end the Tiger threat. Lebo took over at their 25, and on third down, Goff found Franchick, who made a diving catch for a first down at the 38. After Giran got two, a reverse to Franchick fooled the NA defense. The Mt. Lebanon wide receiver took off down the left sideline and was finally pushed out of bounds by Strimmel at the NA 20. Three runs got a first down at the 10, but the NA defense held and forced a field goal attempt. Stombaugh was accurate from 25 yards, and Mt. Lebanon took a 10-6 lead with just 2:05 remaining in the game.

The Tigers got a break when a short kickoff was fallen on by the Tigers at their 41. McMillen rambled for 21 yards and a first down at the Lebo 38, but time was running out. An incomplete pass, a loss of four on a draw play, and another incomplete pass brought up a fourth and 14. Krewatch’s desperation pass to senior Woody Fields was broken up by Barr and Lebo took over. Goff took a knee three times and Mt. Lebanon had a 10-6 victory.

The Tigers played well on defense, allowing only the one scoring drive. Special mention goes to Jason Zunic, Andrew McMillen, Wade Wolowiec, and Dave Pegher who stopped the Lebo running game cold. With his return to the defense, Chris Rogers was unblockable. For his defensive efforts, and the big pass reception in the last quarter, the North Allegheny Sports Network selected Chris Rogers as the Player of the Game. With the loss, the Tiger record dropped to 0-1 in the conference and 1-3 on the season. Mt. Lebanon moved into first place with a mark of 2-0. The Tigers will travel to Seneca Valley next Friday to meet the Raiders in another Quad North encounter. The North Allegheny Sports Network will be there to broadcast the game LIVE on the internet beginning with the pre-game show at 7:15 pm.

GAME SUMMARY
MT. LEBANON – 10 NORTH ALLEGHENY – 6

SCORE BY QUARTERS