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NORTH ALLEGHENY VARSITY FOOTBALL

* 2004 GAME SUMMARIES *

TIGERS RUN OVER NORWIN, 25-13, FOR FIRST WIN

By Don Vandergrift

Coach Jim Rankin’s Tigers used a strong running attack to down the Norwin Knights, 25-13, at Newman Stadium on Friday night.  Senior Craig Howarth gained 126 yards of 13 carries good for two touchdowns as NA evened their record at 1-1 in non-conference play.  Sophomore running back Marek Lapinski stepped into the starting lineup and gained 68 yards on 15 rushes, 60 in the first half.  Senior QB Andrew Krewatch was 11 of 14 for 130 yards and a touchdown.

The Tigers took the opening kickoff and marched to the Norwin 18 before losing the ball on downs.  After starting on the NA 20, Lapinski picked up seven on the first play and Howarth got five more and a first down to the NA 32.  Howarth got loose for runs of 15 and 7 as the Tigers moved into Norwin territory at the Knights 46.  A pass from Krewatch to senior John Woodruff moved the ball to the Norwin 24 where the drive bogged down.  Two incomplete passes and two runs for six yards gave the ball to the Knights at their 18.  The NA defense forced Norwin to punt, and senior return man Kyle Allis brought the kick back eight yards to the Tiger 47.  This time, the Tigers would not be denied.  Senior HB Josh Cipkala-Gaffin picked up seven on first down, and Lapinski added runs of 4 and 14 yards to give the Tigers a first down at the Norwin 28.  After junior HB Adam Hambrick gained four, Cipkala-Gaffin got a first down at the 16.  Two plays later, Howarth took off around the right side and went fourteen yards untouched for the score.  Junior Russ Hoburg’s conversion attempt was wide left and Tigers held a 6-0 lead with 2:39 remaining in the period.

On the second play after the kickoff, junior Norwin quarterback T.J. Salopek found his senior tight end Sean McMichael wide open for a gain of 39 yards to the NA 38.  The Tiger defense held and forced another Norwin punt that was fielded by Allis at the NA 5 where he was tackled immediately.  The Tigers then began their most impressive drive of the game.  Two runs by Lapinski got 15 yards and a pass to Howarth gained seven more as the quarter ended with NA holding the 6-0 advantage.  Lapinski started the second stanza with a run of ten yards good for a first down at the NA 37.  Krewatch then hit senior WR Brett Fields for a gain of 18 yards to the Knights’ 45.  A steady diet of Lapinski and Howarth took it the remaining distance with Krewatch going in on a quarterback sneak from inside the one.  An option play fell short as the Tigers went for two, and the score remained, 12-0, in favor of the Tigers.

After the kickoff, the Tiger defense held Norwin to three and out again.  After Allis returned the ensuing punt six yards to the Knights’ 37, a personal foul against Norwin gave the Tigers a first down at the Norwin 21.  On the first play from scrimmage, Krewatch found junior Bill Knight open at the one and Knight spun into the end zone for the third NA touchdown of the game.  Hoburg’s extra point just made it over the crossbar and NA had a 19-0 lead.  Senior return man Drew Rutkowski gave Norwin a boost when he returned the kickoff to the NA 35.  After senior J.W. Snyder picked up 28 yards to the NA 4, senior HB Zach Miller ran three yards as Norwin scored their first touchdown of the game.  Rege Flowers added the point.  Neither team could move the ball in the remaining 3:39 and the half ended with NA on top, 19-7.

After Rutkowski brought the kickoff back to the Norwin 47 with another nice return, the NA defense stepped up.  After two plays gained nothing, senior linebacker R.J. Parks broke through to sack Salopek at the Norwin 34 forcing a punt.  The Tigers took over at the NA 21 and once again began to move the football.  Lapinski picked up 5, a pass to Fields got 8 more, and Howarth was good for 13 yards on 2 carries as the Tigers moved the ball to their own 47.  Three plays got eight yards, but Lapinski was stopped short on fourth down and the Knights took over at their 44.  After two penalties moved the ball back 15 yards, the NA defense took over again.  On third and long, senior Brian Lukacs sacked Salopek at the Norwin 32 forcing the Knights to punt again.  After the punt was downed at the Tiger 39, NA began another drive.  Cipkala-Gaffin picked up seven on two plays, and a pass to Knight got 23 yards and a first down at the Norwin 36.  At this point, the offense bogged down and Krewatch was forced to punt to the Norwin 18.  On the first play, Salopek hit McMichael for a gain of 24 to the Knights’ 42 as the quarter ended with neither team able to score.

Early in the fourth quarter, Parks broke through to sack Salopek on consecutive plays resulting in losses of 16 yards back to the Norwin 30.  NA was unable to move the ball and punted to Rutkowski who returned the ball for 21 yards to the Knights’ 35.  After two plays picked up a first down, it was Parks again who broke through to sack Salopek and force a Norwin punt.  This time, the Tigers were able to take it all the way.  After three runs picked up a first down at the NA 34, Howarth ran for 7 to the 41.  A pass to Fields in the left flat was good for 12 yards and a first down at the Norwin 47.  One play later, a reverse to Howarth gained 40 yards with the Tiger senior being dragged down from behind at the Norwin 6.  Howarth finished the job, going six yards on the next play.  The kick was blocked but the Tigers had a safe 25-7 advantage with only 2:24 to play.  Norwin put together a 76-yard drive behind the passing of Salopek with Rutkowski scoring from the four with just 24 seconds remaining.  The Knights went for two but the pass by Salopek fell incomplete in the end zone.  The Tigers took a knee after the ensuing kickoff and finished with a 25-13 victory.

The Tigers evened their record at 1-1 as they got ready for the conference opener next week against Mt. Lebanon.  NA dominated play in a game that was much more one-sided than the final score.   The Tigers outgained Norwin, 369-182, with 239 yards coming on the ground.  A number of young players stepped up to play well.  Freshman linebacker Corey Watts, junior defensive back Evan Scott, and Lapinski all contributed to the win.  For his efforts, Craig Howarth was again selected as the Player of the Game by the North Allegheny Sports Network.    The Tigers remain at home next Friday when they open the Quad North season against the Mt. Lebanon Blue Devils.  Mt. Lebanon fell to 0-2 with a 28-21 loss to McKeesport in a game played at Heinz Field.  Last year, Lebo edged the Tigers, 10-6, at Newman Stadium.  Game time is scheduled for 7:30 pm and will be webcast by the North Allegheny Sports Network.

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY – 25  NORWIN – 13

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

Any questions or comments should be directed to Athletic Director Bob Bozzuto at:  bbozzuto@northallegheny.org