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NORTH ALLEGHENY VARSITY FOOTBALL

LAPINSKI'S THREE TOUCHDOWNS LEAD TIGERS OVER BETHEL PARK, 35-7

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Senior fullback Marek Lapinski scored three times to pace the Tigers to an impressive 35-7 victory over Bethel Park in the season opener at Bethel on Friday night.  Senior halfback Tim Lotz also scored for NA along with senior TE Tom Keiser  who caught a three-yard scoring pass from senior QB Adam Neugebauer.  The Tigers controlled the game outgaining the Blackhawks, 352-194, in total yards.

The Tigers took the opening kickoff and marched 78 yards in 13 plays to take a 7-0 lead.  After Lotz picked up  8 on first down, the Tigers were penalized five yards for an illegal man downfield.  Lapinski got seven back, and Neugebauer hit sophomore WR Brian Austin for 15 yards and a first down at the NA 38.  Lotz, Lapinski and junior HB Corey Watts took turns running the football as NA picked up three straight first downs to the Bethel 16.  After Lotz broke through for 13 to the 4-yard line, Lapinski scored the first of his three TDs to give NA the lead for good.  Senior Rich Doyle added the point and the Tigers had a 7-0 lead with 5:07 remaining in the quarter.  After Eric Bielich returned the kickoff to the Blackhawks' 29, Bethel QB Jeff Stewart hit halfback Justin Pratt for 13 yards and a first down at the 41.  After an offside penalty against NA, Lapinski fell on a BP fumble to give the Tigers the ball at the Bethel 45.  NA made Bethel Park pay as they went 45 yards in 11 plays to extend the lead.  After Neugebauer gained 8 yards, Lapinski gained five and a first down at the 32.  Neugebauer hit Austin for a gain of eight, and Lotz followed with a ten-yard run through the middle to the BP 13.  Lapinski and Lotz gained 8 yards in three plays as the quarter ended.  The teams changed ends of the field with the Tigers holding a 7-0 lead.

On the first play of the second quarter, Lapinski drove to the BP 1 for a first down.  On the next play, Neugebauer fell on a fumble for a loss of two yards.  After Lapinski got one back, Neugebauer threw into the end zone.  After the ball was tipped by a BP defender,  Keiser made a great catch just inside the end zone to give the Tigers a 13-0 lead.  Doyle was good again on the conversion to make it 14-0 at the 10:12 mark of the quarter.  On the ensuing kickoff, Bethel Park moved the football for the first time.  Two long passes from Stewart to Picard gained 21 and 23 yards as the Blackhawks had a first down at the NA 21.  Three running plays gained six yards.  On fourth day, a pass along the near sideline was tipped out of bounds as the NA defense held.

The Tigers then went on an 84-yard drive that took 14 plays and 6:40 off the clock to gain total control of the game.  Junior RB Zack Watts came in to gain 16 yards on three plays to give the Tigers a first down at the NA 31.  After Lapinski got six and Lotz gained nine, Neugebauer found Austin open for a gain of fifteen yards and another first down at the BP 37.  Two running plays got another first down before the Tigers were caught holding.  After Corey Watts gained four to the 30, Neugebauer hit Austin again and the speedy NA wideout made it all the way to the Blackhawk one.  With just 12 seconds left in the half, Lapinski took it in to extend the lead to 20-0.  Doyle was perfect again on the point as NA took a commanding 21-0 lead to the intermission.  It was a dominant first half for the Tigers.  In time of possession, NA had the ball for 18:42 while Bethel controlled only 5:18.  Neither team punted in the first half

The Tigers did not let up in the third quarter.  After the Blackhawks Alex Tarr returned the kickoff to the 26, two running plays gained seven yards.   On third down, senior DB Alex Carson knocked down a Stewart pass to force the first punt of the game.  NA could not move on its first possession and junior punter Geoff Greco rolled his first punt to the BP 24.  After two running plays gained four yards, the Tigers fell on another Bethel fumble and took over at the Blackhawk 36.  Eight plays later, the Tigers scored again.  After Austin got four on a reverse, Lotz broke through again for a gain of 11 and a first down at the BP 21.  Lapinski got eleven more on two carries and another first down at the Bethel 9.  Three plays took it to the two where Lotz finished the drive diving into the end zone.  Doyle's fourth kick made it 28-0 with 2:54 left in the quarter.  On the first play after the ensuing kickoff, Carson made a diving interception to give the Tigers the ball on the BP 42.  After Lapinski got five on first down, a reverse to Austin picked up 14 more and a first down at the Bethel 23.  Neugebauer then was able to recover his second fumble to keep possession at the Bethel 24.  After an NA timeout, Neugebauer scrambled for nine and then picked up the first down on a quarterback sneak at the Bethel 12.  After Lapinski gained eight to the BP four, the quarter ended with NA in control, 28-0.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, Lapinski raced around right end to score his third touchdown of the game and increase the lead to 34-0.  Doyle's conversion made it 35-0 and the mercy rule kicked in.  With a running clock, Bethel started their second drive of the game behind the passing of Stewart.  Two completions to TE Alex Wojdowski moved the ball to the NA 32.  Stewart then hit Bielick for a first down at the NA 15.  Senior LB Darren LePere broke through to sack Stewart for a loss to the 19.  On the next play, Lotz chased Stewart out of bounds for another loss to the 22.  On third and long, the Tigers again forced Stewart out of the pocket, but the senior QB got away and hit Picard in the end zone for the only Bethel score of the night.  Ethan Talbott kicked the point to make it 35-7 with 6:23 remaining.  On the ensuing onside kick attempt, Lotz fell on the ball at the NA 48.  The Tiger reserves took over at this point and ran out the clock picking up three first downs and moving the ball to the Bethel 12 as the game ended.

It was a dominating performance by the Tigers as evidenced by the statistics.  NA had 22 first downs to nine for Bethel Park.  On the ground, the Tigers outgained the 'Hawks, 280-35, with Lotz leading the way with 90 on 13 carries.  Lapinski added 71 on 18 rushes to go with his three TDs.  In the air, Neugebauer threw only seven passes but completed five for 72 yards and a TD.  The Tiger defense recovered two fumbles and had one interception.  For his efforts, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Tim Lotz as the Player of the Game.

The win gave the Tigers a record of 1-0 in the early season.  NA will host Latrobe on Friday night at Newman Stadium.  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
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 35  BETHEL PARK - 7

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

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