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NORTH ALLEGHENY VARSITY FOOTBALL

TIGERS HOLD OFF BUTLER IN
31-17 WIN

To listen to a replay of the game, click here!

The Tigers built a 21-0 early lead and held off a rally by Butler as they defeated the Tornado, 31-17, on Senior Night at Newman Stadium on Friday night.  Sophomore QB Mike Locke tossed TD passes to senior TE Tom Keiser and sophomore WR Brian Austin while junior RB Carl DeCiantis scored on a 77-yard run.  Senior Marek Lapinski added the clinching score on a 5-yard run in the fourth quarter.

After Regan Young returned the opening kickoff to the 24, junior LB Corey Watts forced Butler QB Nick Monteleone out of bounds for a 2-yard loss for one of five NA sacks.  On third and 12, senior LB Jack Connolly broke through to sack Monteleone again, this time for a loss of 9 to the 12.  The punt by Chris Haley was returned by Austin for nine yards to the Butler 36.  It took only two plays for NA to take the lead.  On first down, junior QB Geoff Greco took a quarterback draw for 16 and a first down at the Tornado 20.  On the next play, Locke hit Keiser right at the goal line and the senior tight end took it into the end zone.  Senior Rich Doyle converted to give NA a 7-0 lead just 2:07 into the contest.  After the ensuing kickoff, Butler picked up one first down on a reverse by WR Ian Haley for an 18-yard gain.  NA then forced another Chris Haley punt that Austin returned 11 yards to the Tiger 26.  After Greco got five on first down, two runs by DeCiantis got a first down at the 38.  On third a four, Locke threw again to Keiser for a six-yard gain and another first down at the Butler 48.  Locke was then sacked twice forcing Greco to punt to senior WR Jordan Roycroft who was hit immediately by senior DB Kyle Butson at the Butler 27.  A screen pass to Dorondo gained fifteen on first down, but three straight incomplete passes brought another Chris Haley punt that Austin caught on a fair catch on the NA 23.  On the first play, DeCiantis broke through, headed to the left sideline, and outran the Butler defense for a 77-yard score to put the Tigers  up 13-0.  Doyle again was good on the point as NA took a 14-0 lead with just 35 seconds remaining in the quarter.  On the second play after the kickoff, Connolly recovered a fumble at the Butler 28 as time ran out in the first quarter.  The Tigers held a 14-0 advantage after one quarter of play.

As the second stanza began, Lapinski got seven to the 17 but penalties then  hurt the Tigers.  A procedure call moved th ball back to the 22.  Two runs by DeCiantis got only two, but NA was called for a personal foul that put the ball at the Butler 34.  Locke then stepped back and hit a streaking Austin in stride at the 5, and the Tiger sophomore took it in for a touchdown.  Doyle's kick made it 21-0 and it looked like the rout was on with 10:00 still remaining in the half.  Butler had other ideas, however, and Monteleone began to throw the football on target.  After Regan returned the kickoff to the 26, a personal foul on the Tornado marched it half the distance back to the 13.  Monteleone then hit Roycroft for ten and a first down.  A run by Aaron Dorondo moved the sticks again as Butler got to the Tornado 36.  On third and one,  the Butler QB found Ian Haley open down the middle for 21 and another first down at the NA 41.  On the next play, Monteleone threw to TE Lee Stalker for 12 to the Tiger 27.  After a personal foul against the Tornado wiped out a big gain and moved the ball back to the Tiger 34, Monteleone hit Roycroft for a touchdown.  Chris Haley's kick cut the NA margin to 21-7 with 6:45 remaining in the half.  After the kickoff went into the end zone, the Tigers went on a long drive.  After Greco ran right end for seven, Lapinski broke up the middle for nine more and a first down at the Tiger 36.  Two running plays picked up six, and Locke threw to Keiser for six more and another first down at the NA 48.  On second and ten, Greco again ran around left end for 12 to the Butler 40.  The Tornado picked up another personal foul that put the ball at the Butler 25.  On second and eight, Locke tried to hit Austin in the end zone, but Dan D'Amore made a good play as he batted the ball in the air and made a diving catch.  Butler was able to pick up four first downs on passes to Roycroft and a run by Monteleone as they got all the way to the Tiger 9.  The NA defense held, and Chris Haley sent a 27-yard field goal through the goal posts as Butler cut the lead to 21-10.  The Tigers ran out the clock to take an 11-point lead to the intermission.

After senior RB Tim Lotz returned the second half kickoff for 20 yards to the NA 35, the Tigers could not move the ball and Greco punted to Roycroft who was hit immediately at the Butler 23. On first down, Monteleone found Roycroft open for a 25-yard gain to the 48.  After an incomplete pass, the NA defense sacked Monteleone for a 6 yard loss to the 42.  On fourth and long, Chris Haley went back to punt.  The snap sailed over Haley's head and rolled toward the Butler goal line where the Butler punter picked up the ball and kicked it out of his end zone.  The play was ruled a safety giving NA a 23-10 lead.  On the free kick from the Butler 20, Lotz ran it back 28 yards to the Butler 47.  Three plays lost five yards and Greco's punt rolled to the Butler 2.  A holding call against the Tigers negated the punt forcing Greco to kick the ball again.  This time, Roycroft made a fair catch at the Butler 27.  After a Monteleone to Roycroft pass gained 12 and a first down at the 37. Butler was caught holding.  On the next play, Monteleone threw again to Roycroft, this time for 28 yards and a first down as the Butler receiver went high to pull down the pass.    After a procedure call, the Watts brothers, Corey and Zack, combined on a sack and an eight-yard loss.  Monteleone tried a screen pass that was batted down and then fumbled on the next play but Butler recovered at midfield.  Chris Haley punted to the Tiger 17 where the ball was downed.  A holding call against NA set the ball back to the 10.  Three running plays gained only five yards forcing another Greco punt.  Roycroft was hit by Connelly after he made the catch at the Butler 49.  The flags continued to fly on the cold and rainy night as the Tornado were caught holding on first down with the ball going back to the Butler 31.  Monteleone ran for 12 to the 43 as the quarter ended.  After a quarter of mistakes and penalties, only two points were scored as the Tigers took a 23-10 lead into the final period.

After two plays lost a yard, Chris Haley punted to Austin who returned it 14 yards to the NA 40.  On second and nine, Locke threw long to Greco who made a leaping catch at the Butler 24, a gain of 36 yards.  After DeCiantis ran for five on first down, Butler was called for yet another personal foul that gave NA a first down at the Tornado 13.  After Greco ran for nine yards to the Butler 5, Lapinski finished the drive with a 5-yard run off the left side.  It was Lapinski's tenth TD of the season.  After a time out, the Tigers went for two, and Locke threw to Greco in the left corner of the end zone for the conversion.  The NA lead went to 31-10 with 7:33 left in the game.  Adam Zaccari returned the kickoff to the Butler 35.  On second down, Monteleone threw to Zaccari for nine and a first down at midfield.  After Corey Watts broke through to nail Dorondo for a four-yard loss, Monteleone found Roycroft open for a 33-yard gain to the Tiger 21.  After two runnings plays gained six, Monteleone tried to run for the first down but fumbled.  Butler recovered at the NA 11 for a first down.  On third and ten, Monteleone ran around the right side and into the end zone for the score.  Chris Haley kicked the point and Butler had cut the lead to 31-17 with 3:31 on the clock.  On the conversion, NA was called for roughing the kicker with the penalty marked off on the kickoff.   The Tornado tried the onside kick and recovered the ball at the NA 36.  Monteleone tried for the home run on first down but his pass to Roycroft was picked off by senior DB Alex Carson who returned the ball all the way to the 50, a return of 39 yards.  A holding call against the Tigers (what else?) put the ball back to the NA 32.  Using a power I-formation, Lapinski ran twice for ten yards and a first down at the 42.  Lapinski got four more as Butler called a time out.  After Lapinski picked up two more, Butler used their final time out.  Greco was forced to punt to the Butler 18.  The Tornado conceded the game at this point and ran out the clock.  The Tigers took home a much needed 31-17 victory.

It was a long night in the cold at Newman Stadium with penalties and incomplete passes prolonging the contest.  A total of fifteen penalties were called and a total of 166 yards were walked off by the officials.  Butler picked up nine flags for 96 yards.  Statistically, Butler outgained NA, 330-296, but when the game was on the line, the Tiger defense held.  DeCiantis led all rushers with 110 yards on 13 carries.  Locke was 7 for 10 for 110 yards and two scores plus a pass for the two-point conversion.  For his efforts, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Mike Locke as the Player of the Game.  Butler got great individual performances from Monteleone who was 16 for 31 for 266 yards, and Roycroft who caught nine passes good for 168 yards.

All in all, it was a good win for the Tigers who needed the victory on their march toward the conference title.  The win kept the Tigers unbeaten in conference play at 4-0 and improved the overall mark to 6-2.  With North Hills beating Erie McDowell, 14-10, the annual game with rival North Hills will now decide the conference championship.  The North Allegheny Sports Network will be there at Martorelli Stadium on Friday night to broadcast the game LIVE on the internet with the pre-game show set for 7:10 pm.  The kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 pm.

GAME STATISTICS

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 31  BUTLER - 17

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

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