Welcome to the
NORTH ALLEGHENY SPORTS NETWORK

The Official Source of North Allegheny Sports

TIGERS PUNISH UPPER ST. CLAIR, 43-19. FOR FOURTH STRAIGHT VICTORY

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

Junior quarterback Mike Locke threw for two touchdowns and ran for another as the Tigers overwhelmed Upper St. Clair, 43-19, at Upper St. Clair Stadium on Thursday night.  Senior RB Karl DeCiantis scored two more rushing TDs to increase his season total to eight.  The win ended a string of six consecutive losses to the Panthers.

The game started as a defensive struggle in the first quarter as neither team was able to move the ball in their first two possessions.  In their third possession, the Tigers began a drive at their own 39.  After picking up five yards in two carries, DeCiantis gained five and a first down at the USC 49.  Locke threw to senior WR Geoff Greco for a gain of five, and senior FB Corey Watts ran up the middle for twelve and a first down at the Panther 34.  On second and 8, DeCiantis picked up 14 to the USC 20.  On third and nine, DeCiantis made the sticks to give the Tigers a first and goal at the 10.  An illegal block in the back pushed the ball back to the 23.  After two incomplete passes, freshman RB Alex Papson got nine.  Senior PK Justin Facer kicked a 31-yard field to give the Tigers a 3-0 lead with just 11 seconds remaining.  USC senior WR Adam Chrisis ran to the kickoff back to the USC 40 as time ran out in the quarter.  NA took a 3-0 advantage to the second stanza.

On the first play of the second quarter, QB Shane Brennan threw long to senior WR Dan Miller for a gain of 40 to the Tiger 20.  After senior HB Grant Serdy got three, Brennan raced around left end and into the end zone to put USC on top.  The kick was wide but the Panthers held a 6-3 just one minute into the quarter.  On the ensuing kickoff, Greco returned the ball for 51 yards to put NA in great field position at the Panther 45.  After a motion penalty, Locke scrambled for eight yards to the 42.  On second and 7, Locke hit Greco for a first down at the 32.  On the next play, Locke went long and sophomore RB Grant Huckestein made a diving catch in the end zone to put NA back on top.  The kick was blocked, but the Tigers had a 9-6 lead with 9:43 left in the half.  After Chrissis returned the kickoff to the 21, senior DE Zach Watts broke through to sack Brennan for a loss to the 19.  Serdy then went off the left side for 18 and a first down at the 37.  On third and one, senior RB Oliver Hawk ran the right side for 11 to the Tiger 43.  After Chrissus got five on an inside handoff, the Panthers fumbled and senior CB Christian Totera fell on the ball at the Tiger 27.  On the next play, the Tigers fumbled the snap and the Panthers took it back at the NA 29.  The Tiger defense took over at this point.  After two plays lost a yard, senior LB Corey Watts sacked Brennan for a loss of 9 forcing a USC punt.  Greco fumbled the return but recovered at the NA 14.  The Tigers then went on an impressive 86-yard drive in 11 plays as time was running out in the half.  On second and nine, DeCiantis picked up 13 and a first down to the 28.  On third and three, Locke threw to senior WR Curtis Belcastro for another first down at the USC 48.  On the next play, Locke found Greco open down the left sideline for a gain of 26 to the Panther 22.  After two incomplete passes, Tiger Head Coach Art Walker took a time out.  When play resumed, Locke threw to DeCiantis on a middle screen and the NA senior got all the way to the USC 2.  On the next play, DeCiantis took it in with 13 seconds remaining.  Facer added the point as the Tigers took a 16-6 lead.  After Serdy returned the kickoff to the Panther 13, Brennan took a knee as NA went to the intermission with a 16-6 advantage.

Disaster struck for the Panthers on the second half kickoff as Miller fumbled the return, and junior LB Ty Dixon recovered at the USC 23.  After a loss of two, Locke hit senior TE Mike Fuhrman just across the goal line for a touchdown.  Facer again added the point as the Tigers extended the margin to 23-7 with just 54 seconds gone in the quarter.  Serdy returned the ensuing kickoff for 30 yards to the Panther 43.  After two plays gained nothing, Dixon sacked Brennan for a loss of five forcing a USC punt that was downed at the Tiger 26.  NA then went on a ten-play 74-yard drive for another score.  Corey Watts ran up the middle for 16 to the 42.  DeCiantis followed with an 11-yard gain to the Panther 47.  On third an five, Locke tossed a 14-yard completion to Belcastro putting the Tigers at the USC 28.  Corey Watts gained six and DeCiantis added eight more on two carries to move the ball to the 14.  Corey Watts broke through the middle again and was stopped just short of the goal line.  Locke took it in on a quarterback sneak and the rout was on.  Facer once again added the point as NA took a 30-6 lead with 4:08 left in the third quarter.  Serdy was able to return Greco’s bouncing kickoff only two yards to the USC 14.  Three plays went for no gain with the punt by Rob Colditz caught by Greco on a fair catch at the Tiger 48.  The Tigers began a nine-play 52 yard drive with DeCiantis picking up eight yards on first down.  After DeCiantis got a first down at the USC 40, Watts followed with a gain of five up the middle, and Papson got six more to the Panther 29 as the quarter ended.  After three quarters, the Tigers had a commanding 30-6 lead.

As the fourth quarter began, the Panthers got a steady dose of Papson as the NA freshman gained 8, 7, 8, and five on successive plays to give the Tigers a first and goal at the two.  DeCiantis came back in to drive it into the end zone for his second TD of the game.  Facer’s kick was blocked but the NA lead had increased to 36-6 with 9:30 left in the contest.  After Chrissis brought the kickoff back to the USC 27, two incomplete passes brought up a third and 10.  After an incomplete pass near the Tiger sideline, NA was called for a personal foul to keep the drive alive.  On the next play, Brennan threw long to Miller for a gain of 28 to the NA 30.  Hawk then ran for 15 yards in three plays for a first down at the NA 19.  After an incomplete pass, Miller took an inside handoff and got to the Tiger 3 for a first and goal.  Hawk ran the right side and went in for the Panther score.  David Court’s kick was good as the Panthers cut the lead to 36-13 with 6:12 on the clock.  It did not take long for the Tigers to answer.  After a holding call on the kickoff put the ball back to the 11, Papson got three on first down.  On the next play, Papson broke through the middle, cut to the right, and outran the Panther secondary to complete a spectacular 86-yard touchdown run.  Facer’s kick made it 43-13 with 5:14 on the fourth quarter clock.  The Panthers were able to add a consolation score against the Tiger reserves with Brennan throwing to Chris Engle on a 15-yard TD reception.  Court’s kick was wide as the score went to 43-19.  The Tiger reserves were able to pick up a final first down on two runs by junior Jorden Kraus as time ran out with NA picking up the impressive 43-19 victory.

It was a good showing by the Tigers against the defending WPIAL and PIAA champions.  After a slow start, the NA offense picked it up late in the first quarter.  The Tigers finished with a total of 307 yards including 133 by Papson on nine carries.  DeCiantis also crossed the century mark with 101 on 23 rushes.  Locke completed nine of 16 passes for 143 yards and two touchdowns.  Defensively, the Tigers held USC to 235 total yards while forcing two fumbles.  For his efforts, the North Allegheny Sports Network named junior QB Mike Locke as the Player of the Game. 

With the win, the Tigers finished their non-conference schedule with a record of 4-0.  NA will begin conference play on Friday when they host Seneca Valley 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 7:10 pm.  Game time is scheduled for 7:30 pm.

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY – 43  UPPER ST. CLAIR – 19

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

TEAM STATISTICS

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