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LATE INTERCEPTION SINKS TIGERS,
28-21, IN SEASON OPENER

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The Tigers battled hard all night long against Altoona but the saw the host Mountain Lions score a late touchdown on a pass interception that gave them 28-21 victory.  After the Tigers fell behind, 14-0, senior Brian Austin ran back the ensuing kickoff 98 yards to get NA back in the game.  Austin scored again, this time on a 10-yard pass from senior QB Mike Locke, to tie the game.  After Altoona was able to take a 21-14 lead, senior HB Grant Huckestein capped a 56-yard drive with a score from three yards out a the teams went to halftime tied at 21-21.  Neither team could score until the Lions took the lead for good with 1:42 remaining as Tyler Wentz picked off a pass and ran 23 yards untouched into the end zone.  A late Tiger drive was stopped at the Altoona 10.

After Austin returned the opening kickoff to the 15, sophomore HB Alex Papson picked up five yards to the 20.  An NA penalty and to running attempts that gained only a yard forced an NA punt by senior Jackson Boyd that was caught on a fair catch by Jordan Novosel at the Lion 49.  After two running plays picked up eight yards, an offsides penalty against the Tigers gave Altoona a first down at the NA 38.  Lion QB Cory Becker followed with a 16-yard run on a keeper to the Tiger 22.  After an NA penalty moved the ball to the eleven, three running plays got a first down inside the one, where Becker took it in to give Altoona the lead.  The snap for the extra point was low, and Becker’s pass into the end zone was knocked down.  The Lions had a 6-0 lead midway through the quarter.  After Papson returned the kickoff to the 20, Locke found senior WR Gabe Searles open for an eleven yard gain and a first down to the 31.  A motion penalty cost the Tigers five yards, and three plays picked up only two forcing another Boyd punt.  Novosel was able to race 32 yards with the punt return to the NA 36.  Three running plays earned a first down to the 24 where Becker found Jordan Novosel open in the end zone for the second Altoona touchdown.  Becker then hit Novosel again in the corner of the end zone as the Lions took a 14-0 lead with 2:32 remaining.  It took Austin only thirteen seconds to race 98 yards with the ensuing kickoff, and senior Kurt Devlin added the point as the Tigers cut the margin to 14-7.  The quarter ended with Altoona ahead by a touchdown.

The Tiger defense forced an Altoona punt that rolled dead at the NA 29 early in the second quarter.  NA then went on a sustained drive covering 71 yards on ten plays to tie the game.  After Locke ran for six yards to the 42, Locke threw to Austin for 14 more and a first down at the Altoona 44.  Huckestein broke through for a gain of ten and another first down at the Lion 34.  On the next play, it was Huckestein again racing all the way to the Altoona 9 giving the Tigers a first and goal.  After two plays lost a yard, Locke found Austin open near the goal line and the Tiger receiver walked into the end zone.  Devlin’s conversion tied the game at 14-14 with 7:24 left in the half.  Altoona came right back when Michael Treese returned the kickoff 73 yards to the NA 23.  Four plays later, Becker threw a five-yard TD pass to Chris Carper and Scott Andrew’s point put the Lions back on top at 21-14.  Austin again picked up good yardage on the kickoff as he returned the ball to the Tiger 44.  After Papson got seven yards on two carries, Locke threw to a wide open senior TE Greg Piehler who rambled all the way to the Altoona 11.  Papson ran left for five and up the middle for three more before Huckestein took it in.  Devlin’s point tied the game at 21-21 with 1:56 on the first half clock.  Once again, the Tiger defense forced a Lion punt with the key play being made by junior LB Jon Lowery who tackled Treese for a three-yard loss on a reverse.  The punt was partially blocked by the Tigers and rolled only to the Altoona 34.  The Tigers were unable to move the ball and the half ended with the teams tied at 21-21.

Both coaches made defensive adjustments at halftime leading to a scoreless third quarter.  The second half kick was sent short by senior kicker Nick Jovonovich and Altoona fell on the ball at the 35.  After a first down to the 47, Lowery picked off a Becker pass and returned the ball to the Lion 36.  After a loss of two, Locke lofted a long pass intended for Austin in the end zone but the ball was tipped away at the last second.  After another incomplete pass, Boyd punted into the end zone.  The teams then exchanged punts with Altoona picking up field advantage as they took over at the Lion 48.  Again the Tiger defense came up big forcing a punt that was caught on a fair catch by Austin at the NA 18.  A holding penalty forced the Tigers to punt again this time to the NA 42 where Novosel caught the ball with another fair catch.  Again, the NA defense stood tall holding the Lions to two yards in two plays as the quarter ended with the game still tied at 21-21.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, Becker ran for four to the 36.  With a fourth and four, Carper punted with the ball downed at the Tiger 11.  NA started to move the ball on the ground with junior Justin Brozick at quarterback.  Senior FB Jorden Kraus got six up the middle, and Papson added five more for a first down at the 22.  Kraus then broke through the middle for ten more and another first down at the 32.  Brozick ran the right side for five, and Huckestein followed with four more to the 41.  Brozick picked up the first down on a quarterback sneak to the 45.  A pair of fumbles and a sack by the Altoona defense stopped the drive and forced a Boyd punt that rolled dead at the Altoona 10.  On the first play, Lowery leaped high and pulled down his second interception of the game the Tigers a first down at the Altoona 13.  Kraus ripped through the middle for eight to the Lion 5.  On the next play, the Tigers moved before the snap and the costly penalty pushed the ball back to the 10.  Huckestein tried the left side but got only one to the nine.  A third down pass was tipped at the line of scrimmage forcing the Tigers to go for a field goal.  The snap on the field goal attempt was low and Devlin’s kick was short and wide to the left as Altoona took over at their own 20 with 4:00 remaining.  Once again, the Lions were unable to move the ball against the tough NA defense, and Carper punted with ball rolling all the way to the NA 26.  A holding call on first down moved the ball back to the 16.  After two running plays got six yards, Locke’s pass along the right side line was picked off by Wentz who took it into the end zone for the go ahead score.  Andrew’s conversion gave Altoona a 28-21 lead with only 1:42 left.  The Tigers did not go easily, however.  After Papson returned the kickoff 30 yards to the NA 34, Locke hit Huckestein for 11 and a first down the 45.  Locke threw short to Searles who ran to the Altoona 44 for another first down.  After an incompletion, Locke tossed another ten-yard pass to Austin who got a first down before going out of bounds at the Altoona 34.  A long pass intended for Austin in the end zone was just too long as the clock stopped with 53.3 left.  Huckestein caught another pass from Locke for nine yards to the Lion 25.  After an incomplete pass, Locke picked up the first down on a quarterback sneak with the clock winding down to 38.8 seconds.  After an incomplete pass, Locke hit senior TE Wes Henderson for a first down just across the Altoona 10.  On the ensuing play, the ball was fumbled and rolled all the way to the Altoona 24 before the Lions fell on it with just 16.1 left in the game.  It was a great effort by the Tigers on the last drive but time ran out as Altoona captured a 28-21 victory.

The Tigers won the battle of the stats, particularly on the defensive end.  NA held the Lions to just 129 total offensive yards.  A punt and kickoff return by the Lions figured prominently in their scoring drives that came from 51, 36, and 23 yards.  Offensively, NA totaled 227 yards with 143 coming through the air as Locke was 12-27 for 138 of the passing yardage.  Austin caught four passes for 36 yards, Searles two for 21, and Huckestein two for 20.  On the ground, NA picked up 84 yards with Huckestein gaining 52 on nine rushes, Papson 36 on nine, and Kraus 28 on six carries.  NA controlled play in the second half and finished with a five minute edge in time of possession.  In the end, though, the last minute interception was the key that gave Altoona the victory.  For his efforts defensively with a pair of interceptions, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Jon Lowery as the Player of the Game.

It was a good effort by the Tigers in the season opener despite coming up a little short.  NA will host Mt. Lebanon 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 7:10 pm.  Game time is scheduled for 7:30 pm.  Comcast will televise the game on a tape-delay basis.

Game Statistics
Photo Gallery

GAME SUMMARY
ALTOONA – 28  NORTH ALLEGHENY – 21

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

* STATISTICS *
ALTOONA - 28  NORTH ALLEGHENY - 21

Statistics Courtesy of Steve Heckmann

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