Tigers Pounce On Blue Devils For 43-7 Conference Win
North Allegheny secured a WPIAL playoff berth and locked up the No. 2 spot in the Class 6A standings on Friday night with a thorough 43-7 win at Mt. Lebanon. The Tigers spoiled the Blue Devils homecoming with a dominant effort and pounced on the home team on the game’s first play from scrimmage.
Senior running back Tyree Alualu opened the contest with a 63-yard touchdown run to give the Tigers an immediate 6-0 lead. Senior Evan Lyon added a two-point conversion run to make it 8-0 just 16 seconds into the game.
The NA defense limited Mt. Lebanon to a paltry 12 yards of offense in the first quarter, allowing the Tigers to take command of the game in the opening stanza. With 8:38 remaining in the first quarter, senior quarterback Logan Kushner delivered a scoring strike to senior Khiryn Boyd from 22 yards out for a 15-0 lead. Kusner added another passing touchdown when he found Alualu wide open on a wheel route for a 22-0 advantage with 5:40 to play in the period.
The Tigers continued to pour it on in the second quarter as Boyd returned a punt 35 yards for a touchdown with 10:14 on the clock, extending the lead to 29-0. Boyd hauled in a 23-yard touchdown pass from Kushner with 3:51 left in the half for a 36-0 advantage. Following a Lyon interception, his second of the season, junior running back Liam Flaherty scampered into the end zone on a 6-yard scoring run for a 43-0 lead with 2:20 left before intermission.
North Allegheny called off the dogs in the second half with the mercy-rule clock in effect. Mt. Lebanon scored its only touchdown of the night with 8:57 let in the fourth quarter on a Jimmy Green 15-yard touchdown run to bring the score to its eventual final, 43-7, Tigers.
With three total touchdowns, including two receiving touchdowns and one punt return score, Boyd was named the Wright Automotive Player of the Game.
Kushner had an efficient performance, completing 6-of-7 passes for 118 yards and three touchdowns. Alualu led the ground game with three carries for 72 yards and a rushing touchdown, to go along with his receiving touchdown in the first quarter. North Allegheny outgained Mt. Lebanon, 324-150.
Mt. Lebanon sophomore quarterback Patrick Smith had the only notable performance for the Blue Devils with 18 carries for 100 yards. Most of Smith’s damage came with the game well out of reach.
North Allegheny leaps to 6-1 overall and 2-1 in the Tri-County Five Conference. Mt. Lebanon slips to 4-3 overall and 1-2 in conference play. The Tigers will host Norwin next week for Senior Night. The game will be broadcast live by the North Allegheny Sports Network.
Football Summary vs. Mt. Lebanon, 10-6-23
| GAME SUMMARY | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SCORE BY QUARTERS | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | FINAL |
| North Allegheny | 22 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 43 |
| Mt. Lebanon | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
