Tigers Rout Rams For Homecoming Triumph, 45-10

Posted on: by Randy Gore

Senior quarterback Logan Kushner accounted for 396 total yards and five touchdowns to spearhead a 45-10 non-conference win over Pine-Richland on Homecoming Night at Newman Stadium. Kushner rushed for two touchdowns and passed for three arial scores as the Tigers earned their first win against the rival Rams since 2018. It was also NA’s first mercy-rule win against Pine-Richland since a 47-10 victory in 2016 in Gibsonia.

On the opening drive of the game, Kushner heaved a 65-yard touchdown pass to Khiryn Boyd to give North Allegheny an immediate 7-0 lead two minutes into the contest. The touchdown to Boyd came on a exceptional catch where the senior wideout pulled the ball away from a defensive back and raced into the end zone.

Following a Pine-Richland punt, the Tigers began their next drive at the 50-yard line. Just three plays later, senior running back Tyree Alualu scored on a spectacular 23-yard touchdown run for a 14-0 lead with 5:35 left in the first period.

The Tigers extended the lead to 21-0 on a 1-yard touchdown run by Kushner six seconds into the second quarter to cap a 10-play, 80-yard drive. With 7:25 left in the period, Kushner culminated a 6-play, 92-yard march on a 6-yard touchdown pass to Alualu for a 28-0 advantage.

Late in the second quarter, Pine-Richland gained some brief momentum when Talan Hill-Ressler returned a punt 32 yards to the North Allegheny 3-yard line. One play later out of the wildcat formation, senior running back Ethan Pillar tossed a short touchdown pass to sophomore Tanner Cunningham with 2:06 remaining in the first half, cutting the NA lead to 28-7.

It didn’t take long for the pendulum to swing back toward the Tigers thanks to a 10-play drive that was punctuated on a 13-yard scoring pass by Kushner to Boyd with 30 seconds left before halftime for a commanding 35-7 lead. Boyd finished the night with five receptions for 162 yards and two touchdowns.

After halftime, North Allegheny invoked the mercy rule just 1:38 into the third quarter as Kushner sauntered into the end zone for 51-yard touchdown run and the Tigers led, 42-7. Kushner rushed for 132 yards and passed for 264 yards on his way to Wright Automotive Player of the Game honors.

The Tigers defense forced the only turnover of the game with 6:57 remaining in third quarter when a Pillar fumble was recovered by sophomore Lincoln Hoke. The turnover led to additional North Allegheny points with 4:28 left in the third quarter, as five-star kicker Peter Notaro drilled a 47-yard field goal to extend the lead to 45-7. Notaro’s field goal is the longest at North Allegheny during the Art Walker era.

Pine-Richland kicker Grant Argiro connected on a 38-yard field goal with 7:04 left in the fourth quarter to bring the score to its eventual final, 45-10, Tigers.

North Allegheny outgained Pine-Richland, 514-189, and limited the Rams to just 41 yards passing. Freshman quarterback Aaron Strader was a bright spot for the Rams, rushing for 101 yards on 10 carries.

With the win, North Allegheny improves to 5-1 overall on the season, while Pine-Richland drops to 3-3. The Tigers return to conference play next week when they visit Mt. Lebanon.

Football Summary vs. Pine-Richland, 9-29-23

GAME SUMMARY
SCORE BY QUARTERS1234FINAL
Pine-Richland070310
North Allegheny142110045