JOHNSTOWN — First-year Johnstown coach Tony Penna Jr. got the first indication that this was going to be a special week when his players reported to Trojan Stadium on their off day.

“The kids and coaches came here Monday on a normal off day and came to work,” Penna said.

“That’s our kids. They’ve never had anything easy.”

Johnstown’s work week concluded with a 34-25 victory over previously undefeated Forest Hills Friday at Trojan Stadium.

The victory came a week after visiting Central Cambria upset Johnstown by a point, spoiling a potential perfect regular season and what had been anticipated as a meeting of undefeated LHAC teams on Friday.

Forest Hills won the LHAC championship outright because the league only counts the first nine weeks. Instead of being a co-champion, Johnstown had to settle for an opportunity to beat the champion.

“I’m so proud of them and my coaches and I’m happy for our community,” said Penna, whose Trojans will defend their 6-AAA title next week against Bellefonte at Mansion Park.

Trojans junior quarterback Gervon Simon completed 13 of 22 passes for 402 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions.

Simon’s touchdown throws went for 86, 23, 82, 33 and 76 yards.

“Coming from the last game that we lost, everybody was down. But during the week we stayed focused and came together as a team,” said Simon, who has 1,913 passing yards this season. “We worked hard as a team. Me, Dajour Morris, Alkwan Williams and Calvin Anderson, we all knew we had to get the team together. We got the team together. We came together as a family and everyone did a great job.”

A junior, Williams caught two touchdowns and hauled in a key, acrobatic two-point conversion pass late in the game. On defense, Williams had 17 tackles, two sacks and forced a fumble.

“They’re a very athletic team but they’re not just athletic,” said Forest Hills coach Don Bailey, whose 9-1 second-seeded team will play Huntingdon in the District 6 Class AA playoffs next week. “They’re physical up front. We had our hands full.”

Simon passed to Williams over the middle just past the line of scrimmage, and Williams outraced defenders for an 86-yard touchdown at 8:27 of the first quarter.

Johnstown’s next drive went

61 yards in six plays, with Williams hauling in a 23-yard pass in the end zone. Simon hit Calvin Anderson with the two-point conversion pass to make it 14-0.

The Trojans got the ball back and seemed to have all the momentum until Rangers linebacker Shawn Dell intercepted a pass and ran 31 yards for a touchdown to make it 14-7 with 1:14 on the first-quarter clock.

“The interception was a big play for the sophomore,” Bailey said. “He got us right back into the game.”

The Rangers capped a 58-yard scoring drive on Anthony Unger’s 3-yard blast at 7:26. The extra-point failed, and Johns-

town maintained a one-point advantage.

On the next play from scrimmage, Simon passed to Daquan Minter, who broke free of a tackle on the Rangers’ 35-yard line and completed an 82-yard touchdown pass. Johnstown went for two and the pass failed, setting a 20-13 halftime score.

Forest Hills started the third quarter with two touchdown drives and a big defensive stop to lead 25-20 with 5:54 showing.

Unger (12 carries, 72 yards) converted a fourth-and-goal from the 2-yard line.

On the next drive, a long Simon pass fell incomplete on third-and-1, and after a timeout, the Trojans went on fourth down. Forest Hills’ defense stopped Simon for a loss of 1.

Nick Dudukovich (19 carries,

83 yards) took the ensuing hand-off 41 yards for a touchdown. The Rangers led 25-20 with 5:54 on the third-quarter clock.

“Our kids played hard,” Bailey said. “We were down 14-0 and came back, gave them a battle and even went ahead for a while. They were just a little too much for us.”

Forest Hills missed a chance to build on its lead when Anderson broke through the line and hit quarterback Justin Gdula in the backfield, forcing a fumble that Johnstown’s Luke Kmett recovered at the Trojans 34-yard line with 21 seconds left in the third quarter.

“That (fumble) was a big play,” Bailey said. “We thought we could at least get three points out of it. We didn’t get any. We fumbled on first down.”

On the ensuing drive, Simon passed 33 yards to Dwight Andrews to put Johnstown back in front 26-25 with 10:18 to play.

Midway through the final quarter, Simon found Minter along the left sideline. Forest Hills’ Jared McCombie had coverage and the ball bounced off Minter’s hands and into the air.

Somehow Minter regained his composure, caught the pass and maneuvered free of the defender.

He rambled for a 76-yard touchdown. Simon rolled right on the conversion attempt, waited and then lofted a soft pass that Williams grabbed with one hand.

“Our kids made plays,” Penna said. “When the chips are down, these kids make plays. That’s the difference between now and years past. They keep battling.”

Bailey agreed.

“We gave up too many big plays,” he said. “You can’t win football games when you give up three or four plays over 60 yards. They made some plays – 80 yards on a pop pass to the tight end. They got the tipped ball at the end that clinched it for them.”

Penna said the win is the first in what he labeled a “new” season for Johnstown.

“We made a pact as a team that our season was going to start (Friday),” Penna said. “This was huge for us. All the people said we didn’t want to play this game. What better could you want than to have a chance to come out and redeem yourself against the best team around and show you’re just as good as they are if not better?”