SOMERSET — Somerset’s poise under pressure in the closing minutes helped the Golden Eagles preserve a wild and woolly 42-39 victory over visiting Johns-town on Friday night in a Laurel Highlands game.
“In years past, this program would have folded up their tents,” Somerset coach Steve Costea said. “These kids believe. They believe in us and in the program and they want to win. They want to turn it around for the community and everybody. There’s no head dropping. We don’t have that here anymore. We made big plays when we had to and were able to put the ball in the zone at the end.”
Somerset’s victory came despite another impressive performance by the Trojans’ Antwuan Reed, who scored five touchdowns (56 yards, 1, 66, 55, 1) and ran for 292 yards on 27 carries. Reed added another touchdown on a 23-yard pass from quarterback Shawn Lehman.
“Our defense had to contain Antwuan,” Somerset quarterback Jordan Kaufman said. “He’s a heck of a kid and had an incredible game, but we did good enough to win.
“We worked hard all week at practice. This was a tough team and a tough game. I’m just glad we didn’t give up. We really have confidence with our offense this year. We have confidence that we can move the ball down the field.”
After playing catch-up most of the game, Johnstown took its first lead with 1:09 left, putting together six plays, all Reed runs, capped by a 1-yard scamper. Jon Maurizio’s extra point kick put Johnstown ahead 39-34.
Somerset (3-2) came right back, as Josh Walters returned the kickoff to the Johnstown 36.
On the second play from scrimmage, Kaufman connected with Kyle Miller in the left side of the end zone for a touchdown with 46 seconds left.
Kaufman then hooked up with Garrett Breen for the conversion, giving Somerset the three-point cushion.
The Trojans (3-2) had one last march, but with no timeouts remaining, ran out of time.
“It was a great high school football game,” Johnstown coach Kevin Marabito said. “It was a shame a team had to lose. Somerset played a great football game. Our kids kept battling back. I’m very proud of what we did. My hat’s off to Somerset, they got the job done in the last 40 seconds or so and our kids didn’t quit. That’s all you can ask of them. We are a threat to break it at any time and if we had 10 more seconds, it might have been a difference.”
Somerset’s offense accounted for 301 yards on the ground with Vince Corden leading the way (six carries for 93 yards). Kaufman added 78 yards on 12 carries and Bryce Marker had 67 yards on seven runs.
Chase Dykstra scored a pair of Somerset touchdowns in the first quarter sandwiched around Reed’s first touchdown run for a 14-7 lead.
In the second, Josh Walters scored on a 13-yard pass from Kaufman and Reed added another touchdown as Johnstown trailed 21-13 at the half.
On Johnstown’s first possession of the second half, the Trojans capped a four-play drive with a 66-yard Reed dash down the right sideline, but missed the conversion pass to pull within 21-19.
In a stretch of the third quarter, their were three scores in 20 seconds, a Walters 2-yard run, a Reed 55-yard touchdown and Corden scoring on a 90-yard kickoff return for a 34-25 Eagles lead heading into the fourth.
“Our offense picked it up,” Kaufman said. “We made plays when we had to.”
Somerset will take on Richland next week while the Trojans face Bishop Carroll.
“We started with attitude and got the attitude rolling,” Costea said. “Now, you’ve got to have heart to play this game and we’re just not giving up.”
High School Sports
Somerset wins shootout with Johnstown
- High School Sports
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Richland's Lumley settles for pair of silver medals
Paige Lumley was on an emotional roller coaster and seeing silver on Saturday at the PIAA Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg University.
The Richland senior had state record jumps twice during the triple jump competition, but ended up with a silver–medal leap of 40 feet,
1¾ inches.
Defending state champion, second-seeded junior Lanae Newsome of Brookville, won with a jump of 40-3½. -
Ridge’s Dull takes second with school-record time
Matt Dull finished his athletic career with his best on Saturday at the PIAA Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg University.
The Chestnut Ridge senior ran a career-best time of 38.12 to finish second in the 300 hurdles final, also setting another school record. -
Young takes silver in state triple jump
Chestnut Ridge senior Michael Young capped six years of triple jumping with a silver medal Friday on the first day of the PIAA Track and Field Championships at Seth Grove Stadium on the campus of Shippensburg University.
Young had a career-best leap of 45-9¼ just behind Jared Horne of Schuylkill Valley whose winning jump was 46-9. -
Forest Hills’ Smay places fifth in Class AA long jump
Brooke Smay is moving on up.
The Forest Hills junior earned a fifth-place position in the Class AA long jump with a leap of 17 feet, 3 ½ inches Friday on the first day of the PIAA Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg University. -
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There were more than a few huge plays. Of course a number of individuals stepped up to secure a 3-1 victory over LHAC rival Bishop Guilfoyle. -
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Hollidaysburg pitcher Dom Viduya and his Golden Tigers teammates beat defending champion Somerset 3-1 in Thursday’s District 6 Class AAA championship game at Peoples Natural Gas Field.
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Pitcher's 'bad day' results in no-hitter
Bridgit Yothers struggled on the mound on Thursday.
But the Chestnut Ridge right-hander was able to persevere through her issues, throwing a no-hitter against Bedford in their District 5 Class AA semifinal and helping the Lions to a 5-0 victory. -
Local athletes look to shine at PIAA track and field meet
Each of the nearly 50 area athletes who will be competing at this weekend’s PIAA Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg University, will be looking for his or her best performance of the season, but only the top eight finishers in each event for both boys and girls will stand on the podium in front of the crowd at Seth Grove Stadium.
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Westmont, Somerset represented at PIAA Class AA tennis tourney
The PIAA Class AA tennis tournament showcases the top players in the state, which includes three area athletes, when it begins today at the Hershey Racquet Club.
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Corridini’s hit propels Shade
Tasha Corridini had been having a tough time at the plate on Wednesday.
The Shade leftfielder had struck out twice in her prior two at-bats against Shanksville-Stonycreek pitcher Kayla Stockenus.
But in the bottom of the seventh of a scoreless game with Kaily Karl on first, Corridini clubbed a triple out to the fence, scoring Karl and giving the Panthers a walk-off 1-0 win over the Vikings in a District 5 Class A softball quarterfinal. - More High School Sports Headlines
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