WPIAL
Laurel Highlands Cruises into Second Round with 44-15 Win over West Allegheny
UNIONTOWN, Pa. — The Laurel Highland Mustangs easily marched over the West Allegheny Indians and into the second round of the WPIAL playoffs with a 44-15 win over the Indians at Mustang Field on Friday night.
The night opened up with the Mustangs grabbing the lead on their first possession of the game with an 8-yard touchdown connection between West Virginia commit Rodney Gallegher and Antwan Black Jr.
On the next Mustang drive, Gallegher would rush it in for a 6-yard score increasing Laurel Highlands’ lead to 14-0 late in the first quarter.
The Indian’s best drive of the first half came on the team’s third drive which saw them driving inside of the Mustang’s 40-yard line. This drive would come to an abrupt end when Antwan Black would force a fumble of West Allegheny’s Nordin Tracy.
Following the turnover, Gallegher would rush in for another touchdown, this time from 16-yards out. The Mustangs would add another field goal before halftime to make the lead 24-0.
To start the second half, West Allegheny converted an inside kick to retain possession of the ball. Unfortunately for the Indians, this would not result in any points as they went three and out. The Indians finally reached the endzone on a touchdown run by Brock Cornell. They would also convert the two-point conversion. This would dig into the Mustang’s lead, making the score 27-8.
After another Mustang field goal, the Indians answered with a touchdown pass from Gage Upton to Nordin Tracy, making the score 30-15. Two plays later the Mustangs fumbled to give West Allegheny life.
On the next two drives, the Mustang’s Parker Hoff and Keondre DeShields both took interceptions to the house to seal the game. This included a Mustang Field Record 102-yard pick-six by DeShields.
The Mustangs will travel to take on No. 2 Central Valley next week in the second round of the Class-4A WPIAL Playoffs. As for the Indians, they bail out of the playoffs early and see their season come to an end.
