DORMONT, Pa. — As a freshman last season, Myontae Mott only scored one touchdown for Bishop Canevin. But in Friday night’s game against Steel Valley, Mott surpassed last season’s touchdown total. He did it in stylish fashion and made a name for himself in the Crusaders (1-1) 42-6 win over the Ironmen (1-2) at Dormont Stadium.
It would not be an understatement to say that it was one of Mott’s best games of his high school career. The sophomore returned a kickoff for a touchdown while also rushing for three touchdowns helping his team bounce back from a season-opening loss last week to Seton LaSalle. Bishop Canevin scored on its first two drives of the game. After two penalties by both teams on the first two plays of the game, Mott rushed for a 34-yard gain to get the Crusaders inside the red zone. Quarterback Kole Olszewski then threw a 23-yard pass to Damar Olds to set the Crusaders inside the 5-yard line. Mott capped off the drive with a 2-yard touchdown.
Steel Valley drove down the field on its opening drive looking to tie the game. However, the Ironmen faced a fourth-and-8 from Bishop Canevin’s 17-yard line. Quarterback Jaden Cabbagestalk rolled out to his left looking to pass. But on the throw, Henry Barbisch swatted Cabbagestalk’s pass causing a turnover on downs.
The Crusaders responded driving 83 yards down the field. Once again, Motts rushed for another touchdown, this time on a 10-yard play in wildcat formation.
At the 7:48 mark of the second quarter, a 45-minute lightning delay occurred. With the stoppage, many people might have thought that the delay should help Steel Valley after trailing 14-0. Well, it turned out the pause in action benefited more in Bishop Canevin’s direction.
On the Crusaders’ first drive after the delay, Mott rushed for a 38-yard gain to set the team up inside Steel Valley territory. A couple of plays later, Olszewski connected with Olds for a 19-touchdown to take a 21-0 halftime lead.
Despite the loss for Steel Valley, one of the upsides was having its star wide receiver and cornerback return in Da’Ron Barksdale making his season debut. Barksdale, who has seven Division I offers, did not play in almost a year due to a knee injury that he suffered against Seton LaSalle last season.
Steel Valley scored its only touchdown of the game when Donald Barksdale threw a 26-yard pass to his brother Da’Ron, who broke a defender and took it into the endzone.
Bishop Canevin responded when Mott returned a kickoff 78 yards to the endzone to increase the Crusaders’ lead.
As lightning struck again at the 9:28 mark of the fourth quarter, another delay occurred, but once again it did not help Steel Valley. After the second delay, Mott continued to shine rushing for a 12-yard touchdown. Then, on the Crusaders’ next drive, Damar Olds rushed for a touchdown zigzagging around defenders to put the game into a running clock.
The Ironmen had its opportunities in the game, but with bad snaps and turnovers being made, it just was not their night.
In the third quarter, Cabbagestalk threw a ball down the field which was intercepted by Justin Saunders. Then, later on, Bishop Canevin recovered another turnover as Jermell Lindsey recovered a Steel Valley fumble.
Next week, Bishop Canevin will travel to Laurel to continue nonconference play while Steel Valley will begin conference play on the road at South Park.
