University Prep advanced through the first round of the PIAA 4A state playoffs on Saturday, scoring a pair of touchdowns in the last three minutes of the game to stun Punxsutawney, 38-26, at Brookville.
The play after a Chucks’ field goal put USO down by two, Wildcats’ athlete and Buffalo commit Xair Stevenson burst around the left end, staying in bounds on his tear to the sideline and putting his team ahead for good with an 80-yard touchdown.
Punxsutawney took a 7-0 lead on the first play of the second quarter, with quarterback Maddox Hetrick collecting a low snap that bounced off the turf and taking it two yards for a touchdown.
USO responded with a 42-yard touchdown carry from Stevenson, who fought out of a shoestring tackle at the line and burst into the secondary. Although a penalty backed them up on the ensuing two-point try, Daimere Adair put the Wildcats ahead 8-7 with an eight-yard pass.
Punxsutawney recovered a botched handoff at the University Prep 4, scoring on a three yard touchdown from Hetrick to Beau Thomas that sent them to the half leading 14-8. The Wildcats took possession to start the third quarter but promptly went three-and-out before forcing Hetrick to fumble near midfield.
Adair found Zion Hauser—who had a half step on his defender—for a 24-yard touchdown pass, then Me’Laun Stamper took it up the middle on the two-point attempt to make it 16-14.
A 40-yard carry for Jordan Rutan set Punxsutawney up deep in Wildcats’ territory to start the final frame. USO forced a stop, but a 38-yard field goal gave the Chucks a one point lead. Playing at edge, Hetrick jumped a screen pass and took it 28 yards to the house just two plays later, but a fumbled snap on the point after try kept Punxsutawney’s lead to 23-16. Amir Pollard caught a pitch on the next play and found Hauser down the sideline on a double pass. Hauser caught the ball despite blanket coverage and evaded his defender for an 80-yard touchdown.
Jaquille McIntosh put the Wildcats ahead 24-23 on the two-point try, scoring on a keeper as USO continued to rotate their quarterbacks.
Punxsutawney burned more than seven minutes off the clock on their next drive, capped by a 28-yard field goal that gave them a 26-24 lead with just over two minutes to play.
Stevenson’s touchdown made it 32-26, Giving Punxsutawney a chance to take the lead on the final drive. Instead, Hauser called game, intercepting a pass on the sideline and returning it for a touchdown.
Elsewhere in the City League, Allderdice saw their season end with a 41-8 loss to Hollidaysburg.
University Prep will be back in action next weekend against Clearfield, with a 7 p.m. kickoff schedule.
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