Trojans storm back to down Crushers

Source: The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pa.存倉Oct. 12--Twice during Friday's game at Trojan Stadium, the Bishop McCort Crimson Crushers held a 14-point lead over the Greater Johnstown Trojans.Twice the Trojans rallied.The second time, Greater Johnstown overcame a 10-point gap early in the fourth with 20 unanswered points on its way to a 41-31 win over Bishop McCort.The fourth quarter rally saw the Trojans (3-4)?turn Bishop McCort over twice in its own territory ? once by aJesaiah Wilson interception and the other time on downs.Both of the ensuing drives ended in Jayvon Braxton touchdowns. One gave Greater Johnstown a 34-31 edge. The latter -- a spinning 21-yard run that saw Braxton emerging through a third-down scrum in reverse before reaching the end zone -- sealed the win for the Trojans."These kids have been through a lot and they just kept plugging and kept working,"?Greater Johnstown coach Tony Penna Jr. said. "They just wouldn't quit tonight. I'm so proud of them."?Bishop McCort (1-6) led 14-0 in the first quarter and took a 28-14 lead during the third quarter before the Trojans rallied back in the fourth."Offensively we didn't get the wheels turning too much," Bishop McCort coach Kevin Sheridan said. "We were on the wrong side of field position and playing on the wrong side of the field most of the fourth quarter. Johnstown made a big interception and they were able to control the ball on the ground."?Leading 28-21 with the ball at the Greater Johnstown 1 to the start the fourth quarter, a procedure flag against the Crimson Crushers brought on kicker Braden Junker to expand the Bishop McCort lead with a 22-yard field goal.The Trojans responded in the form of a 13-play, 80-yard drive with Jeremy Updyke reaching the ball across the goal-line from inside the 1. Two plays into the ensuing Bishop McCort drive, Blake Wade's pass to Luke DiFrancesco was intercepted by Wilson's diving effort.The 21-yard march wrapped up in four plays with Braxton toting the ball in from the 5."That's one special kid right there,"?Penna said. "That's all heart and guts. That's what he's shown since he was a puppy here. No shock there."?A 5-yard gain on a fourth-and-8 snap gave Greater Johnstown possession deep inside Crimson Crushers real estate again. On a third-and-15 snap, Braxton wiggled through a sea of Bishop McCort d儲存fenders packing the box on his way to a 21-yard score.The ending was almost an exact opposite of how the game opened for both squads.Bishop McCort opened the game with an 11-play drive capped when Tyler Rugg dove in on a 2-yard run. The Trojans gave the ball right back to Bishop McCort when Kareem Gibson coughed up the ball at his squad's 34.Ethan Neiderhiser's recovery put the Crimson Crushers in gear again with Rugg toting the ball in from the 2.Updyke put the Trojans on the board early in the second with a 28-yard pass to Kevin Brandon. Following a Crimson Crushers punt ? one that pinned Greater Johnstown at its 6 -- Updyke and Willie Robinson conspired to move the Trojans down the field in a hurry thanks to an 84-yard completion that took the ball to the Bishop McCort 9. A 3-yard pass to Gibson on fourth-and-goal knotted the score at 14-all.Wade's two touchdown passes allowed Bishop McCort to take its second 14-point lead with his second-quarter strike to Jacob Burgo covering 11 yards ? completing a five-play march highlighted by Rugg's 63-yard run to the Greater Johnstown 10.Rugg finished with 152 yards on 23 rushes with two touchdowns."Tyler ran the ball hard from the get-go,"?Sheridan said. "We knew that would be a part of our offensive scheme and I think he was the spark for us early on and he got the offensive line behind him. That had a lot to do with our early success."?A 17-yard arcing pass to Nemo Trexler early in the third put Bishop McCort ahead 28-14.Updyke, who passed for 211 yards and three touchdowns, drew the hosts within a score on the ensuing drive with Robinson bringing down a 13-yard pass in the end zone.Robinson finished with 132 receiving yards while Terrell Jones led the Trojans on the ground with 99 yards on 14 carries -- most of those yards coming in the second half."We adjusted at halftime,"?Penna said. "We went and talked to the linemen. We knew (Bishop McCort) would be looking pass and our coaches made adjustments, they found some holes and our backs and linemen did the rest."?Greater Johnstown hosts Bishop Carroll next week while Bishop McCort returns to Point Stadium to welcome Cambria Heights.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 The Tribune-Democrat (Johnstown, Pa.) Visit The Tribune-Democrat (Johnstown, Pa.) at .tribune-democrat.com Distributed by MCT Information Services迷你倉