UNIONTOWN, Pa. — University needed a lift before going into the locker room at halftime Fridat night at Albert Gallatin.
The Colonials had just scored on a 4th and 9 from the UHS 24-yard line to take a 14-7 lead with under two minutes to go in the first half, and with the way AGHS runs its offense, milking the clock was certainly an option in the second half.
The Hawks were able to get down the first quickly, but with just 2.8 seconds left at the Colonials’ 21-yard line, it had one chance.
Quarterback Chase Edwards and wide receiver Sage Clawges made the play UHS needed.
Edwards’ lob into the end zone was hauled in by Clawges, who tapped one foot in at the back of the end zone as the Hawks were able to tie it up 14-14 heading into the locker room.
That momentum swing was exactly what the doctor ordered, and in the final two quarters, UHS wore down AGHS, outscoring the Colonials 22-0 on its way to a 36-14 win to remain unbeaten at 6-0.
“We had great corrections and adjustments by our defensive coordinator Justin Hensley,” head coach John Kelley said. “I was walking up and down saying we aint gonna win this game, because we couldn’t get the ball back. We only had the ball three or four times in the first half — you can’t score if you don’t have the ball. Our offense wasn’t struggling, we just couldn’t stop them.”
Albert Gallatin (4-2) started running a variation of the triple-option last week against Allegheny, with the premise being direct snaps to a variety of ball-carriers with several lined up in the backfield, keeping the defense guessing.
On the opening drive of the game, the Colonials took 11 plays, all runs, to score a touchdown and melt half the quarter off the clock.
Long, methodical drives were what they wanted to do, but the Hawks were able to force turnovers on fumbles three times in the second half, including a 19-yard touchdown return by Jaeden Hammack to put UHS up two scores in the third quarter.
However, the AGHS got a taste of its own medicine in the second half when Colin McBee had six carries for 51 yards in a grind-it-out scoring drive that ended in him finding the end zone to put UHS up 21-14.
“We knew we had to come out and set the tone and finish the game off strong,” McBee said. “They just gave me the ball and I did what I needed to do.”
McBee had 10 second-half carries and finished with 91 yards and three touchdowns. According to Kelley, McBee’s attitude is just one example of why his team is sitting pretty at 6-0.
“I’ve had some great running backs here and some great kids, but I don’t know if I’ve had anybody with more heart, more desire and more clutch runs like he has,” Kelley said of McBee. “He’s an absolutely amazing young man and he’s carrying this team on his back with playing both ways. He would not be denied with his three touchdowns.”
Edwards finished with 178 yards passing, while Clawges had three catches for 88 yards.
This is UHS’s first 6-0 start since it went undefeated in the regular season in 2017, and the Hawks will look to extend their win streak at Buckhannon-Upshur next week. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
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University 0 14 15 7 – 36
Albert Gallatin 6 8 0 0 – 14
SCORING SUMMARY
AGHS — Matzus-Chapman 9 run (kick no good)
UHS — McBee 5 run (Coleman kick)
AGHS — Fabrycki 24 pass from Matzus-Chapman (Matzus-Chapman run)
UHS — Clawges 21 pass from Edwards (Coleman kick)
UHS — McBee 5 run (Coleman kick)
UHS — Hammack 19 fumble return (McBee run)
UHS — McBee 3 run (Coleman kick)
INDIVUDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING
UHS — Cunningham 1-4; McBee 15-91 3TD; Edwards 3-(-5); Cross 3-11; Hudson 1-(-4); Lewis 2-9. Totals: 25-106 3TD. AGHS — Loring 5-51; Larkin 2-6; Fabrycki 13-55; Matzus-Chapman 19-60 TD; Dehaven 1-0; Bowers 2-9. Totals: 42-181 TD.
PASSING
UHS — Edwards 11-18-1 178 TD. AGHS — Matzus-Chapman 2-4 28 TD; Larkin 0-2; Fabrycki 0-1.
RECEIVING
UHS — Braham 4-44; Clawges 3-88 TD; Smith 1-5; Hammakc 1-13; McBee 1-19; Cunningham 1-9. AGHS — Fabrycki 2-28 TD.
