Andrew Cross’ 1-yard touchdown run in overtime propelled Moon Area to a 20-13 victory over Upper St. Clair Friday night in a WPIAL Class 5A Allegheny Six Conference football matchup at Tiger Stadium.
Moon improved to 6-3 overall and 3-1 in conference play, and the win enabled the Tigers to clinch a spot in the WPIAL playoffs. Upper St. Clair fell to 7-2 overall and 2-2 in the conference.
The Tigers defense put the clamps on Upper St. Clair quarterback Ethan Hellmann, who had thrown for 1,960 yards and 25 touchdowns and just one interception coming into the game.
Hellmann, who had been completing 73% of his passes on the season, hit on just 10 of 21 passes for 88 yards and an interception.
Moon coach Ryan Linn was proud of his team’s effort.
“Our defense was lights-out,” he said. “We held them to just over 100 yards of offense when they came in averaging over 400.
“Offensively we did a great job possessing the ball and keeping their offense off the field.”
Linn said Moon’s defense was able to get some pressure on Hellmann and apply a few hits.
“And our secondary and our linebackers did a great job in coverage and didn’t give him many open receivers,” Linn said.
After a scoreless first half, Cross gave Moon a 6-0 lead on a 12-yard run and Evan Senkevich’s PAT made it 7-0.
Upper St. Clair tied the score later in the quarter and then went ahead on a 38-yard field goal in the fourth quarter. But Senkevich pulled the Tigers even with a 28-yard field goal with less than 30 seconds to play in regulation.
The two teams exchanged field goals in overtime, and then Cross went in from a yard out to give Moon the victory.
Cross completed 15 of 26 passes for 209 yards and rushed for 41 yards on 19 carries. Braeden Stuart caught six passes for 95 yards and Savario Vandetti had five catches for 64 yards.
Moon Area’s Dionte Henry Jr. #23 and Mason Hook #76 lead the team onto the field prior to playing Upper St. Clair as the Tigers took on the Panthers at Moon High School. 
Moon Area head coach Ryan Linn (white shirt) reacts to a huge offensive play against Upper St. Clair as the Tigers took on the Panthers at Moon High School. 
Moon Area’s Evan Senkevich launches a punt to an Upper St. Clair return man as the Tigers took on the Panthers at Moon High School. 
Moon Area quarterback Andrew Cross looks for some running room against the Upper St. Clair defense as the Tigers took on the Panthers at Moon High School. 
Moon Area running back Dionte Henry Jr. looks for some running room against the Upper St. Clair defense as the Tigers took on the Panthers at Moon High School. 
Moon Area kicker Evan Senkevich attempts a field goal, which was blocked by the Upper St. Clair defensive line as the Tigers took on the Panthers at Moon High School. 
Moon Area wide receiver Savario Vandetti is hauled down after a catch along the sidelines by Upper St. Clair defensive back Bryce Jones as the Tigers took on the Panthers at Moon High School. 
Moon Area quarterback Andrew Cross gets ready to launch a pass down field against the Upper St. Clair defense as the Tigers took on the Panthers at Moon High School. 
Moon Area quarterback Andrew Cross looks for some running room against the Upper St. Clair defense as the Tigers took on the Panthers at Moon High School. 
Moon Area wide receiver Jayden Turner is brought down short of a first down by Upper St. Clair defensive player after a catch as the Tigers took on the Panthers at Moon High School. 
Moon Area’s Braeden Stuart plows ahead for a short yardage pickup against the Upper St. Clair defense as the Tigers took on the Panthers at Moon High School. 
Moon Area running back Paul Bronaugh attempts to avoid a tackle by Upper St. Clair defensive lineman Ryan Robbins as the Tigers took on the Panthers at Moon High School. 
Moon Area wide receiver Savario Vandetti battles Upper St. Clair defensive player Nico D’Orazio as the Tigers took on the Panthers at Moon High School.
Photos by Mike Longo Jr.
Montour 34, Aliquippa 20
Brandon Bennett teamed with Zander Stern on a pair of touchdown passes and Bennett ran for a third, the latter of which put the Spartans on top for keeps in a Class 4A Parkway Conference win over the host Quips.
Bennett hit Stern on a 35-yard touchdown pass that tied the score 7-7 in the third quarter and after Dylan Rogers scored on a blocked punt, Aliquippa moved in front on Akiva Woods’ 3-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter. That made the score 14-13 in favor of the Quips.
Bennett then found Stern on a 58-yard touchdown pass to give Montour a 19-14 lead, but Raymond Miller returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown, and Aliquippa led 20-19.
Bennett then broke off a 23-yard touchdown run and hit Rogers on a two-point conversion to put Montour in front 27-20.
Caden Halajcio, who rushed for 113 yards on 21 carries, gave the Spartans some insurance on a 37-yard touchdown run with 2:31 remaining in the game.
Bennett rushed for 85 yards and threw for 125, completing 5 of 9 passes.
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart 18, Shady Side Academy 8
J.J. Hayden threw for a pair of touchdowns and Jamire Samuels ran for one as the Chargers downed the Bulldogs in a Class 2A Allegheny Conference matchup.
With the win, OLSH improved to 4-5 overall and 3-3 in conference play while Shady Side Academy fell to 3-5 and 1-4.
Hayden’s first scoring pass, of 17 yards to Thomas Pinno, gave the Chargers a 6-0 lead in the second quarter, and Samuels’ 1-yard touchdown run made it 12-0.
Javon Johnston’s 21-yard touchdown run and a two-point conversion pass trimmed the lead to 12-8, and Hayden connected on a 6-yard touchdown pass to Owen Nestor in the fourth quarter to complete the scoring for OLSH.
Samuels finished with 96 yards rushing on 17 carries while Hayden completed 8 of 15 passes for 98 yards.
Chartiers-Houston 27, Cornell 26
Aaron Walsh’s 19-yard touchdown pass to Brody McCrerey in the final quarter proved to be the difference as the Buccaneers came back to beat the Raiders in a Class 1A Black Hills Conference matchup at Cornell.
Cornell, which fell to 5-4 overall and 2-3 in conference play, built a 26-7 lead at halftime and then watched the Buccaneers score the final 20 points of the game to pull out the win.
Dominic Andreolli scored on a pair of 1-yard runs for Chartiers-Houston. And Walsh and McCrerey earlier hooked up on a 16-yard scoring pass to get the Bucs on the board after they trailed 12-0.
South Allegheny 64, Sto-Rox 14
Joe Gamret ran for two touchdowns and Alijah Cook teamed with Drew Cook on a pair of touchdown passes as the unbeaten Gladiators whipped the Vikings in a nonconference game.
Gamret scored twice on runs of 5 yards in the opening quarter after South Allegheny blocked a punt and Tyrone Claytor returned it for a touchdown.
The Gladiators, now 9-0, pushed across five more touchdowns in the second quarter to build a 56-6 lead at halftime
The Cooks hooked up on scoring passes of 17 and 32 yards and the Gladiators used touchdown runs from Derrick Pace, Hykeem Harrell, Malakai Myers and Claytor to put the game completely out of reach.
Marquis Thomas scored on a 52-yard run for Sto-Rox and Raymond Mason caught a 47-yard touchdown pass from Karic Willis for the Vikings, who fell to 1-8 with the loss.
Bishop Canevin 44, Monessen 7
Brady Wagner threw for four touchdowns and ran for a fifth and the Crusaders improved to 6-3 overall and 4-1 in Class 1A Black Hills Conference action by thumping the Greyhounds. Monessen fell to 5-4 overall and 2-3 in the section.
Wagner completed 13 of 18 passes for 189 yards in the win. Justin Melvin caught seven passes for 103 yards and two touchdowns for Bishop Canevin. Myontae Mott carried 12 times for 122 yards for the Crusaders.
Washington 62, Carlynton 0
Jamarie Walker ran for three touchdowns and Tristan Reed threw for two more as the Prexies built a 54-0 halftime lead and cruised past the Cougars in a Class 2A Century Conference game.
Carlynton has now lost eight straight games after winning its season opener and dropped to 0-5 in conference play. Washington improved to 8-1 overall and 5-0 in the conference.
Walker scored on runs of 58, 10 and 2 yards for the Prexies. Reed hit on touchdown passes of 44 yards to Blaise Naraskivitch and 26 yards to Caleb Patton. Naraskivitch also ran for a 64-yard touchdown.
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