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Jeannette takes advantage of turnovers to beat Yough
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By Paul Schofield
Published: Friday, September 14, 2012, 11:02 p.m.
Updated: Saturday, September 15, 2012
If Yough learned anything Friday, it was teams can't make mistakes in big games.
That's what the Cougars did in their first-place showdown with No. 4 Jeannette, and it cost them.
Jeannette turned three turnovers into touchdowns during a 32-point second quarter and rolled to a 45-13 win at McKee Stadium.
Jordan Edmunds rushed for 158 yards on 19 carries and scored the game's first two touchdowns (runs of 5 and 45 yards), and Damone Morton scored two touchdowns defensively, recovering a fumble in the end zone and returning an interception 58 yards on the final play of the first half.
Jeannette (3-0, 3-0) rushed for 326 yards as Shavonta Craft had 82 yards and a touchdown, and Anthony Canady added 34 yards and a score.
Yough (2-1, 2-1) gambled and lost on its first possession. Running back Christian Williams was nailed in the backfield by a blitzing Canady for a yard loss on fourth-and-2 from the Yough 48-yard line.
“It was a bonehead call by me,” Yough coach Mark Crovak said. “I gave them a short field right away. We made too many mistakes, especially against a team like Jeannette.”
Jeannette's first two drives started in Yough territory, and Edmunds scored both times.
“We told the players that this would be the best team we've faced so far this season,” Jeannette coach Roy Hall said. “It was a challenge because they have a nice offense. The credit goes to Anthony, who moved inside because of an injury to Michael Wise. It was a big play for us.”
In the second quarter, with a steady rain falling, Yough self-destructed.
A low snap forced Tyler Donahue's knee to touch the ground on fourth down. Two plays later, Craft darted 31 yards for a score.
On Yough's next play, the ball sailed past Donahue into the end zone, and Morton recovered for a touchdown to make the score 28-0.
Two plays later, Morton forced and recovered a fumble at the Yough 22 before Canady scored for a 35-0 lead.
“It was a learning experience,” Crovak said. “Our effort was good, but we made too many physical and mental mistakes.”
Donahue, who completed 11 of 23 passes for 165 yards, tossed a 43-yard strike to Clay Waldron to cut the deficit to 35-7.
But Seth Miller booted a 41-yard field goal, and Morton's interception return made the score 45-7 at halftime.
Paul Schofield is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at pschofield@tribweb.com or 724-835-5095.
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