Westinghouse Falls in State Title Game
Tagged under: District 3, District 9, Gameday Hub, News, Playoffs
Marcus Sic | December 9, 2022
FORTH QUARTER DOES BULLDOGS IN
What was a defensive battle for three quarters morphed in to a scoring bonanza, as Southern Columbia outscored the Bulldogs 22 to 8 denying Westinghouse Academy their first State Championship 37 to 22. Westinghouse had only given up 18 points in one game, to 1A Champion Steelton-Highspire, all season. Coach Donta Green’s team came into the title game scoring 44 points, while giving up only 8 points a game, for the first three quarters of the game the defense lived up to their reputation holding the mighty 5 time defending champion Southern Columbia to 15 points. The offense started off the scoring in the first quarter when Kahil Taylor busted up the middle for 22 yards capping off a 4 play 72 yard Bulldog drive. The touchdown run was set up by 29 yard draw play by Quarterback Keyshawn Morsillo, as he worked through the Tiger defense breaking tackles. The extra point sailed wide giving the Bulldogs a 6-0 lead.
Both defenses were impressive as they held the each other’s offenses in check. Ty Abrams seemed to be everywhere on the field, he led the defense with 10 tackles, 6 tackles were for loses. With about 10 minutes to go in the first half the Bulldogs faced a fourth and 4 from their own 26 yardline. In a surprise move the offense stayed on the field and when Morsilli’s pass fell to the ground Southern Columbia took over deep in Westinghouse’s territory. The Tigers got the ball to the three yard line and seemed to have a walk in touchdown, that was until a Bulldog defender blasted the runner, stopping him at the three inch line. From there in came Southern Columbia’s running QB who would barely cross the goal on a QB sneak. The extra point was good making the score 7-6. When asked after the game about going for it deep in his own territory Coach Green owned the call and said he would do it again, “10 times out of ten I would go for it, in that situation I felt we would get the first down. 100 times out of 100 I’ll bet on my guys.” The Tigers seemed to grab momentum before halftime, their outstanding running back Braeden Wisloski broke several tackles on a spectacular 32 yard run to the Bulldog’s 16. From there Taymir O’Neal, 8 solo tackles 13 total tackles, took over the game. He knifed in dropping the Tiger’s runner, then brought down Wisloski and the Tigers were left only with a field goal attempt, the kick sailed wide keeping it a 1 point game. After a 30 yard QB draw, it looked like the Bulldogs might score but a couple penalties ended the half.
Southern Columbia drove the ball to begin the second half, but fumbled when they got across the midfield strip. After a change of possession Wisloski rumbled 38 yards to put the Tigers up 15-6. Back came the Bulldogs when Morsillo hit Kahil Taylor with a screen pass that looked like a 13 yard gain, Taylor then spun out of the defender’s clutches and sped down the sideline for a 54 yard touchdown. Morsilli hit Davon Jones on a corner route for the two point conversion, making it a one point game 15-14, heading into the fourth quarter.
In the fourth quarter the Southern Columbia runners were able to break free for a couple of long touchdown runs making the score 29-14. After a Tiger fumble, Morsilli connected on a beautiful 53 yard bomb to Davon Jones, then hit him for the 2 point conversion, closing the score to 29-22. That as close as the Bulldogs would get, after a failed onsides kick, the Tigers scored quickly making the final score 37-22. After the game Coach Green expressed how proud he was of his players and his coaches, “These young men by no means have to hang their heads or feel bad. No need to hang their head, they have integrity.” “This is a blip in time, 20 or 30 years for now will be talking about this at their wedding, talking about their successes,” he added.
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