River Hawks Soar to Victory Over Indiana on the Wing of Sophomore Quarterback Cadin Olsen

Tagged under: District 7, Gameday Hub, News

TC Jones | September 11, 2020

When an underclassman quarterback makes his debut, there are always a lot of unknowns. Will the nerves get to him? Will he hold his composure? Will all the strengths he’s shown in practice translate to game time situations? 

Sophomore quarterback Cadin Olsen clearly answered those questions and put any doubts as to whether an underclassman starting his first game under center could handle the pressure. Not only did he maintain his composure, but he also lit up the scoreboard and stat sheet. 

“Cadin throws a nice deep ball,” Coach Frank Fabian said in the post-game interview with High Top Sports Network who broadcast the game, “It’s been a piece of our offense that has been missing over the last few years.”

Throwing for 394 yards and 3 touchdowns, Olsen announced himself to the Indiana defense and to Section 2 and the rest of class 4A in the WPIAL, leading Armstrong to a 21-7 in a season-opening victory on a beautiful early fall evening along the Allegheny River.

“What a debut,” his coach praised. “Almost 400 yards is something to remember.”

Even though Olsen put up big numbers, victory wasn’t carried on his shoulders alone. Brothers Cole and Isaiah Brown showed their strengths both running and receiving, and senior receiver Jesse Hepler came down with multiple explosive catches, ending the game with over 100 yards. 

That said, the game opened sloppily, with both teams exchanging multiple penalties and trading turnovers, leading to the score knotted at zero after the first quarter. 

But the second quarter was a different story. The River Hawks sprang to life, rattling off 14 unanswered points behind two beautiful touchdown throws by Olsen, highlighting perfect touch on the passes so his receivers never had to break stride. Armstrong entered the half up 14-0. 

For a triple-option oriented team like Indiana, being down by two scores after two quarters was bound to be an uphill battle. But that didn’t mean they didn’t show signs that they have the weapons for a successful season. 

Indian’s junior running back Zach Herrington and junior quarterback Devin Flint both had big games on the ground, with Herrington grinding for over 100 yards rushing and Flint scoring a long touchdown on a great read on a QB keeper in the 4th quarter.

But give credit to Armstrong’s defensive line for keeping Indiana’s offensive threats at bay. Every time the Indian’s were on the move, the River Hawk’s defense found a way to penetrate the backfield to make stops for a loss. 

Unnecessary penalties hampered Indiana’s offensive efforts all game, and when they finally found some rhythm in the final quarter, it was too little too late — the triple-option style eating up the clock. In the end, the Indian’s late offensive resurgence was too little too late, as Armstrong left the field with everyone talking about the River Hawk sophomore with the big arm and sporting a 21-7 victory.  

But the Armstrong coach reminded everyone that it is just one game. “I’m happy for our team,” Coach Fabian said. “But we still have a lot to work on going forward.”

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