The McKeesport Tigers Dominate Greater Latrobe Wildcats 42-14

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Ryan Thielet | October 21, 2023

If you are a fan of smash-mouth football, this was the game for you. The game started off slow, with only three scores in the first half. Then came the third quarter, which started quickly with a long kick return touchdown by the WildCats. After that, the Tiger offense showed its prowess, scoring 28 straight points in the half and finishing 42-14 in favor of the Tigers.

The first quarter saw only one scoring drive, which happened on the game’s opening possession. The Tigers needed just four plays to score. A 55-yard run by Anthony Boyd set up a 12-yard touchdown run by Keith Spell, making the score 7-0. After this score, the Wildcats struggled to make any progress, punting the ball away after just three plays. The Tigers suffered the same fate and only had the ball for three downs. The next Wildcat drive was longer, lasting nine plays. This took us into the second quarter.

TIGERS STRIKES WITH A RUSHING TOUCHDOWN SCORED BY Keith Spell

Score @McKTigersFB 7@GLCATATHLETICS 0@PaFootballNews pic.twitter.com/uJ5xpAX7ku

— Ryan Thielet (@gingeryinzer09) October 20, 2023

The start of the second quarter began with a punt from the Wildcats. The Tigers, for the second consecutive drive, ended in just three plays. This drive for the Wildcats turned into their first score, as John Wetzel punched in a 28-yard touchdown, tying the game at 7 a piece with 3:24 on the clock. The Tigers’ offense quickly responded, with Garrett Tarker having an impressive 14-yard run, making the score 14-7 with 1:19 left. The Wildcats got the ball back but were limited to just three plays due to the remaining time in the half.

There’s no better way to start the second half than with a significant special teams play. The big play happened on the opening kickoff when Ja’Tawn Williams ran for 95 yards, tying the game at 14-14. This was the last score for the Wildcats, as the Tigers dominated the rest of the game, scoring 28 consecutive points. Following the Wildcat’s trip to the house, the Tigers responded with Anthony Boyd breaking away again for a 36-yard run to set up another Keith Spell rushing touchdown, making the score 21-14 with 9:38 left in the third quarter. The Wildcats got the ball back but fumbled it, resulting in a Tigers’ Scoop and Score Touchdown, making it 28-14. The mistakes continued for the Wildcats, as with 6:16 left in the third quarter, they coughed up the ball again. This fumble led to a 26-yard touchdown run by Keith Spell, extending the score to 35-14 with 4:54 left in the third. But wait, there’s more. For the third consecutive drive, the Wildcats turned the ball over as Jordan Benjamin intercepted the ball with 2:23 left. This turnover led to the final score of the day, another rushing touchdown by Keith Spell, making it 42-14 with just 36.5 seconds left in the quarter. Wildcats would get the ball back at 28.5 seconds left and this drive would extend to the fourth quarter.

WHAT A WAY TO START WILDCATS WITH A 95 yard kick return by Ja’Tawn Williams @GLCATATHLETICS 14@McKTigersFB 14@PaFootballNews pic.twitter.com/2HHj6U6AZe

— Ryan Thielet (@gingeryinzer09) October 21, 2023

In the fourth quarter, the Wildcats continued with the ball. This drive spanned 8 plays but ended with a turnover on downs. The Tigers possessed the ball for the final time with exactly 8:00 minutes left in the game. They went three and out and punted the ball away once more. The Wildcats got the ball back with 5:51 remaining and concluded the game with a nine-play drive that resulted in no further points. The final score was 42-14.

This game ultimately hinged on the strength of the defenses and the ability to run the ball. Unfortunately, the Wildcats committed too many mistakes against a McKeesport team that capitalized on those forced errors. The Tiger’s offensive line deserves credit for their performance today, as they enabled their star running backs to do their business throughout the entire game.

The Tigers improved to 8-1 after this win and are set to travel to Thomas Jefferson next week with hopes of claiming their section. The Wildcats, who fell to 6-3, aim to bounce back next week as they travel to Butler.

After the game, I had the pleasure of speaking to the player of the game, Keith Spell, who shared his thoughts on his team’s key to success tonight.

Post Game Interview with Kieth Spell after a dominant performance @McKTigersFB @PaFootballNews pic.twitter.com/Lcd3Ivlmy7

— Ryan Thielet (@gingeryinzer09) October 21, 2023