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Trinity goes two overtimes for win
When it's gut-check time, WPIAL football teams like Blackhawk own a history of winning games. Teams like Trinity, well, they mostly have decades of losing in such situations.
And Friday night's non-conference clash between the two Class AAA playoff hopefuls at Hiller Field certainly qualified as a gut check.
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"These kids want to be successful," Trinity coach Ed Dalton said. "I don't know if Blackhawk will be 8-1 or 2-7. I really don't care. A couple years ago, we beat Penn Hills. Now, we've beat Blackhawk. That's the second name program we've beaten, and the name on the front of the jersey matters. Anytime you play Blackhawk, you need to answer the bell."
Trinity (1-1) sure did that, thanks to some big performances from Mike Yancich and Andrew Sweat, along with the game's big play by Brandon Weaver.
Yancich, battling leg cramps throughout the second half, looked like he could play tailback next year at Penn State. He sliced through Blackhawk (1-1) for a career-high 214 yards and three touchdowns on runs of 29, 66 and 1 yards.
"I have to commend my linemen. They blocked hard the whole game," Yancich said. "When people say the heart and soul of this team, well, our line is the heart of soul of this team."
Yancich's final touchdown was the most critical. It latter came in the second overtime and was followed by Jon Murphy's extremely important extra point.
"Special teams are huge," Sweat said.
Indeed they are, and Weaver showed how huge on Blackhawk's next possession.
The Cougars answered Trinity's touchdown with a one-yard pass from Zach Hayward to Brooks Roorback, the third time the duo hooked up for a score.
With Trinity grasping to a 34-33 play, Weaver made a bold prediction to Yancich.
"I told him I was getting that extra point," Weaver said. "I just had a feeling I'd get it."
Weaver, who fumbled inside the Blackhawk 20-yard-line when Trinity had a chance to put the game away, blew past a would-be blocker and dove toward Cougars kicker Matt Greiner, who had missed a second-quarter conversion attempt.
A senior safety, Weaver blocked the kick and a wild Trinity celebration ensued.
"They weren't blocking me all day," Weaver said, as he clutched the game ball tightly in his right hand. "I knew I had a chance to get one."
Trinity, which lost to Canon-McMillan in its season opener, had to get this one.
"I think this game speaks volumes about us," said Sweat, who turned in another sensational defensive performance with 15 solo tackles and too many assisted tackles to count. "In a way, this was like a bonding game. We had to come together as a team to win this."
