Ensemble cast gets it done for Fort Cherry
By Joe Smeltzer
For the Observer-Reporter
newsroom@observer-reporter.com
CORAOPOLIS – Anybody who thinks Fort Cherry is a one-man team should have been watching Friday night.
Matt Sieg justifiably commands most of the attention.
After all, it’s not often a school like Fort Cherry gets the No. 2 player in Pennsylvania or a Penn State commit, and Sieg is both.
Although Sieg did have an 82-yard interception return, he didn’t do a ton before or after that, and he didn’t have to.
Whereas WPIAL fans are used to No. 3 dominating, it was more of an ensemble cast that told the story of Fort Cherry’s 40-0 win.
One of Sieg’s classmates, Blake Sweder, had a fumble recovery for a touchdown and an interception before the first quarter was through.
Another classmate, Nik Massey, had a pick that set up a touchdown.
After the defense stuffed OLSH (1-1) with a three-and-out that netted negative 10 yards, it took Fort Cherry (2-0) five plays — all runs — to go 63 yards.
Landon Trnavsky gained 49 of those on his touchdown run.
Sixteen seconds later, Fort Cherry scored again, this time on defense. Blake Sweder recovered a fumble and ran it in 21 yards to put Fort Cherry up by two scores.
Sweder struck again on the next possession with an interception.
The next time Fort Cherry was on defense, Nik Massey had a pick that went for a touchdown but was called back for a holding penalty on the return.
It didn’t matter much. Sieg ended that drive with a six-yard touchdown run that put Fort Cherry up by three scores.
OLSH kept fighting, driving it to Fort Cherry’s five-yard line on its next possession. But a blocked field goal kept it a three-score game.
If there were any doubt about the outcome, Sieg’s interception erased it.
Next up, OLSH looks to bounce back at Seton LaSalle. Fort Cherry takes on West Greene for its home opener.