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 over Our Lady of the Sacred Heart.
“We played a little sloppy at times,” FC coach Tanner Garry said. “It’s the second game of the year. I thought that our physicality was exactly where I wanted it to be at any point of the season. The issue is with some of the dumb mistakes, penalties, things that will hurt you down the line. But overall, I thought the kids did a good job executing. There’s stuff that we can still work out, but it’s definitely a step in the right direction.”
One of Sieg’s classmates, Blake Sweder, had a fumble recovery for a touchdown and an interception before the first quarter was through.
Sweder broke down both plays.
“I didn’t hear a whistle,” he said of the fumble. “So I was like, ‘I’m going for the ball.’ So I scooped it, didn’t hear a whistle and just ran for the end zone.”
“The interception, I saw the QB turn his shoulders, my teammate was going back on him, I knew he was throwing it. So I tracked the ball and caught it.”
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.
16 seconds later, Fort Cherry scored again, this time on defense. 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.
“We played very physical,” Sweeder said. “Just overall, we played really well on defense.”
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, Fort Cherry takes on West Greene for its home opener. The program is getting a turf field that Garry said is expected to be ready by that time.
“It’s going to feel great,” Sweder said of the turf. “Hopefully, all the fans come out and it’s going to be an exciting game.It’s going to be a great first game.”