Trinity beats LH to secure first conference title since 1986
Observer-Reporter
UNIONTOWN – For the first time in 39 years, Trinity is a WPIAL football conference champion.
The Hillers defeated Laurel Highlands, 48-0, Friday night to clinch at least a share of the Class 4A Big Six Conference title.
Trinity last won a conference title in 1986.
The Hillers can finish off an unbeaten conference season and secure the conference outright with a win against Belle Vernon next Friday. Regardless of next Friday’s result, the Hillers guaranteed themselves the top seed out of the conference.
Senior quarterback Jonah Williamson and junior running back Owen Gardner led the way for the Hillers.
Williamson, a Harvard commit, threw for 141 yards and three touchdown passes. Gardner ran in two touchdowns and caught another. He finished with 123 yards on a dozen carries.
After a scoreless first quarter the Hillers broke through with five touchdowns in the second.
Trinity (4-0, 5-4) stopped Laurel Highlands (0-4, 2-7) on a fourth down play near midfield on the first play of the second quarter. Then, Gardner broke through the line and raced into the end zone untouched for a 49-yard touchdown at the 11:36 mark. A bad snap nullified an extra point attempt, keeping the score 6-0.
Laurel Highlands went three-and-out on its next possession and Trinity struck again shortly after.
Williamson uncorked a deep pass to a wide open Chase Kostelnik for a 69-yard touchdown and Evan Slagle’s extra point made it 13-0 at 9:15.
The Hillers added a third touchdown on a 1-yard pass from Williamson to Braden Berdar. A 16-yard connection from Williamson to Owen Samogala set up the touchdown. Cooper Cincinnati nailed the extra point to give the Hillers a 20-0 lead with 4:14 remaining in the first half.
Ayvari Chandler scored Trinity’s fourth touchdown by returning a punt 57 yards. He stiff-armed a Laurel Highlands defender at the five-yard line before crossing the goal line.
Gardner capped Trinity’s second quarter scoring barrage with a 1-yard touchdown run with 31 seconds remaining in the second making it 34-0 going into the break.
Daniel Glass returned a punt 60-yards for a touchdown less than two minutes into the third quarter to invoke the mercy rule.
Laurel Highlands muffed the ensuing kick off and Trinity recovered at the Mustangs’ 30.
Trinity cashed in the turnover with a 4-yard pass from Williamson to Gardner to make it 48-0.
Both teams’ first possession ended in a turnover.
Trinity drove down inside the Laurel Highlands 15 yard line on the opening possession, but came up empty, because a Williamson pass bounced off a receiver and into the hands of Laurel Highlands’ Joshua Reed for an interception.
Laurel Highlands got into Trinity territory after the interception, but miscommunication on a jet sweep play led to a fumble that Trinity jumped on at midfield.
The Hillers failed to capitalize. They went for it on fourth and six near midfield, but were stopped three yards short of a first down giving the Mustangs good field position.