Fast start propels Fort Cherry in conference opener
HOUSTON – Matt Sieg threw for two touchdowns, ran for another and made a tackle in the end zone for a safety as Fort Cherry remained undefeated with a 44-14 victory over Chartiers-Houston in the Class A Black Hills Conference opener Friday night.
Eli Salvini returned a free kick for a score and added a touchdown run, and Nik Massey hauled in a scoring pass and booted six extra points for the Rangers (1-0, 4-0). Fort Cherry has won 32 consecutive games against WPIAL opponents. The Rangers have outscored their opponents 188-28 this year.
Chartiers-Houston (0-1, 2-2) opened the game by completing a 48-yard pass into FC territory, but the Bucs turned the ball over on a fumble. The Rangers got a 48-yard run by Sieg on its first offensive play, but several snaps later Fort Cherry lost a fumble as C-H recovered on its own one-yard line.
Sieg, however, tackled Chartiers-Houston’s Amorion Levy in the end zone for a safety and 2-0 lead.
Salvini then returned the ensuing free kick 67 yards for a touchdown and 9-0 advantage.
Massey made it 16-0 when he hauled in an 18-yard TD pass from Sieg late in the first quarter. After Chartiers-Houston drove to the FC six-yard line, the Bucs lost another fumble on a sack by Jordan Bianchini. A couple of plays later, Landon Trnavsky took a screen pass from Sieg and bolted 60 yards up the middle for a touchdown that put the Rangers on top 23-0.
Sieg made it 30-0 when he scored on a 26-yard scamper, and Salvini closed the first-half scoring with a two-yard plunge. The TD came one play after Salvini had a 32-yard run around left end.
Christian Yanosko had a 48-yard scoring jaunt in the third quarter.
Chartiers-Houston reached the end zone in the final minute of the third quarter. Levy blocked a Fort Cherry quick kick, setting up the Bucs deep in FC territory. Levy then scored on a three-yard run.
On C-H’s next possession, quarterback Elijah Hoy had a 29-yard run on a busted play, setting up the second touchdown of the game for Levy, a 30-yard burst that capped the scoring.