Allegheny tops Titans in 2 overtimes, 21-14

Jimmy Savage and Vincent Werner came up with the big plays for the Gators.
By BILL ALBRIGHT
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
NEW WILMINGTON -- For the second year in a row, it took overtime to decide the issue between Westminster and Allegheny.
One year ago, it was the Titans who outlasted the Gators 3-0 in the mud at Robertson Field. Saturday at Burry Stadium, it was the Gators who walked off the field with the win, as they came from behind to down the Titans, 21-14, in double overtime.
"I have a lot of respect for Westminster. We keep playing them and each time it turns into a real dog fight," said Allegheny coach Mark Matlak. "You have to give their guys a lot of credit because they dominated us in the first half, but our kids never gave up."
Although disappointed with the loss, Westminster coach Jerry Schmitt was happy with the way his troops battled.
"If you miss one of these games in the next few years you are crazy because that is what small college football is all about," he said. "It was a great football game and I told Mark [Matlak] that I was honored to be a part of it."
After a scoreless first overtime, the Gators drew first blood in the second OT opportunity on a 22-yard scoring run by quarterback Jimmy Savage. Jason Black's point after made it 21-14.
Werner intercepts
Needing to answer the Gators' score to stay alive, the Titans were turned away on third down when J. R. Barley's pass was picked off by linebacker Vincent Werner.
Trailing 14-6 with time running out in regulation, the Titans put on a march that was culminated by a Barley to Brian Ekis (Boardman High) pass for a 16-yard touchdown. Following the Ekis score with 3:06 remaining, Titans tailback Scott Froelich leaped his way in to the end zone for the two-point conversion to tie the score at 14-all.
"That was a big moment in the game for me. Not only because it was at that point in the game, but it was the first one of the year." said Ekis, who is a graduate of Boardman High.
"It takes the weight off your shoulders and everybody else starts feeling like, hey, we can do this and get the job done."
Despite drawing double coverage for most of the game, Ekis still managed to get nine catches for 141 yards.
"They obviously had a plan for me," said Ekis about the coverage. "I am the only returning receiver and after the numbers I put up last year, they are going to try and take me out of the game and make the younger players make plays. But you still have to make plays."
Malactaris kicks pair
Although the Titans controlled much of the action in the first half, they only put six points on the board, on two field goals by Campbell Memorial High's George Malactaris.
For Schmitt, that caused concern, while for Matlak and his staff, they were relieved to only be down by that margin.
"That gives you great fear because when you play that well and don't put the points on the board, you have that possibility of a little bit of a letdown," said Schmitt. "When that happens, you give the other team the opportunity to stay in the game and today, that is what happened."
"Absolutely we were happy to be there [down by six points] because they kicked out butts and took our names," said Matlak. "We [the coaches] did feel pretty good about where we were and I told the guys that at halftime."
With the Gators holding onto a slim 7-6 lead early in the fourth quarter, it was the Allegheny defense that came up with the big play that might have turned things around as Werner made hit first of two big plays in the game by scooping up a Titan fumble and returning it for 25 yards for a score.
"That was a big play for us," said Matlak. "That turned the game around for us because we were sputtering on offense."