Sharpsville bolts into lead, but West Middlesex prevails

For the third week in a row, West Middlesex senior Kolten Hoffman came up big.
By BILL ALBRIGHT
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
SLIPPERY ROCK -- Trailing 13-7 at halftime, West Middlesex (13-0) ripped off 28 unanswered points in the second half en route to a convincing 35-13 win over Sharpsville, to remain unbeaten and capture the District 10 Class A championship Friday night at N. Kerr Thompson Stadium.
"What an incredible group of young men and I am so proud of their effort in coming back to win the championship," said West Middlesex coach Brian Hoffman. "We have a group of eight incredible seniors on this squad, and tonight it all came to a head as they won the district championship."
After Sharpsville (9-4) scored the first 13 points, Hoffman and his staff challenged the Big Reds at the break. It marked the first time this season that West Middlesex found themselves trailing in a game.
Faced adversity
"Tonight was the first time this season they had to face adversity," said Hoffman. "We found ourselves trailing a good Sharpsville football team and I told them that we [the coaches] had done what we wanted to do 'X' and 'O' wise, but now we need some leaders to step up and take control of the situation and they did that and more."
Sharpsville coach Paul Piccirilli was happy with the way his team started, but he was not surprised that the Big Reds were able to mount their comeback.
"I thought our kids played well in the first half, but the bottom line is that whole [West Middlesex] team is back from last year with all of their athletes," he said. "Any time you get athletes with the speed they have, that is a great combination.
"Unfortunately we are a little bit slower than we have been in the past so we had to try and do what we do well and this was try to move the ball on the ground but it does catch up to you."
For the third week in a row, West Middlesex senior Kolten Hoffman came up big. He rushed for 76 yards and three touchdowns, passed for 76 yards and intercepted a pass and returned it 70 yards for a fourth touchdown.
"The ball just bounced up into my hands and I just started running with it," said Hoffman about his interception return for the touchdown. "The guys turned into an offensive team nicely. I got some good blocks from them and I just ran and tried to break some tackles. When I hit the 20-yard line, I went to cut in, and although I didn't have much left in my legs, I just kept running."
Momentum swing
Late in the third quarter, with Sharpsville still ahead 13-7, Josh Brown created a momentum swing for West Middlesex when he returned a punt 61 yards to the Sharpsville 34. Two plays later, Hoffman called his own number and ripped off a 31-yard TD run and Brown added the PAT and with the 14-13 lead, the Big Reds never looked back.
"That return by Josh was just huge," said Kelton Hoffman. "After that, the momentum was in our favor for the rest of the game. Josh comes to work every day and when he gets his hands on the ball, you know something good is going to happen."
The Big Reds put the game away in the final period on a 1-yard run by Hoffman, a 51-yard TD by Lucas Allen and Hoffman's interception return.
The Big Reds will next face either Coudersport or Curwensville next weekend.