By Steve ruman

sports@vindy.com

WARREN

In a game which featured one big play after another, 48 minutes wasn’t enough time to decide a winner.

Warren John F. Kennedy — and Thomas Yanovich in particular — made two big plays in overtime, and the result was an Eagles 28-21 win over LaBrae at Mollenkopf Stadium.

Yanovich pulled in a Greg Valent pass and rumbled 15 yards, setting up Kennedy’s overtime touchdown — a 1-yard run by Dominic Scott. On LaBrae’s overtime possession, Yanovich ended the contest with an interception on a third-and-14 play.

The interception was Yanovich’s second of the night.

“Tommy is a great student of the game, he is a great player,” said Kennedy coach Jeff Bayuk. “He not only made some big plays in overtime, he made big plays defensively, erasing some plays that came through the hole.”

Early on, it was all LaBrae (1-1) as the Vikings raced out to a 14-0 lead.

LaBrae wideout Walt Allie made the first big play of the night when he pulled in a tipped pass and raced 85 yards to give the Vikings a 7-0 lead.

On LaBrae’s next possession, quarterback Kent Wolford (18 of 40, 303 yards) hooked up with Benton Tennant on a 49-yard pass play to extend the Vikings’ lead to 14-0.

Kennedy (2-0) used a 43-yard Alex Burzynski run to cut its deficit in half just before intermission. The Eagles then tied the game on a Valent 45-yard hook-up to Isaac Hadley on their first possession of the second half.

The two teams then traded touchdowns to force overtime.

LaBrae had an opportunity to win it in regulation, but a 38-yard field goal attempt was blocked with four seconds remaining on the clock.

“This is always a good game because it’s just a great natural rivalry, and I hope that rivalry continues,” Bayuk said. “LaBrae did everything they had to do to win the game. Sometimes it just doesn’t end that way. I’ve been on both ends, so I know what they are feeling.

“I can’t give them enough credit. But I also have to say that you can never underestimate the heart of a champion. And our kids played like champions when they needed to.”

LaBrae coach John Armeni insists his team will bounce back from the defeat.

“I’m kind of at a loss for words, we didn’t come here to lose,” Armeni said. “At this point in our program, we don’t consider staying close to the defensing state champions a moral victory.

“Our kids are disappointed. We’ll lick our wounds a little bit, and we’ll come back ready to play next week.

LaBrae will look to rebound when it hosts Lakeview. Kennedy will look to remain perfect when it hosts Girard.