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Saturday, October 19, 2024 | 12:05 AM
Christopher Horner | TribLive
Montour’s AJ Alston celebrates after defeating Aliquippa, 36-35, on Friday.
Christopher Horner | TribLive
Montour’s Caden Halajcio scores in the final minute against Aliquippa on Friday.
Christopher Horner | TribLive
Montour’s AJ Alston (6) is mobbed by teammates after catching a 2-point conversion in the final minute against Aliquippa on Friday.
Christopher Horner | TribLive
Montour quarterback Trey Hopper celebrates after defeating Aliquippa, 36-35, on Friday.
Christopher Horner | TribLive
Montour’s Daniel Batch catches a touchdown pass between Aliquippa’s Larry Moon and Arison Walker on Friday.
Christopher Horner | TribLive
Montour’s Daniel Batch celebrates his touchdown catch against Aliquippa on Friday.
Christopher Horner | TribLive
Montour’s Daniel Batch returns a fumble for a touchdown during the third quarter against Aliquippa on Friday.
Christopher Horner | TribLive
Montour’s AJ Alston celebrates his touchdown catch with Daniel Batch during the second quarter against Aliquippa on Friday.
Christopher Horner | TribLive
Montour’s Kaleb Platz celebrates a tackle for loss against Aliquippa on Friday.
Christopher Horner | TribLive
Montour’s Kaleb Platz scores against Aliquippa on Friday, Oct. 18, 2024, in Robinson.
Christopher Horner | TribLive
Montour’s Kaleb Platz celebrates after scoring against Aliquippa on Friday, Oct. 18, 2024, in Robinson.
Christopher Horner | TribLive
Montour’s Caden Halajcio fends off Aliquippa’s Akiva Woods on a first down run late in the fourth quarter Friday.
Christopher Horner | TribLive
Montour players celebrates after defeating Aliquippa, 36-35, on Friday, Oct. 18, 2024, in Robinson.
Montour wasn’t playing for overtime.
When running back Caden Halajcio scored with 31 seconds left Friday night to pull the Spartans within one point of Aliquippa, there was no debate about what to do next.
“Coach Lou huddled us up and said, ‘I put all of my trust in you,’” said senior quarterback Trey Hopper, who completed a two-point pass to AJ Alston that let No. 2 Montour defeat No. 1 Aliquippa, 36-35, and claim the top spot in the Parkway Conference standings.
The winning drive started with 2:08 left and covered 64 yards in eight plays. It was bolstered by a 15-yard late-hit penalty against Aliquippa and ended with Halajcio’s 2-yard touchdown run.
“When we got the ball back with two-something left, I said, if we’re fortunate enough to get in the end zone, we’re going to go for the win,” Montour coach Lou Cerro said. “If we get it in, we win. If we don’t, we don’t.”
Montour leads Aliquippa 36-35 with 31 seconds left after this 2-point pass pic.twitter.com/xmlpTY7zq1
— Chris Harlan (@CHarlan_Trib) October 19, 2024
Montour (8-0, 4-0) clinched at least a share of the conference title for the first time since 2012. The Spartans can win it outright with a victory next week over West Allegheny. They’d lost seven in a row in this series over the past six years and hadn’t beaten the Quips since 1991.
Cerro, Montour’s coach since 2005, called this a “top five” win in his coaching career.
“Two great football teams,” he said. “They’re Aliquippa. It’s a tribute to our kids that we kept fighting and fighting. … I wouldn’t be surprised if we see them again.”
The Parkway loss was Aliquippa’s first since joining the Class 4A conference in 2020, breaking a 27-game streak. The Quips (5-2, 3-1) had won four consecutive conference titles.
“We’re going to be all right,” Aliquippa coach Vashawn Patrick said. “It’s a long season. I like the passion that they ended the game with. I know they’re upset but we’ve got to regroup and think about Ambridge next week.”
Aliquippa took a 35-28 lead with 9:45 left in the fourth quarter on a pair of touchdown passes from Marques Council to Arison Walker just 74 seconds apart. The Quips’ defense tried to keep the seven-point lead but gave Montour one too many chances.
Trailing by a touchdown, Montour had four possessions in the final 10 minutes. The first three resulted in a punt, an interception and a failed fourth-down conversion.
Each time, Montour’s defense made a stand of its own. With 2:08 left, Montour got the ball back on its own 36-yard line after a fourth down sack by Nino DiMichele, setting up the Spartans’ winning drive.
Hopper, who entered as the WPIAL’s leading passer, completed 19 of 32 passes for 203 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
Alston and Daniel Batch each caught touchdowns for Montour, while Halajcio and Kaleb Platz had rushing touchdowns. Platz also made two interceptions on defense.
Montour led 21-15 at halftime and 28-21 in the third quarter.
Aliquippa running back Tikey Hayes rushed for 220 yards on 20 carries, including an 80-yard touchdown in the first quarter. The Penn State recruit was sidelined for his team’s final three possessions with an injury.
Quips sophomore Sa’Nir Brooks scored two touchdowns on nine carries.
Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at [email protected].
