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Friday, October 18, 2024 | 10:29 PM
Kiski Area’s Aven Shirley goes up for a catch, but the pass is broken up by Plum’s Tyler Baleno on Friday.
Kiski Area’s Landon Kucic carries against Plum on Friday.
Kiski Area’s Landon Kucic carries against Plum on Friday.
Plum players take the field to play Kiski Area on Friday.
Kiski Area players take the field against Plum on Friday.
Kiski Area’s Carson Heinle throws a pass before being hit by Plum’s Nick Sheffo on Friday.
Plum’s Sloan Humphries catches a pass for a touchdown against Kiski Area on Friday.
Plum’s Anthony Futules is tackled by Kiski Area’s Lucas Vacanti after a run on Friday.
Plum’s Darian Nelson (5) is congratulated in the end zone after scoring a touchdown against Kiski Area on Friday.
Plum’s Nico Signor runs the ball against Kiski Area on Friday.
Normally, a nonconference matchup in the next-to-last game of the season would not carry much significance. But, with only the top three teams in each Class 5A conference guaranteed a spot in the playoffs, Friday’s game between Plum and Kiski Area took on more importance as the final three playoff spots will be determined by the WPIAL football committee.
The Mustangs and the Cavaliers were looking to stay in the overall playoff picture and the wild-card race, and Kiski Area came out on top 15-14, courtesy of junior Austin Beck’s 31-yard field goal with 18 seconds remaining.
Kiski Area (4-5) struck first with a long scoring drive. The Cavaliers marched from midfield on 11 plays, taking more than 6 minutes off the clock, with Landon Kucic scoring from 9 yards. The point after was missed, but Kiski Area led 6-0.
Plum (2-7) got its offense on track late in the second quarter, scoring on back-to-back drives.
With the Mustangs pinned at their own 12, Nick Odom ripped off a 69-yard run. Sophomore quarterback John Nonnenberg ended the drive with an 18-yard touchdown pass to Darian Nelson to put Plum in front 7-6.
After forcing Kiski Area to punt, the Mustangs struck again with 40 seconds left before halftime. This time, Nonnenberg found junior Sloan Humphries on a fly pattern down the right sideline from 50 yards. That score gave Plum a 14-6 lead at halftime.
Nonnenberg threw for 106 yards and two scores, and Humphries had four catches for 127 yards and the score. That would be the final points on the night for Plum.
Kucic broke free for a 48-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter for the Cavaliers. Carson Heinle’s pass on the 2-point attempt to Aven Shirley was incomplete, and Plum still led 14-12.
Kucic, who has 14 touchdowns on the season, is a workhorse, quarterback Carson Heinle said.
“Our defense did great and got a lot of stops,” Heinle said. “Landon runs the ball so hard. He takes the pressure off me. It was just a great team win.”
The Mustangs would miss a 36-yard field goal halfway through the fourth quarter, which helped set up Kiski Area for the late-game win.
After the miss, the Cavaliers started at their own 20-yard line. Twice on the drive, Kiski Area took timeouts to convert on fourth down. The Cavaliers nearly had the go-ahead touchdown, when Heinle found Shirley on a crossing route for a 73-yard touchdown, but the play was called back for a holding penalty.
“There are ups and down in football, but it’s all about staying together and persevering,” Heinle said. “I was very confident on the field-goal try because we always rep through game situations like that in practice.”
Added coach Sam Albert: “Our kids never quit, I can’t say enough good about them. This senior group, they are great leaders. I’m just really proud of everybody tonight.”
Heinle and Shirley hooked up six times for 65 yards, and on the winning drive, they reversed roles, with Shirley throwing an 11-yard pass to Heinle on a flanker option. On third-and-long, Plum was flagged for pass interference, giving the Cavaliers a third-and-1 from the 14-yard line. After a Plum timeout, Beck was true on a 31-yard field goal, giving Kiski Area the all-important one-point victory.
Albert lauded his first-year kicker, who missed an extra point and a field goal earlier in the game.
“That typifies what were about,” Albert said. “He misses those kicks. He didn’t quit and came rightback and won the game for us.”
Plum plays its home Northeast Conference finale next week against rival Penn Hills.
Kiski Area has won three straight games and finishes out Big East play against Woodland Hills.
Even though a win next week would not vault the Cavaliers into the top three, it would improve their chances at a wild card.
“We are coming in off of three wins, so we’re going into that confidently against a good team,” Heinle said.
Tags: Kiski Area, Plum
