By Kerry Naylor

For the Mirror

SPRING MILLS — It’s not often the post-game handshake comes with an apology, but that was the case last night in Spring Mills when Tyrone coach John Franco and Penns Valley coach Martin Tobias met at midfield minutes after the Golden Eagles had defeated Valley in a Laurel Highlands East contest.

Tyrone had just won 82-26, tying a school record for single-game points that had gone untouched for more than 100 years, but it was not a milestone Franco was interested in reaching.

“I apologized to Marty, and he said, ‘No, that was us,'” Franco said afterwards. “Sometimes a game gets out of hand like that. Our offense was just really excellent tonight in all phases. I was really pleased with how we progressed offensively. We still have some work to do on defense.”

The mercy rule clock was already running midway through the third quarter with Tyrone ahead 52-20 when Cian Hockenberry batted a pass from Colby Miller at the line of scrimmage that was then picked off by Kyler Sahoney and returned 45 yards for a touchdown that made it 62-20 following Titus Novak’s PAT kick. That began a wild 10 minutes of play that saw the Golden Eagles tack on three more touchdowns while running just two plays from scrimmage.

After the Rams got one score back on a 40-yard run by Koltin Shawver that made it 62-26, Tyrone sophomore Caleb Whitby returned the ensuing kickoff 95 yards for Tyrone’s tenth touchdown of the night. On the first play after Valley got the ball back, Sahoney sacked Miller, who fumbled. Hockenberry picked up the loose change and went 55 yards for another touchdown to make it 75-26.

When the Eagles got the ball back in the fourth quarter, sophomore Isaih Sahoney broke loose for a 54-yard touchdown two plays into a series that was meant to run down the clock.

Play of the game: Many could qualify, but the prettiest may have been the 57-yard reception Eli Woomer snagged on an out route in the second quarter. After snatching the ball near the sideline, he eluded tacklers and used his speed to evade others on a catch-and-run that made it 27-14. Woomer finished with a career-high 148 yards on 5 receptions, scoring twice. He was one of two Golden Eagle receivers to eclipse 100 receiving yards along with Trent Adams, who had 4 catches for 106 yards and another score.

Player of the game: Seth Hoover carried 17 times for a career-high 196 yards and 3 touchdowns. His second score, a 61-yarder in the first quarter, put Tyrone ahead 14-6 after Valley had scored on its second possession.

Unsung hero(es): Sophomore Titus Novak, a soccer player who recently joined the team after his brother, kicker Dante Novak, was sidelined with a shoulder injury, came on to kick 10 PATs in his first varsity game. That broke a 25-year old record set by Golden Eagle line coach Scott Gummo set in 1999 and later tied by Ben Gummo in 2004.

Most vital statistic(s): Tyrone ran for a total of 254 yards – a season-best – and went without a turnover for the second straight game after coughing the ball up 21 times through its first 7 games.

Franco: “I was especially pleased that after we came out and had a poor beginning (to the second half), we went right down the field and we scored. That took the pressure off and we ended up scoring on our next series,” Franco said.

Tobias: “They made plays and took advantage of opportunities. We didn’t stop them.”

Notable: The game was actually tied in the second quarter after Fletcher Ironside caught a 2-point conversion following a 31-yard touchdown reception by Spencer Althouse. But Tyrone scored on its next 5 possessions to close the half ahead 48-14 … Ashton Walk completed 17 of 20 passes for 350 yards and 5 touchdowns.

Records: Tyrone 5-4, Penns Valley 0-8.

Next week: Both teams plays in an LHAC crossover game. Tyrone will plays Chestnut Ridge; Penns Valley is at Westmont Hilltop.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Tyrone 14 34 28 7 — 82

Penns Valley 6 8 12 0 — 26

First Quarter

T – Hoover 2 run (Novak kick) 8:25

P – Miller 1 run (PAT failed) 2:27

T – Hoover 61 run (Novak kick) 1:16

Second Quarter

P – Wasson 31 pass from Miller (Miller pass to Ironside) 11:53

T – Walk 10 run (PAT failed) 10:08

T – Woomer 58 pass from Walk (Novak kick) 7:35

T – Adams 57 pass from Walk (Novak kick) 3:59

T – Miller 27 pass from Walk (Novak kick) 2:02

T – Woomer 25 pass from Walk (Novak kick) :25

Third Quarter

P – Shelley 6 run (PAT failed) 9:01

T – Hoover 3 run (Novak kick) 7:03

T – K. Sahoney 45 interception return (Novak kick) 6:22

P – Shawver 40 run (PAT failed) 3:00

T – Whitby 95 kick return (Novak kick) 2:44

T – Hockenberry 55 fumble return (Novak kick)

Fourth Quarter

T – I. Sahoney 23 run (Novak kick) 8:25

TEAM STATISTICS T P

First downs 27 10

Total yards 623 280

Rushes-yards 23-273 27-143

Yards passing 350 136

Passing (comp.-att.-int.) 17-20-0 12-26-1

Punts-avg. 0-0 4-20.8

Fumbles-lost 0-0 2-2

Penalties-yards 12-83 6-69

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING–Tyrone, Hoover 17-196, Walk 1-10, Whitby 1-15, I. Sahoney 1-54, Zupon 1-3, Tea, 2-(-2). Penns Valley, Ironside 2-27, Shelley 7-34, Shawver 12-80, Miler 2-(-5), Ripka 4-7.

PASSING–Tyrone, Walk 17-20-0-350. Penns Valley, Miller 12-26-1-136.

RECEIVING–Tyrone, Hoover 2-20, Woomer 5-148, Adams 4-106, Emigh 2-23, Miller 3-41, Weston 1-7. Penns Valley, Ironside 7-91, Wasson 1-31, Shelley 1-3, Shawver 1-1, Fetterolf 1-4, Althouse 1-6.