Chartiers Valley stuns host Norwin

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, September 14, 2018 | 10:45 PM

Connor Barrett’s 18-yard run from the wildcat formation set up a 1-yard quarterback sneak by Griffin Beattie as Chartiers Valley stunned Norwin, 28-24, in a nonconference game Friday night at Norwin Knights Stadium.

“I knew as soon as they saw me at wildcat they were going to load the box,” Barrett said of Norwin’s defense. “They had their two middle (linebackers) tight. I knew my cut was going to be outside.”

Norwin (2-2) led Chartiers Valley 17-14 at halftime, and the opening two quarters were characterized by back-and-forth football.

The Class 5A Colts (3-1) and Class 6A Knights scored touchdowns on big plays on their first possessions. Chartiers Valley struck first with a 45-yard pass down the seam to 6-foot-1, 223-pound tight end Sean Banas.

Banas finished with five catches for 71 yards.

Norwin answered with a 53-yard reception by Gianni Rizzo, who caught a quick slant and turned up the middle of the field, burning the Colts defense. Rizzo scored again later in the half on a 5-yard run.

Chartiers Valley committed numerous, drive-stalling mental mistakes in the first half. The Colts committed four false starts and two holding penalties, fumbled the ball three times (only one was recovered by Norwin), and Beattie threw an interception — all in the first half. But they hung around through a scoreless third quarter.

Scoring picked up again early in the fourth with a rushing touchdown from Beattie.

Norwin quarterback Jack Salopek responded with a long, 65-yard touchdown pass to Bill Kerston, fitting the ball up the seam between the outstretched arms of two Colts defenders.

“It was something our coaches saw with the safeties, but really it was a good play by Jack [Salopek] and a good play by Billy [Kerston],” Norwin coach David Brozeski said.

Chartiers Valley’s triple-option offense racked up 268 yards on 44 carries. The offense especially wore on the Knights in the second half. Two Colts topped 100 yards on the night, with Beattie carrying 12 times for 106 yards and a score, and senior running back Barrett carried 22 times for 121 yards.

“I’m a former defensive coach, but I call the offense. The whole thing is based on what I hated as a defensive coach,” Knause said. “We know the pressures, and [the option offense] makes teams predictable.”

Norwin had a chance following Beattie’s go-ahead score, but an interception by Salopek with 16 seconds remaining in the game sealed the deal for the Colts.

Nathanael Gabler is a freelance writer.

Tags: Chartiers Valley, Norwin