Tillman, Central Catholic run past Norwin in Class 6A contest

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, October 5, 2018 | 10:57 PM

A week ago, third-ranked Central Catholic allowed more than 400 rushing yards in a double-digit loss to top-ranked Pine-Richland.

But on Friday, the Vikings proved they can run the ball too, as they defeated visiting Norwin, 35-16, in WPIAL Class 6A football action at Gesling Stadium.

Sophomore running back Edward Tillman finished with 330 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 29 carries. He also caught a 47-yard touchdown pass as Central improved to 3-2 in conference play and 5-2 overall.

Norwin fell to 2-3 and 3-4.

“(It was) very important,” Tillman said. “We felt as a team we should never be in that position again. And we just had a good game. The defense did what they did, the special teams did what they did, the O-line did what they did, and the coaches called a good game.”

Tillman had touchdown runs of 85, 70 and 17 yards. He sealed the game with his 85-yard jaunt with 3:22 to play.

“I was thinking ‘close the game out,’ ” Tillman said, “and put a nail in the coffin.”

Central led 28-16 after a wild first half that featured a combined 16 penalties that cost the teams 158 yards.

That was how it remained until Tillman’s final touchdown.

“We had to get some drives going,” Central coach Terry Totten said. “Then we started to fumble, and we gotta eliminate the penalties. It’s crazy.”

The Vikings opened the scoring when Dom Pieto found Marco Marchionda on a jumpball at the back of the end for a 32-yard touchdown catch at 6:50 in the opening quarter for a 7-0 Central Catholic lead.

But Norwin wasted no time in answering as Jack Salopek connected with Gianni Rizzo in stride near midfield on its first play from scrimmage, and Rizzo took it the rest of the way for an 85-yard touchdown reception. Central retained the lead as the Vikings blocked the point-after attempt.

Tillman then turned a dump-off pass in the flat into a 47-yard touchdown reception to push the lead to 14-6. But then Norwin used a 33-yard field goal, and a 43-yard interception return to set up a 2-yard Rizzo touchdown run, and the Knights took their first lead at 16-14.

It was short-lived.

Tillman capped a methodical 12-play, 78-yard drive with a 17-yard touchdown run, then added a 70-yard scoring run that gave Central a 28-16 halftime lead.

“We got untracked there at the end, and Eddie had a big night,” Totten said. “We like putting it in his hands.”

Pieto finished 6 of 12 passing for 111 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Salopek was 11 of 17 for 196 yards and a touchdown. Salopek left the game in the third quarter with an apparent injury, but he did walk off on his own power.

Jesse Geleynse is a freelance writer.

Tags: Central Catholic, Norwin