Meckler scores 3 different ways to lead Pine-Richland past Mt. Lebanon

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, October 12, 2018 | 11:09 PM

Hockey players score hat tricks. Baseball players hit for the cycle. And there needs to be a new name for what Pine-Richland’s Luke Meckler did on a football field.

Meckler put on a show that few of his peers can say they have ever matched by scoring three touchdowns in three different ways — rushing, receiving and on an interception return. His performance, which included 115 rushing yards, led No. 1 Pine-Richland to a 42-24 win over No. 5 Mt. Lebanon (3-5, 3-3) in a Class 6A game.

“It’s mostly my teammates doing the hard work, so credit to my linemen helping me out with key blocks,” Meckler said. “The only other game I’ve ever had like that was against Central Catholic, but you just gotta keep moving and keep playing good.”

Meckler’s first touchdown was on a 36-yard run in the first quarter when quarterback Cole Spencer pitched it to him near the right sideline. He scored four plays later when he intercepted a Seth Morgan pass and returned it 54 yards. He earned his receiving touchdown in the second quarter on a 20-yard pass from Spencer, who threw for 155 yards.

The Rams raced to a 28-0 lead, which included a 2-yard touchdown run by Ryan Geyer on a play where he fumbled the ball into the end zone but recovered it.

Mt. Lebanon responded to the four-score deficit by putting Evan Jones in at quarterback, and he ripped off an 80-yard touchdown run. The Blue Devils also engineered a scoring drive late in the second quarter behind the arm of Morgan. Mt. Lebanon kicker Casey Sorsdal hit a 22-yard field goal as the first half ended to cut Pine Richland’s lead to 28-10.

“I thought our kids didn’t quit, and we talked about playing with character the whole game,” Mt. Lebanon coach Mike Melnyk said. “But I had to bench a couple kids for missing practice this week. I thought our defense played well once we got those kids in there, so we have to set an example sometimes for the whole team.”

Pine-Richland (7-1, 6-0) and Mt. Lebanon traded scores in the third quarter.

Rams running back Caden Schweiger began the scoring with a 1-yard touchdown run, and Mt. Lebanon’s Jones scored his second touchdown of the game, the latter on a 39-yard touchdown pass from Morgan, who threw for 285 yards and two touchdowns.

Morgan’s second touchdown pass was a 40-yard toss to Lucas DeCaro in the fourth quarter.

Down 35-17 with 10 minutes left in the game, Mt. Lebanon chose to punt near midfield. The decision backfired when Pine-Richland’s Miguel Jackson blocked the punt, scooped up the loose ball in stride and returned it 37 yards for a touchdown. Jackson also recorded two sacks.

“I was proud of how we came out in the second half, scored on that first drive, got a few stops, but we also gave up too many big plays tonight,” Pine-Richland coach Eric Kasperowicz said. “We have to shore some things up (defensively), but the way Miguel (Jackson) played was incredible on defense, and he’s only a sophomore so his ceiling is high.

“Hats off to Mt. Lebanon, because they’re a good team with tough players. I’m sure they’ll be tough in the playoffs.”

Shawn Annarelli is a freelance writer.

Tags: Mt. lebanon, Pine-Richland