Avonworth uses big 2nd half to ease past mistake-prone Valley

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, September 1, 2018 | 12:21 AM

With the high hopes the Valley football team has for the season, the Vikings had no better chance to open up a few eyes around the WPIAL than with a win over playoff perennial Avonworth.

But with untimely penalties and poor execution, Valley showed they are far from being a postseason team as Avonworth quarterback Derek Johncour torched the Viking secondary with 252 yards passing and two touchdowns to lead the Antelopes past Valley, 33-12, on Friday night in the WPIAL Class 2A Allegheny Conference opener for both teams at Valley Memorial Stadium.

“We’re 2-0, and we’ll take that all day,” Avonworth coach Duke Johncour said. “I watched them on film last year and I watched them on film this year and they’re a good football team. They’re tough and, fortunately, we made the plays tonight that got us a victory.”

After a back-and-forth first half, Avonworth (2-0, 1-0) went into the locker room holding a 14-12 lead.

“With the way we played, we couldn’t beat the little sisters of charity,” Valley coach Muzzy Colosimo said. “It’s horrible, and I’m so embarrassed.”

For the second week in a row, the Lopes shut out their opponent in the second half. Junior running back Jax Miller got it started when he scored on a 4-yard run to extend the Lopes’ lead to 21-12 early in the third quarter.

Valley quarterback Tyler Green threw his second interception when Miller stepped in front of a pass and returned it to the Valley 25-yard line. On the next play, Johncour found senior Turner Grau for a 25-yard touchdown pass to bring the score to 27-12 with 8 minutes, 49 seconds left in the third quarter.

“I just told them we had to come out and play. Make a play and we didn’t do it,” Colosimo said. “We don’t know how to handle adversity. How many first downs did they get because we jumped offside? How many personal fouls did we get for blocking in the back because we can’t move our feet?”

Penalties were a problem all night for the Vikings (1-1, 0-1). Penalties moved the Vikings offense backward when they were in the red zone and in position to score and defensive penalties also helped the Avonworth offense get a fresh set of downs when the Vikings defense had the Lopes stopped.

The Vikings punted on their first possession. But on Avonworth’s first offensive play of the game, Valley’s Deonte Ross stepped in front of a Johncour pass and returned 48 yards for a touchdown.

Grau returned the ensuing kickoff 80 yards for a touchdown to give the Lopes the lead at 7-6. Valley responded on the next drive when on fourth-and-14, Green scrambled to his left to avoid pressure and threw a 31-yard strike to senior wide receiver Malique Richardson in the back fo the end zone to give Valley the lead again at 12-7.

Johncour found Grau for a 15-yard touchdown to give the Lopes the lead for good, 14-12, in the second quarter.

The Vikings got banged up along the way as well. Senior tight end Noah Hutcherson got shaken up when he pulled in a pass deep in Valley territory during a third-quarter drive. He didn’t return. Junior Vaun Ross took over at quarterback for much of the second half as Green went down with an injury. Ross worked from the wildcat position and rushed for 42 yards on seven carries.

Deonte Ross was the Vikings’ workhorse, finishing with 100 yards rushing on 24 carries.

“The kids responded to the adjustments we told them,” Johncour said. “Our kids rebounded, and they played the way they are capable of playing.”

William Whalen is a freelance writer.

Tags: Avonworth, Valley