Beaver brings in Ringer to beat Seton LaSalle

By: Don Rebel
Saturday, September 26, 2020 | 11:13 PM

Purchase Photo Options

At 0-2 and in need of a wake-up call, Beaver cranked the volume up on its Ringer.

Junior running back Wyatt Ringer answered every time his number was called as he gained 148 yards on 31 carries to lead the Bobcats to a 29-20 win over Seton LaSalle in a nonconference game at Dormont Stadium on Saturday night.

“Wyatt’s a solid back who is getting used to running out of the ‘I’ (formation) now,” Beaver coach Jeff Beltz said. “This is new for us, so we’re trying to get him to run downhill a little bit.”

After the game, Ringer was quick to deflect praise to his offensive line.

“We’re all putting in the work, especially up front,” Ringer said. “Our line did a heck of a job up front for me and for James Finch.”

In his first game as a running back, Finch came in late and ran for 48 yards on 12 carries and scored on a fourth quarter 8-yard touchdown run.

There have been a lot of moving pieces for Beaver on offense since senior quarterback Brady Hansen was lost with a torn ACL, his second season-ending injury in as many years.

“Losing Brady, our identity had to change,” Beltz said. “You just can’t switch everything up on the kids. It takes time. There has been progression, but we have to stop the turnovers.”

After a scoreless first quarter that looked like a battle of winless teams, Beaver took advantage of its new-found power running game and some great field position to grab a 22-0 lead on 9-yard touchdown runs by senior fullback Zach Harris and Ringer along with a nifty 30-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Marco Mamone to senior fullback Anthony George.

Seton LaSalle finally struck for a big play late in the half when senior quarterback Griffin Malloy connected with senior wide receiver Tyler Hill on a 69-yard pass play. Malloy scored on the 2-point conversion to make it 22-8 Beaver at the half.

Hill began the third quarter by picking off a Mamone overthrow and returning it 30 yards for a touchdown to pull the Rebels to within eight points.

Beaver had a great answer though, grinding out a long drive that culminated in a Finch 8-yard run that put the Bobcats up 29-14.

Hill scored his third touchdown before the third quarter ended on a 24-yard pass from Malloy, but the Rebels hurt themselves with key penalties in the final quarter, including one that wiped away a 65-yard interception return by junior J.R. Jones.

“We knew their receivers were dynamic,” Beltz said. “They can get up and run and that caused some problems for us, but we did a nice job in the first half stopping the run.”

The win ends a five-game losing streak for Beaver (1-2) dating back to last year. Its final four games are against Parkway Conference teams starting Friday at home against unbeaten Aliquippa.

Seton LaSalle (0-3) has lost five straight going back to 2019. It is all Class 2A Three Rivers Conference action the rest of the season for the Rebels beginning with a game next Saturday at Western Beaver.

Tags: Beaver, Seton La Salle