Momentum-changing kickoff return leads Hampton to come-from-behind win at Kiski Area

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, September 29, 2018 | 12:24 AM

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Never turn your back on a hungry dog.

Having taken a 14-point lead and all of the game’s momentum late in the third quarter, Kiski Area kicked off and into the hands of Hampton senior wide receiver Brandon Stephaney, who raced straight through the heart of the coverage team, did a pirouette at midfield to avoid a tackler and raced for a 98-yard touchdown.

It showed the Cavaliers that the Talbots were not going to roll over and play dead.

Hampton senior Harper Cook kicked a 25-yard field goal as time expired to lift the Talbots past Kiski Area, 34-31, in a back-and forth WPIAL Class 5A Northern Conference matchup Friday night.

“When we went up by two (touchdowns) and if they don’t run the kickoff back, the game’s over,” Kiski Area coach Sam Albert said. “All of the sudden they have the energy and we don’t. Our special teams needs to make that play.”

It was the Cavaliers’ first loss at Richard J. Dilts Field.

“I’m very proud of our team and the effort, and in our opinion we played four quarters, we never gave up, ” Hampton coach Jacque DeMatteo said. “We never gave up, and they just kept battling. My hat goes off to Sam Albert.”

The kickoff return set in motion a final quarter that had it all. Hampton senior quarterback Max Obenrader found Will Shuitt on a 28-yard pass in the corner of the end zone to tie the score at 24-24 early in the final quarter.

Kiski Area (3-3, 2-3) came right back down the field and put together a six-play, 68-yard drive that was capped off by a Hayden Wright 1-yard dive to give the Cavaliers the lead back at 31-24 with a little over 8 minutes remaining.

Hampton (2-4, 1-4) was not going anywhere. Obenrader was an issue for the Cavaliers defense all night.

The slippery quarterback squirted through the first level of the Kiski defense on his way to a 15-yard touchdown run to tie the game again at 31-31 with 3:46 on the clock.

Oberader finished with 146 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 22 carries.

“I’m glad it was our night,” DeMatteo said. “We executed on offense when we needed to, our defense stepped up when we needed it to and our special teams came through. We had all three phases going for us tonight.”

Hampton started the game the way it finished and jumped out to a 10-0 lead on a Obenrader 1-yard run and a 24-yard field goal by Cook.

The Cavaliers went to the “Snake” to “Condor” connection when senior quarterback Ryne Wallace found senior wide receiver Jack Colecchi for a 28-yard touchdown pass to put Kiski Area on the board 10-7. Kicker Nicholas Smith tacked on a 40-yard field to knot the score at 10-10 going into the half.

“Yesterday, we had our worst practice of the year an I screamed and yelled and told them that you play like you practice,” Albert said.

The Cavaliers took the opening possession of the third quarter and marched 75 yards in four plays before Drew DiNunzio-Biss scored on a 2-yard run to give the Cavaliers a 17-10 lead.

Wallace added another touchdown from 1-yard out to give Kiski all the momentum before Stephany’s game-changing kickoff return.

Wallace finished 13 of 25 for 209 yards, with one touchdown and two interceptions. Kiski Area’s Jack Colecchi finished with 65 yards on four receptions and Troy Kuhn pulled in three receptions for 73 yards.

“Good teams close the door, and we did not,” Albert said. “We made too may mistakes.”

William Whalen is a freelance writer.

Tags: Hampton, Kiski School