Montour cools off Highlands with high-scoring win

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, October 5, 2018 | 11:54 PM

After scoring just 17 points over the first five weeks of the season, Montour has finally found an offense.

The Spartans scored 35 against Knoch last week and lit up the scoreboard at Highlands on Friday night en route to a 48-33 victory in Northern 8 Conference play.

Montour, in the hunt for an 11th consecutive trip to the WPIAL playoffs, is 2-2, 2-5.

The passing combination of quarterback Luke Presinger-to-Anthony Tambelli accounted for three touchdowns in the first 15 minutes of play as the Spartans took command, 21-7.

The first and third touchdowns came on fourth-down conversions.

“We went back to basics a little bit,” said Montour coach Lou Cerro of his team’s sudden scoring prowess. “That’s what we needed to do with such a young team. They’re responding right now so, hopefully, we can keep doing that down the stretch.”

Persinger finished with 206 passing yards, and Tambellini had six receptions for 133 yards and three scores.

The versatile senior also threw a key 29-yard pass in the third quarter to Dom Magliocco at the Highlands 2, setting the stage for the first of three rushing TDs by William White in the second half.

“Anthony does a lot of stuff for us,” Cerro said. “Plays offense, plays defense, he never comes off the field. He wants that role and he flourishes every week.”

It was a disappointing night for the Golden Rams (2-5, 2-3). Highlands had gotten some traction with wins over the past two weeks.

“They were able to do it with some big plays, especially in the first half,” Golden Rams coach Dom Girardi said. “It’s tough. You mostly have guys where they need to be, but one thing’s out of place and they score. We’ve certainly taken advantage of enough big plays on our own, so I’m certainly not going to cry about it.”

Highlands scored its first touchdown on a pass from Seth Cohen to Kaeleb Radashak from 46 yards out. Radashak wrestled the ball from two Montour defenders to cut the Spartans lead to 14-7.

The Golden Rams later staged an 11-play drive with Cohen scoring from the 1 after a push from fullback Noah Gillette to trail, 21-14, halfway through the second quarter.

But Dante Presutti scored late in the half and Montour scored the first two times it had the ball in the third quarter to break the game open, 41-14.

“We always talk about the first series of the second half on both sides of the ball,” Girardi said. “It’s critical, they came out and scored and we went three-and-out.”

Cohen scored with 1:44 to go, then Highlands got the ball back when a snap went over the Montour punter’s head and the Golden Rams recovered at the Spartans 2 with 1:05 left and no time outs.

Highlands scored as time ran out on a 4-yard toss to Gabe Booker. An official gave the baseball safe sign as if the score didn’t count. But it was later determined the sign indicated that no extra-point attempt would take place and the game ended with at 48-33.

Cohen had 119 yards rushing and 139 yards passing.

Montour needs victories over Ambridge and Beaver Area the next two weeks to stay in the playoff race, while Highlands has a difficult assignment at South Fayette Friday.

George Guido is a freelance writer.

George Guido is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact George at .

Tags: Highlands, Montour