Western Beaver tops ’Cats, earns playoff spot
Shenango (14) vs. Western Beaver (28)
Written: Oct 21, 2013
INDUSTRY — The WPIAL playoff field from the Class A Big Seven conference is complete.
Western Beaver wrapped up the fourth and final spot Saturday with a 28-14 win over Shenango. Although the Golden Beavers (4-3 conference, 4-4 overall) could still end up in a three-way tie for fourth place with Union and Our Lady of Sacred Heart, Western Beaver has beaten both teams and would therefore be awarded the playoff position.
Hunter Roknich ran for one touchdown and threw for another to lead the Golden Beavers past Shenango (1-6, 2-6). He rolled up 109 yards rushing on 14 carries, boosting his season total to 1,011 yards.
Billy Drear opened the scoring with the first of his two touchdowns, a 1-yard run with 2:53 left in the opening period.
The Wildcats appeared destined to take a 7-7 tie into the locker room at the half when Evan Kendall countered with a 1-yard scoring run of his own just 57 seconds before intermission. However, following the ensuing kickoff, Western Beaver marched 60 yards in just 43 seconds, capping a six-play drive with a 25-yard touchdown pass from Roknich to Steve Robeson with no time remaining.
The Golden Beavers broke the game open with touchdowns on their first two possessions of the second half. Drear added his second 1-yard run of the game, while Roknich exploded for a 41-yard burst to put Western Beaver up 28-7.
Shenango attempted to mount a late comeback when, following a 7-yard Tyler Welsh touchdown run with 2:57 remaining, Hunter Waskin recovered an onside kick to give the Wildcats possession at the Golden Beavers 49. Shenango, though, could not pick up a first down, and Western Beaver ran out the clock to cinch the win.
Kendall was 8 of 15 through the air for 91 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. He added 13 rushing yards and a score.
The Wildcats amassed just 134 total yards, compared to 281 for Western Beaver.
Neither team turned the ball over.
The Golden Beavers close out regular season play Friday at South Side Beaver (0-7, 0-8) while Shenango returns home to play host to playoff-bound Laurel (5-2, 6-2).
SHENANGO WESTERN BEAVER
8 First downs 16
87 Yards Rushing 236
44 Yards Lost 18
43 Net Rushing 218
15 Passes Attempted 7
8 Passes Completed 4
0 Passes Intercepted 0
91 Yards Passing 63
134 Total Yards 281
1-0 Fumbles-Lost 1-0
5-34 Punts-Average 3-24.3
4-50 Penalties-Yards 4-22
SHENANGO 0 7 0 7 — 14
WESTERN BEAVER 7 7 14 0 — 28
Scoring plays
WESTERN BEAVER — Billy Drear 1-yard run (Gary Smith kick)
SHENANGO — Evan Kendall 1-yard run (Curtis Schotsch kick)
WESTERN BEAVER — Steve Robeson 25-yard pass from Hunter Roknich (Smith kick)
WESTERN BEAVER — Drear 1-yard run (Kick fails)
WESTERN BEAVER — Roknich 41-yard run (Roknich run)
SHENANGO — Tyler Welsh 7-yard run (Schotsch kick)
|