Cardinals Stay Perfect In Herbstreit

The team that started it all remained unbeaten as the Colerain Cardinals defeated a tough McKeesport Tigers team in overtime.

While the game may be remembered for the last play of the game, the battle between McKeesport (PA) and Colerain will long be remembered in Herbstreit history as an overtime thriller.

Both teams traded punches in the first and second quarter with Colerain taking an early 7-0 lead at the 6:37 mark in the first quarter on a Greg Tabar 4-yard run.

McKeesport answered in the second quarter as Darnel Harding took in a 39-yard pass from Ty-Meer Brown as time expired in the half.

The third and fourth quarters saw the teams go back and forth with no one giving an inch to the other. While each team had it's share of chances to take an advantage and walk away with the victory in regulation, the end result was both defenses refused to give and forced the game into overtime still tied 7-7 setting up the play of the game and maybe the entire event.

Colerain took first possession of the ball in overtime and started first and ten on the McKeesport twenty. After picking up a first down and a face mask penalty against McKeesport, the Cardinals sat first and goal from the six yard line.

Colerain quarterback Greg Tabar rushed for three yards followed by two rushes by Trayion Durham taking the ball down to the one setting up a forth and goal decision for Colerain head coach Tom Bolden. The second year head coach wasted little time in making the choice to go for broke and watched as his junior quarterback take the ball in himself for the score giving the Cardinals the lead. The kick was good and it was McKeesport's time to match.

On their first offensive play McKeesport earned a false start penalty followed by a Ty-Meer Brown pass to Brande Jackson that saw Colerain earn a defensive pass interference call and taking the Tigers to the 12-yard line.

After a 1-yard loss by Sam Gooden, McKeesport still looked in great shape to match the Cardinals and force another overtime.

Colerain senior linebacker Colin Lozier was having a week his head coach said he'd always remember. Lozier's father is an assistant coach who was hospitalized at the start of the week with fears of him having cancer. With his dad not on the sidelines, Lozier left his mark on the Cardinals program with a play that will always be remembered as the hit.

On second and eleven McKeesports Gabe Patterson took a pitch from the quarterback and just as the ball arrived into his hands Lozier left his mark forcing the ball lose with the impact of the hit and allowing teammate Chris Dukes to recover the ball and seal the victory keeping the Cardinals perfect in Herbstreit play with a 4-0 record.

For the game McKeesport was lead by Gabe Patterson in the rushing department as he picked up 83 yards on 9 carries. The Tigers only passed for 39 yards going 1-2 with the reception being made by Darnel Harding.

On defense JaWan Bryant led the Tigers with 14 total tackles and is a player college coaches need to learn more about.

The Colerain Cardinals saw Trayion Durham gain 54 yards on 13 carries and like McKeesport only connected on one pass play as Tabar went 1-6-1 for a total of 10 yards.

Lozier was the main clog on the defensive side picking up 10 total tackles with the last one being the one the sealed the victory.