Saturday, August 30, 2003

By Paul Zeise, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

Penn Hills quarterback Anthony Morelli is known as one of the best passers in the country. And when the Indians needed a big play in their 32-26 overtime win against Gateway last night, it was Morelli who provided it.

	Ken Lewis of Penn Hills carries the ball for yardage against Gateway last night. (Joyce Mendelsohn, Post-Gazette) Click photo for larger image.

However, it wasn't Morelli's golden arm that did most the damage on the big play, it was his feet.

With the Indians trailing by three points and less than two minutes to play, Morelli turned a busted-play into a 32-yard run to set the Indians up with a first-and-goal at the Gators' 3. Three plays and a penalty later, Joe Prokopik tied the score and sent it into overtime with a 29-yard field goal with less than 15 seconds to play.

Penn Hills then won the coin toss and chose to play defense first. Gateway took possession at the 10-yard line but attempted a halfback option on third down and Justin Colbaugh's pass attempt was intercepted by defensive back Tyrell Herbert.

The Indians (1-0) then took possesion at the 10, and, on the first play, Kenny Lewis ran it into the end zone for the winning touchdown. Lewis finished the game with 22 carries for 136 yards and scored three times.

It was a big win for the Indians, but the game was really more like two games with two different winners. In the first half, before a rainstorm hit, Gateway's speed proved to be too much for the Indians.

But once the storm hit and muddied the field -- not too mention the 75-mintue delay because of thunder and lightning -- it was the power and muscle of Penn Hills that prevailed.

Gateway's Justin King, who finished with 24 carries for 133 yards, started the scoring with a 30-yard run off an option play. King made one move at the line then beat three Penn Hills defensive backs to get to the end zone.

The Gators took a 13-0 lead on a 54-yard pass from West Virginia recruit Mortty Ivy to Jai Wilson. Ivy set up the play with a play-action fake to King, and Wilson raced past the defense.

Penn Hills struck back on the ensuing possession thanks to the running Lewis, who brought the Indians within 13-7 on a 2-yard run. He also had a 30-yard run earlier in the drive that set up the score.

Ivy and Wilson connected for a second touchdown, this time for 21 yards, and the Gators looked like they were ready to take control of the game when, on the ensuing possession, they forced Penn Hills to punt. But Morelli's punt rolled to the 1 where it was downed.

Ivy fumbled on the next play and fell on it in the end zone, giving Penn Hills a safety. The play sparked the Indians, who drove 45 yards on six plays on the ensuing possession and pulled to 20-15 on a 1-yard run by Lewis.

King seemed to seal the game with a late 8-yard touchdown run, but Gateway Coach Terry Smith opted to go for the 2-point conversion and the pass attempt failed. That left Penn Hills an opening because it kept the Indians within 11 points.

Penn Hills made Smith pay for the decision as it needed only four plays to drive 47 yards, and Ed Collington capped it was a 12-yard touchdown run up the middle and the two-point conversion run.

Penn Hills recovered the onside kick and that set up Morelli's dramatic run.

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