Tyrone advances to the Western Finals

By Corey Snyder

The Tyrone football team showed their ability to throw the ball Friday, December 2, when they beat Hickory 40-28. Tyrone will be playing in their 5th Western Final in school history against Aliquippa Saturday December 10, 2011.

Unlike last week, Tyrone didn’t put them in a hole from the start. The Eagles took their first drive down the field with authority. Chris Getz, senior, took the handoff from the 2-yard line. The drive ate up six minutes off the clock.

Tyrone’s defense held Hickory on their first drive and made them punt the ball back to the Eagles offense. Tyrone wouldn’t put up another score until midway through the 2nd quarter. Steve Franco, senior, set up at the 5-yard line and found his tight-end Lucas Woomer, junior, for the second score of the game.

“I ran my route and I got behind the defense and Steve put the ball where I could catch it,” Woomer said.

The Golden Eagles defense was handling Hickory’s offense team that had a running back of Deshawn Coleman who averaged 200-yards a game. Coleman did brake one in the second quarter that went for 37-yards to make the score 13-6.

“He is a good running back. We did what we had to do to win the game,” Ben Makdad, junior, said about his defense.

Tyrone’s offense answered on their next drive when Franco took the option run himself and scampered 57-yards for a touchdown.

Tyrone’s defense made another crucial stop to make the Hornets punt the ball deep in their own territory that gave Tyrone great field position. Tyrone took advantage of the field position when Franco found Nick Patton for a 50-yard pitch and catch that gave Tyrone a 26-7 advantage going into half-time.

Hickory had other plans they got the ball back with a minute left in the half. Tyrone’s defense made another huge stop on fourth down with 30 seconds left and gave their offense the ball at mid-field.

But the first play of the next drive Franco threw an aired pass the sailed over Charles Wilson-Adams head and was intercepted by Coleman and returned close to the 20-yard line.

There was just enough time for Hickory’s offense to drive those last 20-yards that set up a pass from Nardone to Smith as time expired.

Tyrone came out in the second half on defense. Hickory was stopped three straight plays by Tyrone’s defense. Hickory punted the ball back to Tyrone.

The Eagles didn’t execute when they got the ball back.

The only score of the third quarter was from Hickory when Nardone found Smith again to make the score 26-21. That was the closet Hickory would get the rest of the night.

The Eagles took control in the 4th quarter when Franco threw for two more touchdown passes one an explosive pass to Patton for 41-yards. The other pass was completed to Woomer for a 7-yard hook-up.

Tyrone advances to the Western Final for a third time with the win over Hickory 40-28.

Tyrone plays Aliquippa a rematch of the 1996 Western Final when Tyrone won 14-13. This game will be played at Mansion Park Friday, December 10th.