HERSHEY – West Catholic (12-2) scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter including a Brandon Hollomon 65-yard touchdown run to ice the game. The Burrs overcame six penalties in the first half in a 21-7 win over Lewisburg (14-1) Saturday afternoon at Hersheypark Stadium.
West Catholic head coach Brian Fluck talked about Hollomon’s touchdown run, “He’s a big time player. He always steps up for us. That play they were pitching everyone inside and we felt we could get to the corner. We thought if he got to the corner he could break one and he did.”
Two years ago West Catholic lost to Wilmington Area 35-34 in the state finals. With their win today they can erase that memory. Fluck talked about the loss in 08, “I told the kids before the game I remember that game and have thought about that game for two years every day. Now we have a chance to get that back.”
David Williams scored the only touchdown in the first half. He went in for a two-yard score with 6:26 remaining in the first quarter. The Burrs led 7-0.
Hollomon talked about the first half, “We wanted to come in today and try and play mistake free. Our coach said to us at halftime to cut down the penalties and finish off the drives.”
West Catholic had 65 penalty yards in the first half and they held Lewisburg to 23 offensive yards.
Lewisburg’s defense held West Catholic’s high power offense through three quarters. Head Coach Todd Tilford said, “Our defense gave us chances and our chances couldn’t get going. They have so much speed coming off the end.”
Lewisburg hung around going into the fourth quarter until West Catholic put together an 11-play, 84-yard drive. Williams had runs of 11 and 29 yards and Jaleel Reed scored on a one-yard touchdown run to give his team a 14-0 lead with 8:53 remaining in the game.
The Green Dragons managed one first down and punted the ball right back to West Catholic. But they finally got the break they needed. The Burrs center snapped the ball right over Reed’s head and Merle Moscarello scooped up the ball and went in for the score cutting West Catholic’s lead in half with 4:53 left in the game.
If the Green Dragons had momentum it lasted only one drive. The Burrs were faced with a third down and ten on their 35 when Hollomon took the pitch and went down the sidelines for a 65-yard score with 3:51 remaining in the game. The extra point made it 21-7 Burrs.
Hollomon talked about the drive, “It was a toss play and I was thinking first down and wanted to run out the clock. I got a good block by Jaelen Strong-Rankin and just turned on the jets.”
With one last drive Lewisburg’s quarterback Camden Cassels 4th down pass sailed out of bounds and the Burrs took over on downs at the Green Dragons 29.
The Burrs Joshua Mathis converted a big fourth down play and they ran out the clock to preserve the win.
West Catholic will face South Fayette at 12:00 pm next Saturday at Hersheypark Stadium. They won 49-12 over Forest Hills.
Hollomon said, “This means a lot to us. But we have unfinished business and we still have one more to go to redeem ourselves. We did this for the 08 team and everyone who supports us.”
Lewisburg’s Nate Brown finished the day rushing for 28 yards.
Head Coach Tilford talked about his team, “They played their hearts out as always. Can’t expect anything less than that and I can’t say anything less than that.”
