Cadin Olsen leads Armstrong past Chandler Thimons, Highlands in high-scoring affair
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Friday, October 21, 2022 | 10:39 PM
Armstrong’s Kyan Kline defends on a pass intended for Highlands’ Aiden Burford on Friday, Oct. 21, 2022, at Highlands High School.
Highlands’ Rondeal Hewlett pulls in a touchdown pass past Armstrong’s Conor Jacobs on Friday, Oct. 21, 2022, at Highlands High School.
Highlands’ Aaran Randolph tries to get away from Armstrong’s Owen Karner on Friday, Oct. 21, 2022 at Highlands High School.
Highlands’ Aiden Burford makes a diving tackle on Armstrong’s Alex Patton on Friday, Oct. 21, 2022, at Highlands High School.
Armstrong’s Isaiah Brown beats Highlands’ Aiden Burford for a first-quarter touchdown Friday, Oct. 21, 2022, at Highlands High School.
Armstrong’s Isaiah Brown cruises into the end zone past Highlands’ Brayden White for a first-quarter touchdown Friday, Oct. 21, 2022, at Highlands High School.
Highlands’ Chandler Thimons stiff-arms Armstrong’s Isaiah Brown in the third quarter Friday, Oct.121, 2022 at Highlands High School.
Many observers expected a replica of a heavyweight boxing match Friday at Golden Rams Stadium for the Greater Allegheny Conference showdown.
The Armstrong High School band played the “Theme from Rocky” after the game, and it was quite appropriate as the River Hawks and Highlands combined for 971 offensive yards.
Armstrong came out with at least a share of the conference title with a 56-35 victory.
Cadin Olsen became the 10th-leading passer in WPIAL history with a 431-yard performance. He now has 7,085 career yards, passing Sto-Rox’s Adam DiMichele and Montour’s Dillion Buechel as the Penn commit continues to climb the WPIAL ladder.
Chandler Thimons, Highlands’ senior quarterback, had another solid performance, throwing for 171 yards and rushing for 73 more. He became the A-K Valley’s all-time passer, getting by Deer Lakes’ Aris Hasley mark set three years ago.
Armstrong (8-1, 5-0) can secure the conference crown outright, the second in the school’s eight-year history with a victory at home Friday against Kiski Area to conclude the regular season.
The Golden Rams (8-1, 4-1) can secure second place and home field for the opening round of the Class 4A playoffs with a victory next Friday at Hampton.
Armstrong had three receivers eclipse the 100-yard mark, with Isaiah Briwn hauling in six passes for 157 yards; Ian Olsen had five for 147 and Kyan Kline five for 127 yards, including 64 yards on the River Hawks’ second play from scrimmage.
“This is a big win for us,” Armstrong coach Frank Fabian said. “We expected a track meet here tonight, and I give Chandler Thimons all the credit in the world. Nothing surprises me with Cadin and all he can do.”
“We knew coming in we had to put pressure on the passer and put pressure on their receivers tonight, and we didn’t do too often,” Golden Rams coach Matt Bonislawski said. “You score 35 points and lose by 21, there’s not much you can say.”
Brown got the scoring started on an 18-yard hookup 2 ½ minutes into the game. It was just the sixth play of a 94-yard drive.
The River Hawks scored again as Brown caught a 38-yarder from Olsen.
Highlands got on the scoreboard with a 19-yard pass from Thimons to Rondeal Hewlett. Thimons, rushed toward the right sideline, threw against the grain and found his senior receiver.
Armstrong responded quickly. On the first play from scrimmage, Olsen found his sophomore sibling for a 78-yard pass and a 21-7 River Hawks lead with 9 minutes, 37 seconds left in the half.
Cadin Olsen added to the score on a 1-yard keeper, set up by Alex Patton’s 18-yard run to the Highlands 4.
Moments later, Thimons became the Alle-Kiski Valley’s all-time passer with a 35-yard aerial to Hewlett at the River Hawks 7. Randolph’s 7-yard run two plays later made it 28-14 at the half.
Highlands cut the Armstrong lead to 42-35 with 11:45 to go in the game on a 19-yard run by Aaran Randolph.
But Alex Patton scored four minutes later, and a Brown interception set up the final score of the night, a 38-yard run by Patton.
Randolph had 130 rushing yards for Highlands.
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