Kiski Area keeps playoff hopes alive, beats Armstrong

By: Bob Orkwis
Friday, October 11, 2024 | 10:32 PM

With three weeks remaining in the regular season, and Kiski Area and Armstrong positioned at the bottom of the 5A Big East Conference standings, Friday’s contest presented as a must-win for the Cavaliers or the River Hawks have any postseason aspirations.

For the second straight week, Kiski Area gained an important road win, defeating Armstrong, 21-14, to keep its playoff hopes alive.

“This is big for us,” Kiski Area coach Sam Albert said. “(Armstrong) is a well-coached, good football team. I thought my coaches did a great job preparing the team this week. We hope we can just keep it going now into the Plum game next week.”

Landon Kucic scored his 12th touchdown of the season on a 7-yard run early in the second quarter to give the Cavaliers a 7-0 lead. That was the only score of the first half, although the Cavaliers had two drives that started inside Armstrong territory that ended up with no points.

“We were right there a couple times,” Albert said. “But we shot ourselves in the foot a couple of times. We had a couple of uncharacteristic turnovers, but I can’t say enough about our defense. When we needed them, they stepped up.”

Kiski Area ended with five sacks.

The Cavaliers opened up a 14-0 lead in the third quarter, when the emerging combination of quarterback Carson Heinle and Aven Shirley hooked up on an 8-yard touchdown.

The River Hawks answered when Costa Couknas capped a drive with a 10-yard run to pull Armstrong within a touchdown.

Kiski Area responded, again with Heinle finding Shirley for a score. Heinle’s pass from 16 yards was a bit underthrown and deflected, but the junior wide receiver kept his concentration and the grab made the score 21-14.

Albert had high praise for Shirley on both sides of the football.

“Listen, I’ve been very blessed in my career at five different schools, and I’ve had 25 Division I athletes. He may be one of the best safeties I’ve had. Offensively, I don’t know what you can do with him. You can’t guard him, as you saw tonight.”

Heinle threw for 120 yards, with Shirley catching seven passes. The duo also teamed up for two touchdowns in last week’s win over Latrobe.

Armstrong came right back. Jaydon Oliver, who threw for 130 yards, scored on a quarterback draw from 14 yards, and the score was 21-14 with 7 minutes, 13 seconds left.

Kiski Area marched into Armstrong territory, but Kucic fumbled the ball at the end of a 24-yard run and it was recovered by Chase Jablonski.

Despite the fumble, Kucic rushed for 100 yards for the second consecutive week, gaining 114 to go with his touchdown.

After the River Hawks drive stalled, the Cavaliers were able to take the clock down to 42 seconds.

Armstrong completed two passes but needed to spike the ball with 9 seconds left. On the final play, Andrew Finney intercepted Oliver to seal the win, the second straight victory for Kiski Area.

Armstrong (2-6, 0-4) has lost six straight games. The River Hawks face Penn-Trafford next week.

The Cavaliers improved to 3-5, 2-3 and will face Plum at home next week in a nonconference matchup.

With only the top three spots guaranteed in each of the three Class 5A conferences, and three wild-card berths, the game against the Mustangs and the conference finale at Woodland Hills loom large for the Cavaliers.

“We need to get better than we were tonight,” Albert said referencing the two remaining games. “We’ll need that to beat Plum because they’re a pretty good football team. If we beat Plum, then against Woodland Hills, it’s just ‘let’s go.’ ”

Tags: Armstrong, Kiski Area