Converted receiver Engel rushes for 282 yards as Canon-McMillan beats Norwin

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, October 13, 2018 | 12:03 AM

Norwin expected tough sledding in the condensed yet top-heavy Class 6A football conference this season.

But that was against the powerhouse programs; the North Alleghenys and Pine-Richlands of the world.

The Knights saw a few “winnable” games on the schedule that could maybe help them make a run at the WPIAL playoffs.

Apparently, so did Canon-McMillan.

The Big Macs used a heavy-handed rushing attack — led by a newcomer to the backfield — to gash the Knights defense and push past Norwin, 34-12, on Friday night at chilly Knights Stadium in North Huntingdon.

Receiver-turned-tailback Drew Engel ran for a career-best 282 yards and three touchdowns on 33 carries, and the Big Macs piled up 362 yards on the ground. Engel came into the game with two carries for 5 yards as he filled in for injured teammate Josh O’Hare.

Fullback Alec Hendal added 66 yards and two touchdowns in the one-sided victory.

Norwin (3-5, 2-4) could have clinched a playoff spot with the win, but now has an uphill climb to have a shot at its fifth straight postseason berth.

“They were better than us tonight,” Norwin coach Dave Brozeski said. “They ran the ball; that is their mantra and they did it well. They didn’t change what they do because it works so well. We have to tackle better. It wasn’t our night.”

Canon-McMillan (3-4, 2-4) merged back into the playoff race and owns what could be a pivotal head-to-head tiebreaker over the Knights.

Six of the nine teams in 6A make the playoffs.

“We knew we needed to win this game,” Canon-McMillan coach Mike Evans said. “We have been playing a lot of teams close this season and knew we could put it all together.”

Evans said Josh O’Hare, for whom Engel was filling in, will return next week. Engel enjoyed pinch-hitting in the Big Macs’ fullhouse backfield.

“We knew we could run the ball like that because of our line,” Engel said. “They opened the holes, and I just ran through them.”

Engel is the team’s top receiver with 22 catches.

“He was a running back in youth football, but he moved to receiver for us because we needed him to,” Evans said. “Our kids were motivated to get the job done.”

Canon-McMillan moved the ball on the ground from the start and pressured Knights junior quarterback Jack Salopek, who suffered a concussion last week against Central Catholic.

Salopek was sacked several times and finished 6 of 16 for 59 yards.

Norwin’s only points in the first quarter came on a safety as Tanner Krevokuch and Gianni Rizzo swarmed Big Macs quarterback Jonathan Quinque on a second down from the 1, and a 36-yard field goal by Carter Breen, who Thursday became the boys soccer team’s all-time leading goal scorer.

Rizzo was not 100 percent after tweaking his ankle last week.

The score was 6-5 when the Big Macs scored 14 unanswered points. Engel lowered his shoulder and rumbled in from the 15 to make it 13-5 early in the second quarter. Hendal bowled over a few defenders for a gain of 38 yards to set up his short scoring rush to increase the advantage to 20-5 by halftime.

A bad punt and a holding penalty hampered Canon-McMillan in the third and allowed Norwin to score its first touchdown.

Zeke Houser capped a 77-yard drive with a short run to cut the deficit to 20-12.

Houser finished with 76 yards rushing.

But more impose-your-will rushing by Engel and Hendal gave the Big Macs breathing room. A 38-yard gainer by Engel led to a 13-yard touchdown by Hendal to make it 27-12.

Engel added a third score with about four minutes left.

The Knights were expected to be better this season, with at least three Division I prospects and a fast-paced style. Getting a playoff spot would help prove that worth. And while the Knights aren’t done yet, they may have to win out to make it.

“We’re still going to take it one game at a time,” Brozeski said. “We’re going to watch film and see what we can do. We have two weeks left. We have to do a better job sustaining plays.”

Bill Beckner is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Bill at bbeckner@tribweb.com or via Twitter @BillBeckner.

Tags: Canon-McMillan, Norwin