Alex Tatsch scores 4 TDs as Latrobe stays perfect by running over Norwin
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Friday, September 6, 2024 | 10:57 PM
Latrobe’s Alex Tatsch scores a touchdown against Norwin on Friday.
Latrobe’s John Wetzel runs the ball against Norwin on Friday.
The Norwin student section erupts in a cheer during a game against Latrobe on Friday at Norwin High School.
Norwin’s Tristyn Tavares runs the ball for a touchdown against Latrobe on Friday.
Latrobe’s John Wetzel celebrates a touchdown against Norwin on Friday.
Latrobe’s Alex Tatsch escapes from Norwin defender Jackson Huss on Friday.
Latrobe’s John Wetzel runs the ball against Norwin on Friday.
Latrobe’s Vince Gaskey tries to make a catch but the pass is broken up by Norwin defender Zack Pawling on Friday.
Latrobe football coach Ron Prady challenged his offensive line this week, and the group responded.
He also said Norwin was going to see a lot of running back Alex Tatsch, and the Knights will probably have nightmares after what the Penn State commit and quarterback John Wetzel, a Marshall commit, did to them on the ground.
Tatsch rushed for a career-high 251 yards and four touchdowns, and Wetzel chipped in with 156 yards and a score as Latrobe defeated Norwin, 42-28, in a nonconference battle of unbeaten opponents.
Latrobe outrushed No. 3 Norwin, 451-117. It marks the first time since 2005 that the Wildcats started the season 3-0.
“We played with a chip on our shoulder,” Tatsch said. “There were a lot of people doubting us. This was a very satisfying win. But I couldn’t have done it without my linemen. The cleared the way.”
Latrobe dominated the first half, scoring on its first two possessions and three of four in the half.
The Wildcats took a 7-0 lead when Tatsch scored on a 3-yard run to cap a four-play drive, and after stopping Norwin on fourth down at the Latrobe 47, they stretched the lead to 14-0 when Wetzel scored on a 39-yard dash.
“We got humbled,” Norwin coach Mike Brown said. “I think they could have run anything they really wanted to, honestly. That back and that quarterback are heck of a players and are probably the best two we’ve seen so far and probably are going to be the best we see all season.
“I don’t think it was anything schematically that we weren’t ready for. We just weren’t making plays when we needed to.”
Norwin (2-1) didn’t quit thanks to junior quarterback Tristyn Tavares. He raced 35 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter to make it 14-7.
But Latrobe answered by scoring right before halftime with Tatsch scoring on an 8-yard run.
“We told the linemen that we have to be able to run the football against them,” Prady said. “They’re big and physical, but we felt like we could run the ball, and the five guys up front, the tight ends and H-back did a phenomenal job.”
That group included center Marco Scarton, left guard Cody Krall, left tackle Caleb Lehman, right guard Lucas Kolenc, right tackle Anthony Scarton, tight end Tim Myers and H-back Jack Drnjevich.
Norwin got a break early in the third quarter when Tatsch lost a fumble. The Knights turned that into a 10-yard touchdown run by Tavares to trim the lead to 21-14.
But Latrobe answered with two scores to push the lead to 34-14. Tatsch scored from the 2, and Brady Prohovic scored from the 5.
“They are a good football team,” Brown said. “They came out and established what they wanted to do early. We weren’t really standing in their way. I didn’t do a good enough job.
“I think we bought into all these rankings and news clippings and everything like that. We didn’t have that grit and hungriness that we had in the first two games.”
Tavares tossed two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter — 35 yards to Potter Brozeski and 70 yards to Jake Knight. Both of those scores sandwiched around a 61-yard run by Tatsch.
Tavares completed 16 of 32 passes for 273 yards, and Knight caught five passes for 106 yards.
“We got to keep guys in front of us late in games,” Prady said about the secondary breakdowns. “You’re up three scores, and we have to be smart. If you allow a 10-yard catch and you tackle them, you live with it and you make them snap it again, but giving up those deep ones on fourth down, you can’t do that. We’ll learn from it.”
Norwin leads the all-time series 33-25-1.
Latrobe plays in Class 5A Big East Conference. It plays at Franklin Regional on Sept. 13 to open conference play. Norwin plays in Class 6A Quad-County Conference and will play host to Seneca Valley.
Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.
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