Apollo-Ridge can’t slow SSA’s Moore

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, September 16, 2017 | 12:39 AM

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With a name like Skyy Moore, opposing defenses might look upward for big plays, but when the Shady Side Academy quarterback runs with the football, all he does is cover ground.

The junior standout scored three touchdowns and rushed for a game-high 196 yards to help lead Shady Side Academy past Class 3A Allegheny Conference rival Apollo-Ridge, 38-14, Friday night at Michale J. Farrell Stadium.

“We like to get Skyy some confidence early, and we like to get him rolling,” Shady Side Academy coach Chuck DiNardo said. “He did a great job of running the offense today and getting us in and out of the huddle.”

Apollo-Ridge (3-1, 1-1) held Moore in check to start the game. The Vikings took a 7-0 lead midway through the second quarter when quarterback Kyle Fitzroy found running back Cade Grguric near the goal line. Grguric fumbled the ball into the end zone, but wide receiver Bradley Milko recovered.

Moore answered on the ensuing drive and gave Shady Side Academy (2-1, 2-1) a boost with on a 70-yard touchdown run to get within 7-6 after a failed extra point.

“We shot ourselves (in the foot) so many times in the first half,” Apollo-Ridge coach John Skiba said.

A fumbled punt attempt by Shady Side Academy set Apollo-Ridge up at the Indians' 35-yard line. The Vikings worked the ball to the SSA 4-yard line but failed to score.

“I think that was a turning point in the game,” Skiba said.

The Vikings defense held SSA on three occasions in the first half, helping Apollo-Ridge take a 7-6 lead into halftime.

Of the Indians five first-half drives, the Vikings defense held the Indian's offense to three three-and-out drives to keep the game close with Apollo-Ridge holding a 7-6 lead going into halftime.

“We just didn't respond,” Skiba said. “We're going to get over it.”

It was all Shady Side in the second half.

Apollo-Ridge started the second half with an onside kick that the Indians recovered. Two plays later, Moore split the Vikings defense on a 39-yard run to put the Indians ahead 12-7 after a failed two-point conversion attempt.

“(Moore's) a talented kid,” Skiba said. “It's like watching my guys (Tre Tipton and Duane Brown) from a couple of years ago. Put him in space and see if you can catch him.”

An Ivor Wood touchdown gave the Indians an 18-7 lead, and Moore scored again on an 8-yard run to pad Shady Side's lead to 24-7 late in the third quarter.

“I'll be honest with you, it wasn't a lot of X's and O's that we had to change up,” DiNardo said about the Indians' second-half performance. “It wasn't like we had to develop a new scheme. What it really was, we had to clean up what we were doing wrong a little bit. We kind of just started making plays.”

What also became evident was Shady Side started winning the battle in the trenches. Fitzroy took enough hard hits that Skiba pulled his starting quarterback early in the fourth quarter.

“They wore us down, and that is something that shouldn't happen,” Skiba said. “We've been taking a beating up front lately.”

Wood scored on an eight-yard run and Dino Tomlin, son of Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, returned a punt 55 yards for a 38-7 lead.

Ryan Bias scored on a 3-yard run to close the score to 38-14 with 2 minutes, 45 seconds remaining.

Logan Harmon led Apollo-Ridge with 48 rushing yards on 11 carries, and Fitzroy was 6 of 11 for 65 yards and an interception for Apollo-Ridge.

“We didn't respond like we should of,” Skiba said. “I'm dealing with a bunch of 14-year-olds at halftime that are now in a tight game and have to learn how to play against guys that come after them and play hard.”

William Whalen is freelance writer.

Tags: Apollo-Ridge, Shady Side Academy