Artman throws 5 TD passes as Kiski Area earns Big East victory over Latrobe

By: Dave Mackall
Friday, October 3, 2025 | 10:43 PM

After a boisterous celebration by players and fans, the Kiski Area football team gathered for a final word.

Indeed, with the dust still settling Friday night from a 34-13 Class 5A Big East Conference victory over visiting Latrobe, first-year Cavaliers coach Colyn Haugh joined the huddle and was brief.

“It’s a process,” he said moments after his players were lining up and, one-by-one, fist-bumping him. Some offered compliments and congratulations, and others simply thanked him.

“I love it,” Haugh said. “I didn’t ask them to do it. They just started it in the summertime, and we’ve been having fun ever since.”

Sophomore Landyn Artman tied a career high with five touchdown passes, and Kiski Area (3-4, 1-2) erupted in the second half to notch its second straight victory after a four-game losing streak.

Artman, who also threw five touchdown passes in a 34-31 loss at Gateway on Sept. 12, finished 12 for 20 for 273 yards against Latrobe (2-5, 1-3), which lost its third straight and fourth in the past five games.

“We’ve got good kids here that I know aren’t going to pack it in at this point,” first-year Latrobe coach Tom McIntyre said.

Artman threw scoring passes of 24 and 59 yards to Teegan Shirley, 75 yards to Andrew Finney, 38 yards to Aven Shirley and 5 yards to Collin Peterson.

“It wasn’t just me,” Artman said. “Our receivers ran great routes, and the line gave me a bunch of time. I didn’t get sacked one time. I made some mistakes early, and it was a ballgame for a little bit. But we came out strong in the second half, and we just didn’t look back.”

Haugh said that a halftime chat with his players seemed to work. The Cavaliers were clinging to a 14-7 lead heading into the third quarter, and Haugh said he was proud of his team’s response.

“I was a little concerned when we left the field at halftime,” Haugh said. “It was like we had won the Super Bowl, and I wasn’t happy with that. I addressed it at halftime. I told them, ‘Hey, I love the enthusiasm, but you have to understand that there’s 24 minutes left in this game. If we go out there and think this game is over, we’re going to be in trouble.’ To their credit, they came out and battled.”

With Kiski Area leading 20-7 to start the fourth quarter, the Cavaliers capitalized on a pair of turnovers within a span of 38 seconds.

Lucas Vacanti’s interception of a Dom Scarton pass set up Artman’s 59-yard scoring strike to Teegan Shirley before Finney picked off another Scarton pass and then accepted a 75-yard pass from Artman on the next play to give Kiski Area a commanding 34-7 lead.

“The turnovers were tough,” McIntyre said. “For two quarters, we didn’t execute. We just kept pinning ourselves deep, and the uphill climb got steeper and steeper. That’s on me. I take the blame for us not being ready to play and be locked in like we should be to win the way it takes to win in this conference and in 5A.”

Latrobe went in front just before the end of the first quarter on Chris Cochran’s 10-yard touchdown run, giving the Wildcats a 7-0 lead.

“We weren’t sustaining anything after that drive,” McIntyre said. “Everything went from 100 to 0.”

Kiski Area tied the score on Artman’s 5-yard touchdown pass to Peterson with 4:37 left in the second quarter.

The Cavaliers took the lead on Artman’s second TD pass, a 24-yard strike to Teegan Shirley with 1:13 to go before halftime.

Latrobe came away empty on its first possession after a drive stalled and Mitch Horner’s 40-yard field-goal attempt sailed wide left.

Artman’s 38-yard scoring pass to Aven Shirley with 4:48 to go in the third put Kiski Area in front 20-7.

Latrobe finally scored again in the fourth quarter on Ty Wisniewski’s 19-yard touchdown pass to Aaron Gaskey.

But it was too late for the Wildcats to play catch-up.

“It’s a process,” Haugh repeated. “There aren’t going to be any layups for us. Our guys are sticking to the process. They don’t complain. They come out and play hard.”

Tags: Kiski Area, Latrobe