Beaver Falls knocks off Quaker Valley

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, September 15, 2018 | 12:42 AM

In a battle of the last two WPIAL and PIAA champions, Beaver Falls overcame a 7-6 halftime deficit to defeat Quaker Valley, 25-14.

The Tigers got on the board first on a Dayln Brickner 49-yard run. A bad snap on the ensuing extra point left Beaver Falls with a 6-0 lead with 4:40 left in the first quarter.

Beaver Falls saw a chance to add to the lead in the second quarter go by the boards when a faulty exchange on a first- and-goal play from the Quaker Valley 2-yard line lead to a fumble that was recovered in the end zone by the Quakers.

Quaker Valley then went on an 80-yard drive with much of the work being done by the legs of quarterback Ethan Moore.

Moore, who rushed 24 times for 91 yards, ran the ball seven times on the drive for 30 yards and then capped the drive with a 27-yard pass to Ryan Jackovic. Jackovic made a dramatic catch, batting the ball out of the air to himself with one hand. The extra point was good and the Quakers went to the half leading 7-6.

Beaver Falls outscored Quaker Valley, 19-0, in the third frame to take control of the game.

Brickner, who completed 8 of 12 passes for 110 yards and two scores, got it going with an 88-yard touchdown pass to Amen Cotrill.

“(Cotrill) just ran a great route, got their kid to bite on the shallow and turned upfield. He was wide-open, he made my job easy,” Brickner said.

Cotrill added a 5-yard run for a score and then capped off the third quarter with a 50-yard touchdown catch from Brickner.

Cotrill ended the night with 100 yards rushing and 133 yards receiving to go along with his three touchdowns.

Beaver Falls’ second-year coach, Nick Nardone, gave credit to his players for turning things around in the second half against the defending champions.

“That first half was my fault. I think offensively I needed to open it up a little bit more in that first half, but we got our best athletes into space in the second half and they did an amazing job,” he said.

The Quakers battled back with just under four minutes to play when Moore converted a fourth and goal from the Tigers’ 22-yard line.

Moore made a mad scramble and hooked up with Demetrios Perez for a touchdown to cut the lead to 25-14.

Moore completed 15 of 37 passes for 302 yards and two scores on the night. Isaac Guss had six catches for 100 yards.

The Quakers fell to 1-2 overall and in the Tri-County West. The Tigers improved to 4-0 overall, 3-0 in conference.

Next Friday both teams are at home as Quaker Valley hosts Elizabeth Forward in a nonconference game while the Tigers host rival Aliquippa.

Sam Hall is a freelance writer.

Tags: Beaver Falls, Quaker Valley