Chartiers Valley rolls over Blackhawk, sets up showdown with Aliquippa
By:
Friday, October 2, 2020 | 11:34 PM
Chartiers Valley’s Anthony Mackey breaks a tackle attempt by Blackhawk’s Dontae Campagna on Friday, Oct. 2, 2020, at Chartiers Valley High School.
Chartiers Valley’s Anthony Collura pulls in a interception against Blackhawk on Friday, Oct. 2, 2020, at Chartiers Valley High School.
Chartiers Valley’s Anthony Collura drops Blackhawk’s Josh Hathaway for a loss Friday, Oct. 2, 2020, at Chartiers Valley High School.
Chartiers Valley’s Isaac Minnetti-Houser celebrates with Jacob Adwar after Adwar scooped up a Blackhawk fumble Friday, Oct. 2, 2020, at Chartiers Valley High School.
Blackhawk’s Brendan Welsh breaks up a pass intended for Chartiers Valley’s Brendon Green on Friday, Oct. 2, 2020, at Chartiers Valley High School.
Chartiers Valley’s Jacob Adwar pressures Blackhawk’s Carson Davidson on Friday, Oct. 2, 2020, at Chartiers Valley High School.
Chartiers Valley’s Abe Ibrahim celebrates with Anthony Mackey after Mackey’s second touchdown run against Blackhawk on Friday, Oct. 2, 2020, at Chartiers Valley High School.
Chartiers Valley’s Lamont Payne Jr. returns an interception against Blackhawk on Friday, Oct. 2, 2020, at Chartiers Valley High School.
Chartiers Valley’s Abe Ibrahim pulls in a first-quarter touchdown pass over Blackhawk’s Brendan Welsh on Friday, Oct. 2, 2020, at Chartiers Valley High School.
Chartiers Valley’s Socrates Boulis pulls in a second-quarter touchdown pass past Blackhawk’s Brendan Welsh on Friday, Oct. 2, 2020, at Chartiers Valley High School.
The Chartiers Valley football team continued its trend of dominant second-half performances as the Colts turned a seven-point halftime lead into a 41-14 victory over Blackhawk in a Class 4A Parkway Conference game.
Chartiers Valley quarterback Anthony Mackey accounted for five touchdowns: three passing and two rushing.
“(Mackey’s] so calm,” coach Dan Knause said. “He reads. He takes what they give him. He has that internal clock that you can’t teach as a coach. His decision-making is very advanced. That’s what makes him special.”
Defense and special teams fueled the victory as Chartiers Valley’s offense took advantage of great field position all night. The Colts began four drives in Blackhawk territory and another three drives at their 47 or better.
“Last week verses Hopewell, we were very sloppy and didn’t finish drives,” Knause said. “We spent a lot of time this week focusing on finishing. So we put ourselves in good situations, and, for the most part, we finished drives tonight.”
Chartiers Valley’s special teams set up the Colts’ first touchdown with a partially blocked punt, setting up the offense at the Blackhawk 30. Several plays later, Mackey lofted a fade into the left corner of the end zone that was reeled in by Abraham Ibrahim from 9 yards.
On the ensuing Blackhawk drive, the Cougars worked their way beyond midfield before quarterback Carson Davidson threw under duress and was intercepted by Anthony Collura.
The Colts overcame three offensive holding penalties on the following possession thanks to a defensive pass interference flag and a 14-yard scamper by Mackey. Mackey connected with Socrates Boulis on a fade to the right corner of the end zone to put Chartiers Valley up 13-0 with 5 minutes, 50 seconds left in the first half.
“We can’t give up field position,” Blackhawk coach Zack Hayward said. “I preach to our guys that we have to play perfect football. If you want to beat a team like Char Valley, you have to play perfect football.”
Blackhawk ventured into Chartiers Valley territory on its next drive, but the Cougars coughed up the football, and Sam Pocci recovered for the Colts.
After penalties sank the next CV drive, Blackhawk took over on its 33 yard-line with 2:20 to go in the half. Vince Gratteri hammered forward for 17 yards on his first two carries of the drive, and Davidson found Josh Hathaway on a reverse pass for 26 yards. The Cougars were inside the Chartiers Valley 10 yard-line with just second remaining.
Gratteri took an inside handoff and scored from the 3 yards with 3 seconds remaining to trim the deficit to 13-6 at halftime.
“That was our gameplan: shorten their drives, keep their offense off the field, keep our offense on the field and wear than down and try to keep it under 20,” Hayward said. “At halftime, it felt like we had the momentum. We were playing the style of football that we wanted to play, but we had a couple turnovers and short field position. We gave them 13, and great teams can’t do that.”
Chartiers Valley had outscored opponents 56-13 in the second half of its first three games. The trend continued, with CV outscoring Blackhawk, 28-6, in the second half.
“We are proud of the linemen we’ve developed,” Knause said. “It was one of the focuses of our program when we started. The depth we have has worn down some teams in the second half.”
Much like the first half, a Blackhawk miscue on a punt led to the first points for Chartiers Valley. The Cougars couldn’t handle a punt snap, which set Chartiers Valley up at the Blackhawk 17. On the next play, Mackey found a crease up the middle and ran for a touchdown, giving Chartiers Valley a 19-6 edge.
The following possession, Donovan O’Malley sacked Davidson and knocked the ball loose, and Jacob Adwar pounced on the ball for Chartiers Valley at the Blackhawk 26. Mackey made the Cougars play with his second rushing TD of the quarter to give the Colts a 27-6 lead.
Zack Ours scored Blackhawk’s lone touchdown of the second half on a 90-yard kickoff.
Mackey tossed another TD pass to Ibrahim with 2:03 left in the third quarter to push the Chartiers Valley advantage to 35-14.
In the fourth quarter, a big punt return by Collura set up the Chartiers Valley offense at the Blackhawk 31. The Colts took advantage of the good field position with Patrick Mulligan’s 5-yard TD run to push the advantage to 41-14.
Mackey rushed for 84 yards and passed for 68. Ibrahim had two receptions, both for scores.
“I’m so happy for these kids because they’ve battled through and never quit,” Knause said. “They’ve earned this. They’re football smart, and they have a desire to be physical and win football games.”
Gratteri led the way for Blackhawk with 61 yards on the ground and one touchdown, and Davidson had 79 yards passing.
“It’s only our first conference loss,” Hayward said. “We have three big games coming up in Montour, New Castle and Aliquippa. A lot can happen in three weeks.”
The win clinches Chartiers Valley’s first winning season since 2009 and sets up a showdown at No. 2 Aliquippa next week for sole possession of first place in the Parkway Conference.
“Every game you win, the next one gets more important,” Knause said. “We, obviously, know what next week is, but we had to beat a very good Blackhawk team that has some tradition behind it. We earned it, and now we get to have another big game and we’re excited about the opportunity.”
Listen to an archived broadcast of this game on Trib HSSN.
Tags: Blackhawk, Chartiers Valley
More Football
• North Allegheny seniors reflect on career of success• 2024 WPIAL football championship factoids
• PIAA officials postpone PIAA football quarterfinal between Westinghouse, Bishop Guilfoyle
• Kiski Area football coach Sam Albert hangs up head coach’s whistle after 3 decades
• WPIAL Class 3A championship preview: Avonworth, Central Valley set for rematch
