McKeesport rallies from early 14-0 deficit to pull out 1-point win over Baldwin

By: Zack Zeigler
Friday, November 1, 2019 | 10:34 PM

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After playing from behind the entire game, McKeesport got the ball with 4 minutes, 37 seconds left in regulation and Baldwin ahead by six in a WPIAL Class 5A first-round matchup at George L. Smith Field.

Despite being down, McKeesport coach Matt Miller and his team just focused on what they needed to do to get the ball in the end zone.

“We wanted to run it with our guys,” Miller said. “(Deamontae) Diggs has been running the ball for only a day and a half. Some kids, it takes them eight to nine months to figure it out, but he did an amazing job today.”

Diggs helped his team convert two third-and-long situations to set the Tigers up at the Baldwin 26-yard line. Devari Robinson took the snap and ran 26 yards to the end zone to gave McKeesport a 21-20 lead with 1:04 left.

That score held up, sending the Tigers to the quarterfinals to face defending WPIAL and PIAA champion Penn Hills.

“Deavari is Devari. We go as he goes,” Miller said. “He made a great read on that and a great cut, and he just runs so hard and so fast and he is just a great football player.”

The run capped Robinson’s big day: 21 carries for 213 yards and two touchdowns. Robinson deflected the credit to his teammates.

“Once I stepped foot in the end zone, I didn’t have a celebration. I had nothing in my mind,” Robinson said. “I just had to thank my team. They know how much I love them, and I realize how much work they put in to get us into positions like this. I couldn’t do it without them, and they mean the world to me.”

With his team down 14-0 at halftime, Robinson helped to spark a second-half comeback. After the McKeesport defense forced a three-and-out to start the half, Robinson took the first snap and ran 82 yards for a touchdown to cut the Highlanders’ lead to 14-7.

“That was an amazing play,” Miller said. “We took our lumps a little bit against Gateway last week, and I thought that carried over into the first half a little bit. Once we scored, it gave us a little bit of swagger going into the third.”

Baldwin would add on at the end of the third quarter, driving 99 yards in 11 plays and capping it with a 42-yard touchdown pass from Mason Stahl to Naseer Penn. But Baldwin missed the extra point, opening the door for McKeesport.

Diggs opened the fourth quarter with a 3-yard touchdown run to cut the deficit to six with 9:30 left. The Tigers defense held just enough to force Baldwin to attempt a 44-yard field goal, which was missed.

That set up the winning drive.

“Our defensive coordinator, Tom Smith, does an amazing job, and he came in and made a couple of adjustments,” Miller said. “And credit to (Baldwin). They made some adjustments, too, but we just did an amazing job on both sides of the ball.”

Baldwin got one more shot with 58 seconds left in regulation, but a sack by KeVonte Simpson ended the threat and advanced the Tigers to the quarterfinals as they secured the victory.

“That was just a feeling of relief,” said Miller. “That clock is the longest thirty seconds of my life. The kids were so excited, and I really felt good for the kids. They have worked so hard to get to this point, and I feel very good for them.”

Stahl led Baldwin with 24 carries for 85 yards and the two first-half touchdowns that got his team out to the 14-0 lead. Angelo Priore added 39 yards on 14 carries.

McKeesport heads back to the quarterfinals, where its season ended in 2018.

“(Last year) definitely plays into our preparation this week,” said Miller. “You’re playing now to advance, you don’t care how you look doing it. You just want to move on. We are looking at two teams we are familiar with, and it helps us because we can know what they like to do against us defensively and it will be interesting.”

Tags: Baldwin, McKeesport