Perry Dethrones University Prep in OT for City League Football Crown

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, November 3, 2012 | 11:58 PM

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Field goals usually aren’t a big part of Pittsburgh City League football. But a field goal decided this year’s title game. Cornelio Coates kicked a 27-yard field goal in Overtime and Perry defeated University Prep 9-6 at Cupples Stadium in the City League championship Saturday afternoon.

The win gave Perry its second championship in three seasons.

It was the first field goal of the season for Perry and also the first field goal of Coates’ career. He became Perry’s kicker only a week ago.

“I practiced it and I was like, ‘This is kind of easy,’” Coates said with a laugh.

Coates made it look easy, splitting the uprights.

University Prep seemed ready to win the game in regulation. The Wildcats got a 33-yard pass play from Akil Young to Clay Moorefield to put the ball at the Perry 2 with less than two minutes left. But the Perry defense stiffened and the Commodores got some help from University Prep penalties.

A first down run gained 1 yard. Then University Prep got a procedure penalty and a holding penalty on consecutive plays that pushed the Wildcats back to the 18. Young was then sacked on second down and threw an interception on the final play of regulation.
University Prep was penalized 14 times for 136 yards.

“When we played Perry the last time, we had 10 penalties for 90 yards,” said University Prep coach Lou Berry. “Going into the playoffs, the point of emphasis was we can’t continue to commit penalties, especially pre-snap penalties. For some reason, it reared its ugly head today. It’s why we lost.”

In overtime, University Prep got the ball first. Young was sacked on first down and then threw three incomplete passes. He finished 12 of 32 for 191 yards, but was intercepted three times.

Perry took over at the 10 and gained only 1 yard on three plays before Coates kicked the field goal.

The game was scoreless at halftime. Perry took a 6-0 lead in the third quarter on Robert Willie’s 9-yard TD run. The PAT was blocked.
Ryan Daniels scored on a 4-yard run with 7:54 left in the game to tie it for University Prep.

The Wildcats ran the muddle huddle formation on the PAT and snapped the ball directly to kicker Dan Denlinger, who ran to the right before throwing in interception in the end zone.

Tags: University Prep