Shady Side Academy QB Moore too much for Deer Lakes

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, October 20, 2017 | 10:30 PM

Coming off a win over Laurel last week, Deer Lakes strutted into Shady Side Academy's Michael J. Farrell Stadium on Friday night looking to upset one of the top teams in the Allegheny Conference.

Then, the ball was kicked off.

Deer Lakes had no answer for Shady Side Academy's scoring threats, in particular standout junior quarterback Skyy Moore.

Moore rushed for three touchdowns and threw for two as Shady Side Academy put Deer Lakes away early in a 35-6 rout. The Indians kept their postseason hopes alive with the win.

“It's very frustrating as a coach to work all week and prepare these guys, and then we don't come out and execute,” Deer Lakes coach Steve Sciullo said. “I don't know if it's on me, and it is, because it's my product. But hats off to Shady Side, that Moore is a special talent, and they do a lot of things with him.”

Moore finished with 193 rushing yards on 11 carries before being pulled early in the third quarter.

Deer Lakes (1-7, 0-6) received the first-half kickoff and put together a drive that ended when SSA cornerback Dino Tomlin intercepted an Aris Hasley pass along the Lancers' sideline.

That set the potent Shady Side Academy (6-2, 5-2) offense up at the Lancers 31-yard line. Six plays later, Moore scored on a 7-yard run.

After Deer Lakes went three-and-out on its next possession, Moore scored on a 38-yard touchdown run to extend the Shady Side Academy lead to 14-0 with just over 2 minutes remaining in the first quarter.

“We knew (Deer Lakes was) going to be up after that big win they had, and one of our focuses this week was to match the intensity,” Shady Side Academy coach Chuck DiNardo said. “ I think we did a good job answering the bell by coming out and being ready to play.”

The Lancers' moved the ball but always seemed to unravel.

Hasley connected with receiver Jared Colton for a 34-yard pass that set up the Lancers up at the Indians' 1, but a personal foul on Colton pushed the ball back to the 16. Again, the Lancers offense was turned away.

“It's frustrating because you go down the field on the drive and (Colton) get's up and does some dumb stuff,” Sciullo said. “It's a shame because he's a good athlete.”

Colton, who matched up against Tomlin, finished with a game-high 148 yards on seven receptions.

After the turnover on downs, Moore stretched his legs on a 99-yard touchdown run to give the Indians a 21-0 lead with 10 minutes left on the second quarter.

Moore, who last week became the seventh player in WPIAL history to throw and rush for 1,000 yards in a season, showed off his arm when he connected with Billy Frohlich for an 88-yard touchdown.

Moore did it again on Shady Side Academy's next possession when he hit Tomlin, the son of Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, for a 77-yard score. Moore completed 3 of 5 passes for 167 yards.

“He's a dual threat,” DiNardo said of Moore. “That says something not only about his ability as an athlete but his ability to play the quarterback position.”

Deer Lakes got on the board early in the fourth quarter when Josh Solomon scored from 1-yard out.

Backup quarterback Ethan Bender completed 10 of 20 for 227 yards and two interceptions for Deer Lakes.

“I like coming here and playing but I like coming here and winning more,” Sciullo said.

William Whalen is a freelance writer.

Tags: Deer Lakes, Shady Side Academy