Hook-and-lateral TD helps Knoch cloud up playoff race in Greater Allegheny Conference
JEFFERSON TWP — Cole Shinsky and his Knoch football teammates laughed when coach Mike King installed a play into the offense code-named “Whoa, Nelly.”
When the Knights put the play into action, Hollidaysburg didn't see much humor in it.
Shinsky threw a pass to Jake Herrit, who flipped the ball to a hard-charging Mac Christy who coasted 13 yards for a touchdown with 2 minutes, 26 seconds left in the first half.
The surprising hooker-and-lateral ended up being the game-winner for Knoch, which breathed new life into its season with a 21-14 Greater Allegheny Conference win Friday at Knoch Stadium.
The Knights, who are 3-3 and 2-3 in GAC play, are a half-game out of the final playoff spot.
“We put that play in yesterday at the end of practice,” Shinsky said. “We were laughing at that yesterday because it was funny to hear Coach King say 'Whoa, Nelly'. He called it and I had faith in it.”
King was screaming something different on the last play. Hollidaysburg's last gasp nearly forced overtime.
With 6 seconds remaining, Golden Tigers quarterback Jarrett Cavalet heaved a Hail Mary pass from their 49-yard line.
Mitchell Augustine slipped behind the Knoch defense and was standing open at the goal line. Cavalet's pass hung up in the air and three Knights defenders collided with Augustine, forcing an incompletion.
“We did what we had to do to hang on,” King said. “That was pretty scary though.”
Shinsky, who was 12-of-19 passing for 152 yards and a touchdown, had a tough time getting ready for his first start. He missed time with the flu.
“Tuesday in practice I was feeling a little slow and sluggish,” Shinsky said. “I got home and ended up getting cold and ended up with a fever of 102.5. I sweated in out and Wednesday and came back Thursday ready to work.”
On the fifth play of the game, Shinsky made an impact. He scrambled outside the pocket before finding an open Herrit.
Herrit caught the ball and broke a tackle for a 61-yard score.
Golden Tigers coach Homer DeLattre said Hollidaysburg believed Shinsky would start.“We worked on it all week long,” DeLattre said. “We knew that was probably going to happen. I don't think that was a factor in the game, I don't think (Shinsky) had many yards.”Hollidaysburg (4-2, 3-2) tied the game with its defense. Ryan Adams scooped up a Shinsky fumble and raced 28 yards for a score four minutes after Herrit's score.Shinsky set up Knoch's second touchdown. He intercepted a pass, returning it 20 yards to the Golden Tiger 5-yard line. Three plays later, he scored on a 1-yard run to put the Knights up 14-7 with 8:56 left before halftime.Following the hook-and-lateral score, Hollidaysburg quickly grabbed the game's final score.Cavalet threw a 70-yard touchdown pass to Seth Aungst 18 seconds later.Following that drive, Knoch's defense dug in. The Golden Tigers finished with 197 yards of total offense, including 74 on the ground.“We didn't want anybody to get past us,”said defensive lineman Dalton Ashton, who finished with 1.5 sacks. “This is one giant drive for us.”Hollidaysburg's offense never got going in the second half. The Golden Tigers turned the ball over twice and started four drives inside their own 20-yard line.“That was a great job by their punter of pinning us deep. We had to go 80 yards every time,” DeLattre said. “Any defense can look better when an offense has to do that.”The defense did what it had to.A little trickery set them up.Now Knoch has to find a way to maintain the success.“We needed this. We had to have this tonight to get back in the playoff race,” King said. “That's where we want to be and we think we're a playoff team.”
