North Allegheny hosted the Canon-McMillan Big Macs on Friday night in a Quad County Conference matchup. With second-place on the line, the Tigers and Big Macs battled, but it was NA who came up with a turnover on the goal line at the end of the game to come away with the 21-13 win. The win was Head Coach Art Walker’s 200th career victory at North Allegheny.

 

North Allegheny punted to start the game. Canon-McMillan put together an eight-play, 50-yard drive and got to the North Allegheny nine-yard line before Mason Brown forced the strip sack that was recovered by Grant Girty and the Tigers defense got off the field without allowing any points.

 

 

North Allegheny responded with a 12-play, 76-yard drive finished off with Brady Brinkley finding Cameron Kushner from 26 yards out to give the Tigers a 7-0 lead after a quarter of play.

 

 

After a Big Mac punt, the North Allegheny offense got back to work, going 36 yards in eight plays, finished off by a Luke Rohan one-yard touchdown to make the score 14-0.

 

 

Both teams traded possessions without scoring before Canon-McMillan got the ball with 1:47 remaining in the half. The Big Macs drove 76 yards in 1 minute and 44 seconds, and Ty Jansma completed a pass to TJ Sabatucci from 10 yards out. Canon-McMillan cut the NA lead to 14-7 going into the half.

 

With the Big Macs getting the ball to start the second half, the Tiger defense stood tall, forcing a three-and-out to start the period. The North Allegheny offense made adjustments, and Brinkley hit Korry Pitts on a post route from 33 yards out to make the score 21-7.

 

 

Canon-McMillan responded, getting to the North Allegheny one-yard line, but couldn’t punch it in and settled for a Rhys Maentz 19-yard field goal to make the score 21-10 going into the fourth quarter.

 

After NA failed a fourth-and-four conversion, Canon-McMillan once again got inside the North Allegheny 10-yard line but couldn’t convert and had to settle for another field goal, cutting the NA lead to 21-13. Looking to run the clock out, the Tigers fumbled the football and gave the Big Macs the ball on NA’s 22-yard line. It looked like Canon-McMillan had an opportunity to tie the game when Jansma hit Matthew Hirsch on a slant route, but right before Hirsch crossed the goal line, Kushner punched the ball out and Kai Inouye recovered it and the Tigers survived a scare.

 

 

The NA offense was able to run the clock out, and North Allegheny prevailed, 21-13.

 

Brinkley was named the Wright Automotive Player of the Game, going 15-for-24, 208 yards and two touchdowns. Rohan led the Tigers in rushing with 110 yards and a touchdown. Ben Kern was NA’s leading receiver, making six catches for 61 yards.

 

James Harrison led the North Allegheny defense with 10 tackles. Lincoln Hoke made eight tackles, two for loss, while Inouye had six. Brown contributed five tackles and his strip sack.

 

 

North Allegheny improves to 7-1 overall and 4-1 in the conference. Canon-McMillan falls to 4-4 overall and 2-2 in conference play. The Tigers return to action next Friday when they travel to Pine-Richland to take on the Rams at 7 p.m. This game will be broadcast on the North Allegheny Sports Network.