Outstanding. Terrific. Tremendous.
Hopewell coach Matt Mottes might use any or all of those words to describe the 55-yard field goal that junior Rocco Marcantonio knocked through in Friday’s 24-7 win against Quaker Valley.
But one word he won’t use is “unbelievable.”
“It’s believable because I’ve seen him make them from 62 in practice,” Mottes said.
Marcantonio kicked his way into the top spot in the WPIAL record book courtesy of his mammoth boot in the fourth quarter that extended his team’s lead to 17-7. The 55-yard blast tied the record set by East Allegheny’s Josh Miller in 2002.
“We knew he had the leg to make it,” said Mottes, who is in his first season. “We figured he could make it and we’d get the three points. And if he missed it, it would go out of the end zone and still just be a touchback.”
Originally, it was believed that Marcantonio’s kick traveled 56 yards, which would have given him the WPIAL record all to himself. But upon further review on Saturday, it turns out that the ball was held and kicked from just behind the 45-yard line, officially making it a 55-yard kick.
“It was 55 yards and 8 inches,” said Mottes, whose Vikings improved to 3-3 after going just 1-9 last season.
It was the fifth field goal of the season for Marcantonio, placing him among the WPIAL leaders. His previous long was a 49-yard conversion in a Week 1 win against New Castle.
There’s a good chance that colleges will take notice. Mottes said that Marcantonio will make a gameday visit to Pitt for its tilt against Clemson in November.
Central kicker connects from 54
Less than two hours before Marcantonio tied the record, another kicking standout came within a yard of doing the same.
Central Catholic senior Billy Lech knocked through a 54-yard field goal in the second quarter of his team’s 27-14 win against North Allegheny at Baldwin. Lech said he was told of how close he was to the record as he came to the sideline following his big kick.
“It’s truly a dream,” said Lech, whose previous career long of 45 yards came in a Week 0 loss to St. Frances, Md. “I can’t thank my support staff enough. These coaches have put unbelievable trust in me. They really just trust me with their whole body, their whole soul. I’ve got one job to do, and I went out and did it.”
Lech is a three-year starter and Akron recruit who has now converted four field goals on the season.
“I couldn’t be more happy for Billy,” Central Catholic coach Ryan Lehmeier said. “I thought that was an awesome part of the game.”
Tikey returns
After missing two games due to a hamstring injury, Tikey Hayes returned to the Aliquippa lineup on Friday and … Tikey looked like Tikey.
Hayes needed only 11 touches to rack up 172 total yards and three touchdowns while helping host Aliquippa rebound from its first loss of the season by beating previously undefeated New Castle, 62-21. A Penn State recruit, Hayes scored on touchdown runs of 2 and 27 yards and took his only reception of the game for a 67-yard touchdown. He finished with 105 yards on 10 carries, upping his career rushing total to 6,184 yards.
In addition to missing the Penn Hills game, Hayes also sat out Aliquippa’s win against Mars a week earlier. Sophomore running back Sa’Nir Brooks had been starting in Hayes’ place, and with Hayes back the Quips once again have arguably the top 1-2 punch in the WPIAL. Brooks ran for 88 yards and a touchdown and like Hayes also had a receiving touchdown against New Castle. On the season, Brooks has rushed for 370 yards and scored seven touchdowns, while Hayes has collected 273 rushing yards to go along with six touchdowns.
PUP Bites
• Another win, another shutout for Clairton. The Class 1A No. 2 Bears (6-0) blanked visiting Jeannette, 43-0, on Saturday to earn their fifth consecutive shutout. Clairton has given up only one touchdown this season. Those points came on a scoop and score in the season opener, so the Bears’ defense has yet to be scored on. Since trailing Steel Valley, 7-6, in that Week 0 win, the Bears have scored outscored opponents, 267-0.
• One of the most impressive stats of Week 5 was produced by McKeesport running backs Kemon Spell and Anthony Cromerdie, who combined for five carries for 265 yards and five touchdowns while leading the Tigers (2-4) to a 54-7 win at Hampton. Each time Spell and Cromerdie were handed the ball, they took it to the house. Spell scored on touchdown runs of 59, 65 and 65 yards, while Cromerdie’s touchdowns came on runs of 27 and 49 yards.
• Three local teams were quite offensive Friday as they reached the 70-point mark. “That ’70s Show” saw Pine-Richland thump Fox Chapel, 71-0, Bishop Canevin trounce Chartiers-Houston, 70-0, and University Prep hammer Brashear, 70-0. Pine-Richland’s point total was a team record, while Canevin’s win was the most lopsided in program history. In that Pine-Richland game, the Rams limited Fox Chapel to (minus)-89 yards of offense.
• Bishop McDevitt senior quarterback Stone Saunders became Pennsylvania’s all-time career passing touchdown leader when he tossed the 177th and 178th scoring tosses of his career in a 28-21 win against Altoona. Saunders broke the record of 176 touchdowns set just last season by Steelton-Highspire’s Alex Erby, who now plays at Navy. Saunders is a Kentucky recruit.
Brad is a sports writer at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at beverett@unionprogress.com.