Football - Hempfield vs Mt Lebanon

Fast Start Propels Mt Lebanon to 37-6 Win at Hempfield 

The visiting Mount Lebanon Blue Devils put up 20 points in the first quarter, then added 10 more before intermission, as they put a damper on Hempfield's homecoming festivities with a 37-6 win at Spartan Stadium. 

After the Spartans took the opening kickoff and went nowhere, the Blue Devils scored on quarterback Seth Morgan's 4-yard run just 4 minutes and 14 seconds into the game for a 7-0 lead after Casey Sorsdal's PAT kick. Then Shandrew Vaughn carried a handoff 14 yards for the second Mt Lebo touchdown at 4:29 of the first, with Sorsdal's PAT good again. With only 17 second left in the opening quarter, Morgan hit Mason Ventrone in stride for a 78-yard touchdown, making the score 20-0 after the failed PAT. As the Spartans continued to struggle offensively in the second quarter, the Blue Devils struck again with Morgan's 11-yard run on a quarterback keeper with 5:59 remaining, and Sorsdal's kick made it 27-0. Sorsdal closed out the scoring on the final play of the half, booming a 37-yard field goal through the uprights for a 30-0 halftime score.

After the Mount Lebanon band performed to open halftime, Hempfield's Isabella Patula, escorted by John Malinak, was crowned the 2018 Hempfield Area High School Homecoming Queen in front of a full house of Hempfield fans.    

In contrast with the first half that was all Mt Lebanon, the second half was much more evenly played. The Spartans buckled down on defense, keeping the Blue Devils off the 3rd quarter scoreboard, while failing to find the endzone with their own offense too. In the final quarter, Vaughn invoked the mercy rule with his second rushing touchdown from a couple of yards out at 4:27 remaining for a 37-0 lead after the PAT kick. Hempfield negated the shutout with only 7 seconds remaining in the game as backup quarterback Lucas Guy hit Roman Pellis on a leaping grab in the back corner of the endzone for the 13-yard scoring strike. An errant PAT kick sealed the Mt. Lebanon win with a 37-6 final score.  

Hempfield falls to 0-5 in conference, 1-5 overall, and travels to Seneca Valley next week. Mount Lebanon improves to 3-2 in conference, 3-3 overall, and hosts Upper St. Clair next week.       

Watch this link for a full gallery of action photos available for purchase or sharing the day after the game.