Sun sets on series

Keith wraps up series with win

By John Hartsock, jhartsock@altoonamirror.com
Had Thursday night’s finale in the 78-year Keith-Roosevelt junior high school football series been scripted in Hollywood, it couldn’t have been much more well done.

Crisp, late-autumn weather, Mansion Park bleachers that were over two-thirds filled to capacity with a crowd that would have made most high school or small-college teams proud, and abundant school spirit manifested on both sides, provided a perfect backdrop for a thrilling 18-14 Keith win that drew the curtain on the football series that has spanned nearly eight decades between the two Altoona city rivals.

Keith got the last laugh in the long rivalry, finishing its final football season at 5-5 with its first victory over Roosevelt since 2002.

Roosevelt wrapped its final football campaign at 4-6, while winding up a 38-34 leader in the all-time series with Keith. There have been nine ties.

Next year, the two schools will consolidate into the new Altoona Area Junior High School, which will field two junior high football teams.

Both Keith coach Dick Smith and Roosevelt coach Damon Luciano had a somewhat surreal feeling after the series came to an end Thursday night.

“It’s a unique feeling,’’ said Smith, who has been Keith’s head football coach for nearly two decades. “It’s probably not going to sink in until a little while later. I did get up at 4 a.m. (Thursday) morning anticipating this game.’’

Luciano backed up Smith’s thoughts about the end of the Keith-Roosevelt series, saying, “This probably won’t sink in for awhile. You obviously hate to see a great rivalry like this come to an end, but next year is a new beginning.’’

Turnovers played a major role in Thursday’s outcome. Roosevelt lost the ball four times, three on fumbles and another on an interception by Keith’s DeRon Lee.

“Turnovers definitely hurt us,’’ Luciano said. “Our turnovers gave Keith the ball in good position, and took away scoring chances from us.’’

Roosevelt’s first fumble set Keith up at the Roosevelt 2, and paved the way for quarterback Dominic Hazlett’s scoring sneak with 5:20 left in the first half that tied the score at 6-6.

After another Roosevelt fumble near midfield, Keith marched 54 yards for the go-ahead score. Lee’s 34-yard scamper off the left side paved the way for halfback Logan Tornatore’s 1-yard scoring blast 2:19 before intermission that put Keith in front to stay for good, 12-6.

Tornatore rushed for 149 yards on 25 carries and also scored Keith’s third touchdown, on a 5-yard, fourth-quarter run that capped a 98-yard, 15-play, nine-minute drive with 6:26 left in the game.

“Everybody was pumped up tonight,’’ Tornatore said. “This is a great game to play in. I’ll remember it forever.’’

So will everybody in the impressive throng of fans that showed up for Thursday’s finale between the two schools.

Amy Falbo of Altoona is a longstanding Roosevelt band mother. Her son, Evan, is a ninth-grader this year at Roosevelt. Her daughter, Lindsey, is a senior this year at Altoona High and, like Evan, was also a member of the band during her Roosevelt days.

“There has been a lot of school spirit in this (Keith-Roosevelt) rivalry, and a lot of friendly camaraderie,’’ Amy Falbo said. “Growing up in Hollidaysburg as I did, I didn’t really get to experience this type of competition between two junior high schools.

“The competition between Keith and Roosevelt is pretty intense, but yet, it’s never gotten out of hand, either. I think it’s good to combine the two junior high schools, but it’s a shame this football rivalry between Keith and Roosevelt can’t continue.’’

Mike Pappas, a 22-year member of the custodial department at Keith Junior High School, is an alumnus of Roosevelt.

Pappas was greeting friends decked out in Keith white and green on the Keith side of the Mansion Park bleachers at halftime.

“It’s the last game between the two schools, and I definitely wanted to see it,’’ said Pappas, who said he has been present at every Keith-Roosevelt game since 1989. “It’s hard to see the series end, but change is a constant in life.’’

Despite falling behind, 18-6, Roosevelt, to its credit, never just slipped silently into the night.

Quarterback Trevor Bush’s second scoring run of the game — a 3-yarder with 1:33 left, coupled with Chad Koch’s 2-point conversion run — brought Roosevelt to within 18-14. After Roosevelt’s attempted onside kick went out of bounds, the Roughriders were able to gain possession again at their own 41 with 23 seconds left, but another fumble ended their hopes.

Bush, who ran 29 yards for the first touchdown of the game after Keith fumbled the opening kickoff, rushed for 123 yards on 16 carries.

For Smith and the Rams, Thursday’s outcome was a little bit of sweet payback.

“Damon’s teams had gotten us the last couple years,’’ Smith said. “I knew these two teams were especially evenly-matched this year, and that this game would come down to one or two plays. We were just able to make one more play than they were.’’

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Keith 0 12 0 6 — 18

Roosevelt 6 0 0 8 — 14

First quarter

R—Bush 29 run (run failed), 9:46.

Second quarter

K—Hazlett 2 run (run failed), 5:16.

K—Tornatore 1 run (pass failed), 2:19.

Fourth quarter

K—Tornatore 5 run (pass failed), 6:26.

R—Bush 3 run (Koch run), 1:33.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING: Keith—Tornatore 25-149, Lee 9-67, Hazlett 7-32, Sneed 1-4, Team 1-0. Roosevelt—Bush 16-123, Koch 9-66, Helsel 1-5, Bare 2-0, Team 2-(-35).

PASSING: Keith—Hazlett 1-2-0-5. Roosevelt—Bush 6-13-1-62.

RECEIVING: Keith—Barnes 1-5. Roosevelt—Abram 2-41, Price 1-11, Foose 1-4, Koch 1-4, Helsel 1-2.

INTERCEPTIONS: Keith 1—Lee.

TEAM STATISTICS R K

First downs 12 15

Yards rushing 30-159 43-252

Passing (comp.-att.-int.) 6-13-1 1-2-0

Yards passing 62 5

Total yards 221 257

Fumbles lost 5-3 2-2

Penalties-yards 4-35 7-45

Punts-avg. 1-31 2-35