×

Tigers in bounce-back mode

The matchup

Game: Brashear Bulls (2-2) vs. Hollidaysburg Golden Tigers (2-2)

Where: Tiger Stadium, Hollidaysburg

When: Friday, 7 p.m.

The coaches: Brashear — Rick Murphy (56-40, 10th year); Hollidaysburg — Homer DeLattre (73-88, 16th year)

Series record: Hollidaysburg, 2-0 (first met in 1993 playoffs)

Last meeting: Hollidaysburg, 49-7 (Sept. 23, 2016)

By John Hartsock

jhartsock@altoonamirror.com

The Hollidaysburg Golden Tigers will be on the rebound trail this week.

The Tigers (2-2) have endured some rough sledding over the past couple of weeks, losing to Maryland juggernaut Fort Hill, 42-10 last Friday after suffering a 55-27 setback to a talented State College team two weeks ago.

Hollidaysburg will attempt to turn things around tonight when Pittsburgh City League opponent Brashear visits Tiger Stadium for a 7 p.m. kickoff.

Brashear is also 2-2 after defeating Pittsburgh City League rival Westinghouse, 18-7 last week.

“We’re coming off two tough games,” Hollidaysburg coach Homer DeLattre said. “We’re trying to get healthy, and hopefully, get things back on track.”

Hollidaysburg will be without the services of senior running back-linebacker Dan Molliver, who will miss a second staight game due to a concussion.

Another senior back, Patrick Young — who has rushed for 264 yards on 75 carries and three touchdowns — is coming off an ankle injury.

“He had some reps and practiced this week, so unless he tweaks it, he should be ready to go, but it will be a game-time decision,” DeLattre said of Young. “We’re (still) going to need some other guys to step up at that position this week.”

Hollidaysburg routed Brashear, 49-7 last year at Pittsburgh’s Cupples Stadium, but DeLattre knows full well that each season is different.

“They’ve got a good core group back, and they definitely have some great athleticism and team speed, and that concerns us,” DeLattre said of the Bulls.

With Young rushing for 99 yards and two touchdowns in the first half, Hollidaysburg built a 42-0 lead at the intermission en route to winning last year’s matchup easily.

“Last year, we created some turnovers and had some success running the football,” DeLattre said.

Junior running back Anthony Carrington has rushed for nearly 500 yards for Brashear this season, while sophomore quarterback Nick Roell has thrown for nearly 500 yards. Brashear overcame an early deficit in last week’s game to even its record at 2-2 by defeating Westinghouse.

“We’re happy to be back on the winning side of things,” Brashear coach Rick Murphy said. “I think it’s something we can build on. In the two games that we lost this season, I thought we could have done some things better.”

Junior quarterback Brady Walters has thrown for 500 yards and six touchdowns on 29 completions in 62 attempts for Hollidaysburg this season. The Tigers’ top receiver, senior Jack Sauserman, has nine catches for 263 yards and five touchdowns.

“Watching films of them, and from what we saw last year, Hollidaysburg seems fundamentally sound, very strong and physical,” Murphy said. “It seems like they know the system in which they are coached very well.”

Hollidaysburg opened the season with wins over Central (30-20) and Silver Oaks, Md. (31-6). But the Golden Tigers are now hoping to tighten up a run defense which was springing leaks against two potent offenses, State College and Fort Hill, over the past two weeks.

“We have to get things fixed defensively — we obviously have to get better there,” DeLattre said. “We have to play better defense on the perimeter against the run, get into better position, and read our keys better. If we can shore up our run defense and not give up those big plays like we have been, we’ll be fine.”

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.39/week.

Subscribe Today