Tyrone (6-4) at Forest Hills (6-4)
G.H. Miller Memorial Field
Friday, November 1, 2024
Last Time Out: TYRONE – defeated Chestnut Ridge 35-34 at Giovacchini Stadium last Friday. The Golden Eagles rolled up 449 yards of total offense in rallying from a 28-20 halftime deficit. Ashton Walk completed 27 of 39 passes for 301 yards and three touchdowns and ran for one other. Seth Hoover ran for 92 yards, including a 29-yard touchdown in the third quarter that made it 28-26. Eli Woomer threw to Tyler Weston for the 2-point conversion to tie it and then caught the go-ahead touchdown pass in the fourth quarter. After the Lions scored with two minutes left to get within a point, Woomer blocked the ensuing PAT to secure the win. FOREST HILLS – after jumping to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter, the Rangers held off the pesky Dragons, who were playing without starting quarterback Eli Muthler. Central went ahead 15-14 in the second quarter before Forest Hills regained the lead on a 1-yard run by Mason Papinchak with less than a minute to go until the half. After the Rangers added a safety in the fourth quarter to make it 22-15, the Dragons scored on a reception by Adam Baird with 2 minutes to play, but Forest Hills held off a 2-point conversion attempt to preserve the win. Papinchak finished with 127 rushing yards while quarterback Nate Cornell completed 14 of 21 passes for 202 yards.
Series: Tyrone and Forest Hills battled for dominance of the District 6 2A classification throughout the 1990s and 2000s, meeting 10 times in the postseason. Tyrone won its first three meetings with the Rangers in 1996, 1997, and 1999, with the victories in ’96 and ’99 coming in the championship game. The Rangers won a pair of District-level contests in 2001 and 2002 before the Eagles won 31-7 in the 2A championship in 2003. The Rangers earned two finals victories of their own in 2009 and 2010. Tyrone leads the all-time series with 6 wins and 5 losses.
Last 10 Games: Series is tied 5-5.
Coaches: TYRONE – John Franco (223-64 in 24 seasons at Tyrone; 284-147-2 overall); FOREST HILLS – Justin Myers (29-34).
Last Meeting: Forest Hills stood tall on a last-second 2-point conversion attempt, stopping Tyrone quarterback Ashton Walk inches from the goal line to preserve a 31-29 victory over the Golden Eagles at Gray-Veterans Memorial Field in a Laurel Highlands Week 10 crossover game on Friday, October 27, 2023.
Tyrone had jumped to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter on runs by Brady Ronan before the Rangers went up at halftime with 21 unanswered points. After the Eagles tied the game in the third with a third Ronan touchdown, Nate Cornell threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Chase Williamson to put Forest Hills up for good.
A safety in the fourth quarter followed by an 11-yard scoring pass from Walk to Steven Buck got Tyrone within 2, but Walk was called short on the conversion attempt.
Walk threw for 249 yards to lead Tyrone, while Xander Richardson powered the Rangers’ offense with 139 rushing yards.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: TYRONE – Ashton Walk (QB-DB) 185-for-283 for 2,676 yards, 28 TDs, 12 Ints., 167 rushing yards … Seth Hoover (RB-DB) 156 carries for 917 yards, 9 TD, 22 receptions for 229 yards, 1 TD … Eli Woomer (WR-DB) 47 receptions for 728 yards, 6 TD, 1 Int., 1 FR … Trent Adams (WR-DB) 40 receptions, 766 yards, 12 TDs … Dante Novak (WR-DB-K) 8 receptions for 115 yards, 2 TD, 21 XP, 8 touchbacks … Cian Hockenberry (OL-DL) 14 TFL, 4 sacks … Ashton Emigh (RB-DE) 10 TFL, 1 sack, 14 carries for 77 yards, 3 total TDs, 2 FRs … Klayten Moore (WR-DB) 14 receptions for 127 yards, 2 TDs, 1 Int. returned for TD; Gayge Miller (WR-DB) 22 receptions for 340 yards, 2 TD. FOREST HILLS – Nate Cornell (QB-DB) 128-for-228 for 1,675 yards, 17 TDs, 7 Ints., 76 carries for 196 yards … Mason Papinchak (RB-LB) 136 carries for 830 yards, 7 TDs, 18 receptions for 181 yards … Chase Williamson (WR-DB) 47 receptions for 716 yards, 12 TDs, 2 Ints. … Austin Pramuk (WR-DB) 20 receptions for 219 yards, 2 Ints. … Jacob Yatsky (OL-DL) 55 tackles, 6 sacks.
TYRONE – has scored at least 32 points in five straight games … has not won a playoff game since 2020 … is averaging just under 400 yards per game … both receivers Trent Adams (766) and Eli Woomer (728) have more than 700 receiving yards … has 8 players averaging more than 10 yards per reception.
FOREST HILLS – has won five straight games … is averaging 26 points per game … has limited three opponents to a single touchdown … is 1-4 on the road but 5-0 at G.H. Miller Memorial Field.
Hidden Stat: Tyrone has lost both of its games at G.H. Miller Memorial Field (2001 and 2002).
ORANGE AND BLACK 