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Mapletown wins conference, stays unbeaten

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Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter

Mapletown’s Brody Evans (23) leads the celebration from the end zone after his 61-yard touchdown Friday night against Mapletown. The Maples won the game improve to 9-0 for the first time in school history.

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Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter

Mapletown running back Landan Stevenson (1) breaks the grasp of Monessen defenders and scores on a two-yard touchdown run that put Mapletown up 20-12 in the third quarter.

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Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter

Mapletown's Brody Evans breaks away from Monessen's Tyvaughn Kershaw (1) and Nigier Foster (17) and takes off for a 61-yard touchdown to put the Maples up 14-6.

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Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter

Monessen's Tyvaughn Kershaw breaks loose for a 46-yard run in the third quarter.

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Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter

Monessen's Tyvaughn Kershaw grinds out a run for a first down to keep a Greyhounds drive alive in the fourth quarter.

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Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter

Mapletown quarterback Brody Evans is pressured by Monessen's Giovanni Isbell on a two-point conversion attempt.

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Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter

Mapletown quarterback Brody Evans drags a pile of Monessen defenders for a first down.

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Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter

Mapletown's Landan Stevenson leads the WPIAL with 2,031 rushing yards and 285 points.

By Colin C. Rhodes

For the Observer-Reporter

newsroom@observer-reporter

MAPLETOWN – Mapletown is the Class A Tri County South Conference champion after defeating Monessen, 26-18, Friday night in the closest game of the year for the Maples.

With this win, the Maples are 9-0 overall for the first time in school history.

“Last year, we were 6-4,” Mapletown head coach George Messich said. “We lost two or three good seniors last year, but we had the majority of our kids back. I wouldn’t doubt these kids anything they tried to do, because they just want to win no matter what.”

While Mapletown celebrated, Monessen (4-2, 5-4) suffered heartbreak knowing how close it came to putting itself in position for the conference’s top seed in the postseason.

“Takeaway from the game was missed opportunities for us,” Monessen head coach Wade Brown said. “We had some opportunities at the end of the game. We had opportunities we found at the end of the first half.”

The opportunity at the end of the first half came when Monessen senior Davontae Clayton recovered a Mapletown fumble and returned it 47 yards to the Mapletown six-yard line with 3:25 left in the second quarter. With third-and-goal at the six, Monessen, down 14-12, committed a false start, followed by a delay of game, and then a penalty for illegal equipment when the referees found a Monessen player with metal spikes.

Monessen was pushed all the way to the Mapletown 21 on third downl, and a loss of 12 made it fourth-and-goal from the Mapletown 32. Junior quarterback Lorenzo Gardner was tackled in the backfield, resulting in a turnover on downs and leaving the Greyhounds without a score.

The second opportunity Brown mentioned came late in the fourth quarter. Monessen, down 26-18, had the ball fourth-and-one at the Mapletown 25. Going for it on fourth down, sophomore quarterback Daniel Dozier fumbled the snap and Mapletown fell on it to secure the victory.

“Our defense is really, really aggressive,” Messich said. “I don’t care if it’s first-and-10 or fourth-and-one, they’re gonna go flying across the football. And they showed it tonight. I’m just really proud of this team and my coaching staff.”

Part of what made it a close game was the rushing offenses of both teams. Mapletown was led by senior Landan Stevenson and Monessen was led by freshman Tyvaughn Kershaw.

Stevenson finished the night with 27 carries, 176 yards, two rushing touchdowns of 10 and two yards and a 61-yard touchdown pass to senior Brody Evans on a trick play.

“Landan, for his size, runs so hard,” Messich said. “He’s dragging two or three, sometimes four people with him. He just won’t go down.”

Kershaw finished the night with 242 yards on 23 carries. He had the first touchdown of the game on a three-yard run with 7:55 left in the first.

“He’s a spectacular player,” Brown said. “We all knew that. In the second half, he’s just started saying ‘Give me the ball, give me the ball.’ When the guy’s asking for the ball, and he’s producing, that’s just what you want to do.”

With the best record in school history and the potential to go 10-0 next week, Messich likens this year’s team to the 1968 Mapletown team that went 8-0.

“That was a great team,” Messich said. “And it reminds me a lot of this team. They stuck together. They were a real tight group, a great football team. And that’s what I see in this football team.”

Mapletown finishes the season next week at West Greene. Monessen finishes their season hosting Beth-Center.

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