Holy Cross at Old Forge

Recap

OLD FORGE 59, HOLY CROSS 7

Sixes were wild for Old Forge on Friday night as the Blue Devils took down Holy Cross, 59-7, to win the Eastern Conference Class 1A/2A title at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Senior quarterback TJ DiMattia threw a school-record six touchdown passes as Old Forge (5-6) won its sixth Eastern Conference title behind a first-half offensive outburst that saw the Blue Devils score six first-half touchdowns.

Frankie Pero got things started for Old Forge with a 30-yard kickoff return on the opening kickoff. Pero then took a reverse 31 yards on the second play from scrimmage before DIMattia hit Ryan Novak with an 8-yard scoring strike. Isiah Rodriguez hit the first of his four extra-points and the Blue Devils led 7-0 just 1:32 into the game.

The Blue Devils defense forced a three-and-out on the Crusaders first possession and Pero electrified the crowd with a 53-yard punt return for a touchdown. It was the first punt return of the season for Old Forge. The senior wideout was not done however on special teams. Pero returned the next Holy Cross punt for 52 yards to set up a DIMattia to Chris Rasmus 25-yard touchdown pass for a 21-0 lead with 2:48 left in the first quarter.

Freshman Rylan Gutowski scored on a three-yard run on the Blue Devils next possession, and DiMattia’s third touchdown pass of the first half on Old Forge’s fourth offensive possession came on a simple quick hitch to Rodriguez that the senior split end turned into a spectacular 67-yard touchdown reception for a 33-0 lead.

Old Forge made it 40-0 at the half when DiMattia found Pero on a 23-yard dart with 2:31 left in the second quarter. Pero finished the night with 216 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns. His two touchdown receptions put him in the top 10 of the Old Forge record books for touchdown receptions in a season with seven.

Holy Cross got on the board to open the third quarter when senior Josh Lentkowski returned the second-half kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown. Connor Farrell added the PAT and the Crusaders trailed 40-7.

DIMattia and Pero answered the score quickly when they hooked up for a 17-yard touchdown three plays later. DiMattia completed his assault on the Old Forge record book when he found senior tailback Nick Hewitt in the endzone on a one-yard toss top open the fourth quarter.

Gutowski finished the scoring for the Blue Devils, carrying four times for 25 yards on their final possession, capped with a nine-yard run for the 59-7 final.

Rodriguez finished with three catches for 102 yards and DiMattia was 9-for-10 passing for 186 yards. Noak added his third interception of the season and Hewitt ran four times for 31 yards.

Aiden Wudarski led the Holy Cross offense with 91 yards on six carries.

Old Forge also won Eastern Conference titles in 2005, 1989, 1961, 1958 and 1952. DiMattia became a third generation winner of an EC title as his father, Tony, and his late grandfather, Buddy, won titles in 1989 and 1958, respectively.

SCORING SUMMARY

1st Quarter

OF – Ryan Novak 3-yd pass from T.J. DiMattia (Isaih Rodriguez kick) – Old Forge 7-0

OF – Frankie Pero 52-yd punt return (Rodriguez kick) – Old Forge 14-0

OF – Chris Rasmus 25-yd pass from DiMattia (Rodriguez kick) – Old Forge 21-0

2nd Quarter

OF – Rylan Gutowski 3-yd run (Kick failed) – Old Forge 27-0

OF – Rodriguez 67-yd pass from DiMattia (Pass failed) – Old Forge 33-0

OF – Pero 22-yd pass from DiMattia (Rodriguez kick) – Old Forge 40-0

3rd Quarter

HC – Josh Lentowski 90-yd kick return (Aidan Wudarski kick) – Old Forge 40-7

OF – Pero 17-yd pass from DiMattia (Kick failed) – Old Forge 46-7

4th Quarter

OF – Nick Hewitt 2-yd pass from DiMattia (Josh Cistola kick) – Old Forge 53-7

OF – Gutowski 9-yd run (Kick failed) – Old Forge 59-7