’Canes put it all together against Montour
New Castle (32) vs. Montour (13)
Written: Sep 21, 2013
By Joe Sager
New Castle News
ROBINSON TWP. — New Castle unleashed its big-play passing game last night.
The Red Hurricane went through the air for four touchdowns in a 32-13 win at Montour in a WPIAL Class AAA Parkway Conference clash at Thomas J. Birko Memorial Stadium.
However, it was a ground play — from an unexpected source — that finished off the Spartans.
Faced with a third-and-8 at its own 21 midway through the fourth and leading by 13 points, Julian Cox dropped back to pass. A Spartans defender stripped him of the ball. Alertly, ’Canes tackle Niles Holloway picked it up and bolted 19 yards for a back-breaking first down. New Castle continued its drive and Cox capped it with a 14-yard run.
“The momentum was on their side and we had a lineman pick it up and steal it back. It’s exciting when good things like that happen for you,” New Castle coach Joe Cowart said. “It was unbelievable. If you think about the whole scenario: We are third-and-8 and we put the ball on the ground inside our own 20. The ball is just sitting there and our big tackle, Niles Holloway, picks it up and just rumbles down the sideline. He got a game ball. Unfortunately, for him, he probably won’t touch many more this year. But, now, he has some tape where he can demand the ball.”
The drive was an exclamation point for New Castle (2-1 conference, 3-1 overall), which has won three-straight games since dropping a 29-6 decision at Central Valley to open the season.
“It was a big win. We felt like that first game, that wasn’t the team that we should have been,” New Castle’s Malik Hooker said. “Every day since then, we’ve been going harder and harder. We’re becoming a whole different team.”
The ’Canes displayed their big-pass potential against Montour (1-2, 2-2). Cox was 7 for 7 in the first half for 172 yards and three touchdowns. Hooker was his favorite target. The Ohio State recruit hauled in five passes for 123 yards and two scores in a breakout performance.
“So far this season, I felt like I wasn’t doing enough for my team,” Hooker said. “I need my teammates and my teammates need me. In order for us to win, I have got to be great and they have to be just as great as I am also.”
The Spartans scored on their first possession. Quarterback Tynen Greer, who transferred from Shenango two years ago, ran in from three yards for a 7-0 edge.
Hooker tied it shortly after that when Cox found him on a post pattern for a 46-yard TD strike. Rashaad Johnson delivered a key block to clear Hooker’s path to the end zone.
“To be honest, that wasn’t even the route I was supposed to run. Julian and I have been playing for so long that we have that connection. He knows what I am doing and I know what he is doing,” Hooker said. “Rashaad Johnson came out there and had a great block in order for me to score.”
Hooker’s second TD catch came in the third quarter to give the ’Canes a 20-7 advantage. Scrambling around the backfield, Cox lofted a pass to the far corner of the end zone. Hooker outjumped the coverage and snared the ball for a 22-yard touchdown.
“That’s one of the plays where you have to win that battle in order to win the game,” Hooker said. “If I didn’t catch that, who knows where the game would have been.”
New Castle unleashed another offensive weapon in Stew Allen. The tight end hauled in a 47-yard TD pass and added an 18-yard scoring reception.
“Stew has been tremendous. In the run game, he is undoubtedly our biggest blocker. You can see what he does when he gets out in the open. He is a big-time weapon for us,” Cowart said. “We’ve been banging our heads around trying to figure out what we can do to get him the ball in the passing game. Julian did a great job getting it to him.
“Malik was sensational. He doesn’t do anything if the guys up front aren’t blocking. Julian was razor-sharp in the first half,” he continued. “He really orchestrated the offense incredibly well. He made some big plays.”
New Castle returns home Friday to meet Chartiers Valley (1-2, 1-3).
“This is a big win. Montour knows how to win and is a perennial powerhouse in our league,” Cowart said. “Chartiers Valley has been able to throw the ball around on the teams they’ve played in our league, so we’ll have our hands full with them. There are no down weeks in the Parkway Conference. I am glad we get to go back home after two pretty good wins on the road. Hopefully, we can continue what we’ve started the last three weeks.”
(Email: ncsports@ncnewsonline.com)
NEW CASTLE MONTOUR
15 First downs 17
144 Yards Rushing 213
4 Yards Lost 6
140 Net Rushing 207
11 Passes Attempted 11
10 Passes Completed 4
0 Passes Intercepted 0
217 Yards Passing 54
357 Total Yards 261
2-0 Fumbles-Lost 1-0
1-16 Punts-Average 2-33.5
7-60 Penalties-Yards 11-99
NEW CASTLE 13 7 6 6 — 32
MONTOUR 7 0 6 0 — 13
Scoring plays
MONTOUR – Tynen Greer, 3-yard run (Adam Check kick).
NEW CASTLE – Malik Hooker, 46-yard pass from Julian Cox (Khalil Huddleston kick).
NEW CASTLE – Stew Allen, 47-yard pass from Cox (kick blocked).
NEW CASTLE – Hooker, 22-yard pass from Cox (Huddleston kick).
NEW CASTLE – Allen, 18-yard pass from Cox (kick failed).
MONTOUR – Greer, 1-yard run (Greer run failed).
NEW CASTLE – Cox, 14-yard run (kick blocked).
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