Hoffman's Fourth Quarter TD Catch Leads Pennsbury over Ellwood City

It was a battle of Field goals and defenses that bent but didn't break.  The first half ended 12-6 with all scoring coming the 'boot' route. Big John Giordano was the main weapon for the Falcons, booting four in the first half to give Pennsbury a tenuous 12-6 lead. Ellwood City's Jim Fitzgerald answered with two successful kicks.

The second half provided the 12,000-plus crowd more thrills and chills. Elwood City took the kickoff and marched down the field with precision- mostly through the air as the Falcon defense was keying on bruising fullback Tom McMurdo. Ironically, McMurdo (held to just 17 rushing yards for the night) provided a big 4th-and-one conversion off tackle at the Pennsbury 34. Several clutch passes to Sanders got the 'City team to the Pennsbury 2. Ellwood City QB Ross Parker used a play fake and found Johnny Sanders open for the first TD of the game, and with the PAT by Jim Fitzgerald, The Wolverines grabbed a 13-12 lead.

The teams traded punts before the Big Train Tom McMurdo picked off a Kutsmeda pass at the Pennsbury 45. The Wolverines mounted a 45-yard, 8 play drive culminating with a Fitzgerald end around play from 2 Yards out. Fitzgerald kicked the extra point, and it looked like Coach Peck Lee would be wearing that big smile with yet another win on his wonderful career. Pennsbury's Coach Chuck Kane had other ideas.

On a 4th and two from the four and trailing 20-12, Coach Kane elected to go for the field goal. Calmly, John Giordano kicked his 5th FG to bring the game within 5. The 3rd period ended 2015, Elwood City.

Neither team could sustain any drives for the main of the final period. The turning point came when safety John Asma grabbed a ball that bounced off a would-be receiver's hand at the Pennsbury 29. Ellwood City was driving for another score that would have put the game away.  Asma's acrobatics and return to his own 33 gave the Falcons a last chance.

Another Giordano field goal would be no good. With just 4 minutes left on the clock, fans on both sides of the field were standing. WBPZ radio announcer John Lipez was hoarse from shouting. Kutsmeda used the two-minute offense for the one last-gasp effort. His receivers would come through big time. Breece hauled in three receptions and Fitz_Maurice added two more to get the Falcons to the Ellwood City 13. With 1:58 showing on the board, Kutsmeda drilled a strike on a fade route by Terry Hoffman, and the Falcons grabbed a 1-point lead.  The Falcons decided to go for two. Dale Delise followed fullback Fitz-Maurice and a key block by Jim Kettles to add the 2-point PAT. The Falcons led by 3.

Ellwood City wasn't done. Cagey Ross Parker used an option roll out to find a receiver and connected on three consecutive passes. (Two to Sanders and one to McMurdo.) His fourth try inside the Pennsbury 40 yard line was picked off by Mike Curley and the Falcons ran out the clock, earning a hard-fought 23-20 victory.