The undefeated Tyrone junior high football team had to make the long trek to play Lewistown on Thursday evening at the Indian Valley Middle School in Reedsville. The Little Eagles didn’t allow the journey, or a tough Lewistown junior high squad that was also undefeated through their first seven games to get inthe way of an undefeated season.
Tyrone had only a slim 6-0 advantage over the opening two quarters, but used a tenacious defense that had three interceptions and five tackles for loss to overcome a strong outing by the Little Panthers, 30-7.
“Our defense did a terrific job. Lewistown was a great team,” said Tyrone junior high coach Dan Plummer. “They were 7-0 for a reason. They came to play.”
Caleb Snyder, who had 12 carries for 62 yards, gave the Eagles the lead by blasting the final yard in the first quarter for a TD and a 6-0 lead that would be the only score of the first half for either school.
“Lewistown played us tough, they played us hard. It was still anybody’s game at halftime,” said Plummer. “In the second half our defense dug in and the lines, both offensive and defensive did a phenomenal job for us to contribute to the win.
Tyrone put one touchdown and two-point conversion on the board in the third quarter, to get a bit more room, and then tallied a pair of scores in the fourth quarter.
Lewistown scored their only touchdown of the game late in the third quarter.
Christian Getz ran 38 yards for the third quarter score, for the Golden Eagles and Snyder added the two-point PAT run for a 14-0 Eagle lead. Getz had his number called nine times for a team-best 125 yards.
Getz, Charles Wilson Adams and Nick Romano all had interceptions for Tyrone. Wilson Adams has double digits in picks for the season with 11. Romano’s pass theft was the play that sealed the win, according to coach Plummer.
“Lewistown was driving the ball and had it inside our 10-yard line, I believe at the seven. Romano came up with the interception in the end zone and that turned them away and sealed the win for us.”
In the fourth quarter, Getz scored his second touchdown of the evening, with a 16-yard scamper, and John Romano capped the scoring with a 30-yard jaunt to the end zone. J. Romano carried six times for 59 yards. Kaleb Chronister completed one of three passes. The one completion for 26 yards was to Caleb Snyder.
The Little Eagles improve to a school record 9-0, with next Thursday’s home game against Penns Valley yet to come.
“Obviously, I am very proud of these guys, they continue to do things never done in Tyrone before,” said Plummer. “With this new schedule with 10 games, we have a chance to go further than any other Tyrone junior high team has gone. There have been 7-0 and 8-0 teams before. I think the last time was for the kids who in senior high won the state championship in 1999. But no Tyrone junior high team ever had nine wins before.
“I hope that we can continue this momentum next week against Penns Valley, at home, and wrap up the season on a high note.”
Tyrone will play the Penns Valley junior high on Thursday, Oct. 30, at Gray-Vets Memorial Field at 5:30 p.m. The seventh/eighth grade game against Penns Valley will begin at 4 p.m.
