Nico Flati’s clutch TD helps West Allegheny edge Chartiers Valley
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Friday, August 30, 2019 | 11:40 PM
West Allegheny’s Nico Flati celebrates a play during a game against Chartiers Valley on Friday, Aug. 30, 2019, at West Allegheny.
Chartiers Valley’s Chase Bruggeman spits as he stands on the sideline during a game against West Allegheny on Friday, Aug. 30, 2019, at West Allegheny.
Chartiers Valley’s Joseph McCabe reacts after West Allegheny recovers an onside kick near the and of the game Friday, Aug. 30, 2019, at West Allegheny.
Chartiers Valley’s Socrates Boulis raises his arms to signify a good field goal during a game against West Allegheny on Friday, Aug. 30, 2019, at West Allegheny.
West Allegheny’s Kam Kruze hugs Chartiers Valley’s Jayden Davis after the game Friday, Aug. 30, 2019, at West Allegheny.
West Allegheny’s Tracy Nodin intercepts the ball at the one yard line as Chartiers Valley’s Dammion Bundridge looks on during a game Friday, Aug. 30, 2019, at West Allegheny.
West Allegheny players warm up prior to their game against Chartiers Valley on Friday, Aug. 30, 2019, at West Allegheny.
West Allegheny’s Jashon Spencer carries the ball during a game against Chartiers Valley on Friday, Aug. 30, 2019, at West Allegheny.
West Allegheny fans celebrate a touchdown during a game against Chartiers Valley on Friday, Aug. 30, 2019, at West Allegheny.
Chartiers Valley’s Antonio Zambrano leaps into the end zone during a game against West Allegheny on Friday, Aug. 30, 2019, at West Allegheny.
West Allegheny’s Brayden Horton is taken down by Chartiers Valley’s Jason Bui during a game Friday, Aug. 30, 2019, at West Allegheny.
West Allegheny head coach Chris Lucas yells during a game against Chartiers Valley on Friday, Aug. 30, 2019, at West Allegheny.
Chartiers Valley’s Griffin Beattie and West Allegheny’s Jashon Spencer leap for the ball during a game Friday, Aug. 30, 2019, at West Allegheny.
West Allegheny players work to take down Chartiers Valley’s Griffin Beattie during a game Friday, Aug. 30, 2019, at West Allegheny.
Chartiers Valley’s Griffin Beattie carries the ball during a game against West Allegheny on Friday, Aug. 30, 2019, at West Allegheny.
A West Allegheny cheerleader performs prior to a game against Chartiers Valley on Friday, Aug. 30, 2019, at West Allegheny.
Nico Flati’s 37-yard touchdown run on a fourth-and-2 play with less than 90 seconds left in the game lifted West Allegheny to a 35-31 victory over Chartiers Valley on Friday night.
Flati ran for 178 yards on 19 carries and scored four touchdowns on the ground.
“Nico was carrying the team on his shoulders in that fourth quarter,” West Allegheny coach Chris Lucas said. “When we got to fourth and two, (offensive coordinator Jamie Schumacher) decided to put it on Nico’s shoulders again. We were aiming for the first down and he ended up scoring. He got more than we wanted and we’ll take it.”
West Allegheny (1-0, 1-0) took a 21-14 lead after a back-and-forth first half.
Flati opened the scoring with a 15-yard touchdown run and added another from 27 yards out in the second quarter. Paul Newton tacked on a rushing touchdown from 11 yards out in the second quarter for the Indians’ third touchdown of the half.
The Colts’ touchdowns came from Antonio Zambrano on an 11-yard pass from Griffin Beattie and a 95-yard kickoff return by Jordan Demus.
In the third quarter, Chartiers Valley (1-1, 0-1) took control and scored the first 14 points of the second half.
Left tackle Jayden Davis scored the first points, recovering a Beattie fumble and plunging in for the 1-yard score. Then in the fourth quarter, Beattie scored on an 80-yard run to give the Colts a 28-21 edge. Beattie ran for more than 100 yards for the second time this season.
The lead didn’t last long as Flati tied the score with his third touchdown run, a 6-yard rush to make it 28-28.
Jack Radzanowski gave the Colts a 31-28 lead with 3 minutes, 25 seconds remaining before Flati’s fourth touchdown with 1:22 to go sealed the deal.
Despite the victory to open the season, Lucas saw plenty his team will have to work on before next week.
“Honestly, we were killing ourselves,” Lucas said. “Too many penalties and we have to shore that up this week. We aren’t a team that can get in third-and-longs and every time we had a drive stall, it was self-inflicted.”
Chartiers Valley plays its first home game of the season next week when it faces Armstrong in non-conference action. West Allegheny heads on the road for a matchup against a tough Bethel Park squad.
“It’s every week,” Lucas said. “This is a tough conference. You see how improved Chartiers Valley is. Every team in this conference is tough and there is no off week. Bethel Park is a tremendous team and we will get in the film room tomorrow and break them down.”
Tags: Chartiers Valley, West Allegheny
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