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1988 Retrospective - Week Three

The Laurel Highlands Mustangs (yes, it's a school name, not just the name of the conference the Trojans currently play in) did something in week three against the Trojans that no other team had done to that point: they scored. Twice in fact, but the Trojans countered with their most productive night on the scoreboard to that point, putting four scores on the board and defeating LH 27-14. In doing this, the Trojans improved to 3-0 on the season and to this point, they had outscored their opponents 53-20.

Not only were the Trojans scored upon, but they were scored upon first, and in the first quarter. However, Johnstown countered quickly with an Alex Roebuck-to-Chuck Wyatt touchdown pass from 22 yards out. The PAT was no good and the Trojans trailed 7-6.

Johnstown then took a 14-7 lead when a scoring drive ended in a Mark Roebuck run from one yard out and Alex Roebuck added the two-point conversion by running it across the goal.

The Mustangs countered with what would ultimately be their final points of the game but the Trojans marched right back down the field and Alex Roebuck scored from a yard out and Doug Goff added the PAT to make it 21-14 at the half.

The Trojans' defense pitched the shutout in the second half while the offense capped off the scoring with another one-yard run from Mark Roebuck

Laurel Highlands, a WPIAL school located in Uniontown, Fayette County, while a member of the Keystone Conference was a bit of an outsider as many of the other schools were located in Westmoreland County. Coach Davitch reflected on that point: "Tom Fleming and I would often scout two games on Saturday in Westmoreland County because Yough played on Saturday afternoons at the time and either Greensburg-Salem or Greensburg Central Catholic would be using Offutt Field at night. There was more familiarity with the teams and schools in Westmoreland County. Add to that the fact that Laurel Highlands was a longer trip and a tough place to play. Two years prior we took a very good team to Laurel Highlands and they beat us pretty good."

Regarding the region, Davitch added, "Uniontown and Fayette County, is a great area for football and a lot of great players have come from that area."

The win avenged a 17-7 loss to the Mustangs in 1987. It was the first time the Trojans started off a season 3-0 since 1975.

Doug Keklak can be reached at doug.keklak@trojannation.net

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