Easton Area High School football team beats Whitehall in overtime

FROM THE EXPRESS TIMES

During the week, Easton Area High School football coach Steve Shiffert called Ian Hayden a quiet leader.

Shiffert said the senior quarterback leads by example and his teammates would see the reaction to the latest shutout loss to Parkland on the field against Whitehall.

Hayden overcame three interceptions to run for the go-ahead touchdown in overtime as the Red Rovers topped previously unbeaten Whitehall 34-33 on Friday night at Zephyr Stadium.

"I know I had to make up for them, I made really poor decisions on a few passes tonight," said Hayden, who was 16 for 28 for 232 yards passing. "I wasn't happy with myself. The team rallied around me and told me they had my back."

The Red Rovers (3-2 overall, 2-2 Lehigh Valley Conference) got the ball to start the overtime period with the score tied 27-27.

On second-and-goal from the 9, Hayden rolled out of the pocket, scrambled to the left sideline and lunged toward the pylon for the go-ahead touchdown.

Chris Roubik's extra point made it 34-27 Rovers for a quick second as the Zephyrs responded immediately.

Junior quarterback Nick Shafnisky threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to tight end Nate Hoenl on the next play, bringing Whitehall within 34-33.

Whitehall coach Tony Trisciani called a timeout and sent his offense back on the field for the two-point conversion.

Under pressure, Shafnisky threw to the left side but a diving Andrew Harris couldn't come up with the ball and the game was over.

"I kind of thought it a little bit," Hayden said of the Zephs going for two points and the win. "They didn't want to extend it with us. We gave them a bunch of chances, and they probably wanted to end it when they had a chance."

After Ryan Bonshak picked off Hayden for the second time, Whitehall got the ball back on its 37 with 8:53 remaining and trailing by six. The Zephyrs (4-1, 3-1) drove the field with ease and scored on a 2-yard lateral to senior fullback Tanner Madouse.

Tyler George missed the extra point kick, leaving the score at 27-27 with 4:55 left.

The Rovers drove to Whitehall's 15 behind an efficient rushing attack and a key second-down completion from Hayden to freshman receiver Shane Simpson (six catches, 108 yards, TD) for 19 yards.

But Roubik, a senior who already connected from 33 and 34 yards earlier in the game, pushed his 32-yard try wide right with 6.9 seconds to go.

"There's nothing to be said (to Roubik)," Shiffert said. "We wouldn't be here if he didn't punch two through earlier in the game. It wouldn't have gone to overtime if he didn't do that.

"He controlled the game early with his kickoffs, putting them on the 20 and putting points on the board for us."

Easton raced to a surprising 17-0 advantage early in the second quarter on a 2-yard run by senior running back James Middleton. He finished with 64 rushing yards, 61 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

Simpson's 47-yard catch-and-run down the right side put the Rovers up 7-0 early in the first and Roubik's first field goal made it 10-0.

The lead didn't last long as Whitehall clawed to 27-21 with 6:24 left in the third on a 16-yard run by James Wah.

"It showed a ton of character," Shiffert said. "We told them before the game we've been around a long time as coaches and sometimes people take it for granted that they're going to win, and we might have done that last week.

"They had a point to prove here. They want to get in the playoffs and they know they have to fight and scratch to do that. To come out here and beat them on their field was a heck of an effort."

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