Conemaugh Township uses full arsenal of weapons in triumph over North Star

BOSWELL -- It took two days to do it, but Conemaugh Township opened the 2022 high school football season with a 49-14 triumph over North Star.

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The game was postponed Friday night due to lightning and resumed just before 10 a.m. on Saturday. Conemaugh Township senior quarterback Tanner Shirley, do-it-all athlete Jon Updyke and speedster Ethan Black proved to be the difference makers in the game.

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"I was proud of how our guys continued to battle (Saturday)," said Conemaugh Township coach Tony Penna Jr. "These guys are able to move around and do different things. We practiced that a lot in the summer and talked about being versatile. With us going no-huddle, we can get those guys where we want to get them. We're hoping there's only so much you can defend out there."

What it means

This is the first time in Penna's four years at Conemaugh Township the team opened the season with a victory. It was a special win for Shirley and the senior class.

"This is a new position for our seniors. We've never started 1-0. It is a good feeling," Shirley said. "We've put in a lot of work over the past few weeks. We started off good (Friday). It took about two drives before we put the pressure back on (Saturday). I am proud of what we did."

Key plays

Conemaugh Township scored on its second play from scrimmage. Black returned the opening kickoff 44 yards. Then he took a short pass and turned it into a 44-yard gain before Updyke scored the first points of the game on an 11-yard run. ... Shirley found Black for a 27-yard touchdown on fourth-and-20 to give the team a 14-0 lead. On North Star's ensuing possession, Conemaugh Township defensive end Michael Shonko forced a fumble, recovered by Thor O'ship at the North Star 36. That set up another Updyke score on a 2-yard run. ... When the game resumed Saturday, Conemaugh Township faced fourth-and-1 at the North Star 2-yard line. The team converted and scored a play later to take a 35-0 lead.

By the numbers

Shirley finished 20 of 24 for 271 yards and three touchdowns through the air. ... Updyke tallied 179 total yards of offense and four touchdowns. He played receiver, saw time at quarterback and was even lined up in the backfield at times. ... Black, who did not play on Saturday due to an ankle injury, caught five passes for 104 yards and two touchdowns on Friday. ... North Star junior quarterback Connor Yoder went 10 of 22 for 185 yards and two touchdowns to Mitchel Pristas on a 5-yard strike, and a 73-yard catch and run by Isaac Berkey.

Unsung heroes

Shonko forced a fumble and recovered another caused by Tim Collins. He put pressure on Yoder throughout the game. ... O'Ship recovered a fumble and scored a rushing touchdown. He also caught six passes for 63 yards.

They said it

Updyke transferred to Conemaugh Township last year during the football season, but was ineligible to play. He played basketball and baseball, making an impact. His talent is already showing on the gridiron.

"This win feels amazing, to be honest," Updyke said. "Our line did an amazing job blocking. They opened up holes and gave Tanner and I time to throw. Tanner (Shirley) made some amazing throws."

Conemaugh Township was playoff ineligible due to a late co-op with Shade last season. The team is already playing with a different energy this year.

"Tanner (Shirley) said it earlier, but we are playing for real now," Updyke said. "We have a reason to play now. The biggest thing is to stay within ourselves, not give up on plays, and if we get down, keep clawing back."

North Star had a chance to make it a two-score game in the third, following Conemaugh Township's lone punt of the game. However, a first-down pass that could have went for a huge gain, was dropped. The Cougars had too many drops and defensive miscues throughout the game. The team battled hard on Saturday to get back into the contest, but it is difficult playing from behind against an offense like Conemaugh Township.

"There's definitely some things to take away from the game," North Star coach Bob Landis said. "I am glad to see our guys showed up (Saturday) and played. We fought through some things and were more consistent. We had a lot of injuries from Friday night. We had some really young guys in, especially up front."

What's next

Conemaugh Township (1-0) visits Conemaugh Valley at 1 p.m. on Saturday. Meanwhile, North Star (0-1) travels to Keyser, West Virginia at 7 p.m. on Friday.

Adam Ripple is the Daily American sports editor. He can be reached at 814-444-5926. Follow him on Twitter @ARipple_DAsport. Follow Daily American Sports on Facebook and @dailyamericanmedia on Instagram.

This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Conemaugh Township showcases playmakers in romp of North Star