Turnovers cost Charleroi in loss to Washington
By JEREMY SELLEW
jsellew@yourmvi.com
If there’s anyone out there who likes turnovers, Friday’s Class 2A Century Conference game at Myron Pottios Stadium between Charleroi and Washington was just the game they’d want to see.
For Cougars fans, not so much, though.
Charleroi turned the ball over five times, including four interceptions by quarterback Brendan Harps, in a 39-0 loss to the Prexies to ruin the Cougars’ homecoming night.
Washington (4-2, 4-1) turned four of those turnovers into points.
Michael Allen found the end zone three times, scoring on a 3-yard touchdown run in the first quarter and a 2-yard run and 45-yard interception return in the third quarter.
“I was really pleased with the way we played in the first half,” Charleroi head coach Brady Barbero said. “They scored on two big plays, we were driving the ball and got into the red zone then we just couldn’t execute.”
The Prexies got off to a quick start as Allen opened the scoring just 2:11 into the game.
But the Cougars’ defense took advantage of the Prexies’ inability to hold on to the ball as well,
Two Washington drives ended with fumbles in the second quarter.
“We knew they had a tendency to fumble and we took a good job of forcing turnovers,” Barbero said. “But we gave the ball right back to them. We didn’t execute and we made a couple really bad decisions with the ball.”
Midway through the second quarter, the Cougars drove to the Washington 7, but on third and goal, Allen stepped in front of a Harps pass and intercepted it. His return set his team up at their own 23.
It only took one play to capitalize as Tayshawn Levy ran around the left side for a 77-yard touchdown. The ensuing two-point conversion was good to make it 14-0 at the half.
“Coming into the game we wanted to avoid the big plays,” Barbero said. “We wanted to force them inside, to our strength, and not let them get outside.”
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