Gunfire in stadium brings EF-SA game to early end
The Warriors held a 4220 lead at the time, but it’s not clear if they’ll be credited with a win.
A hard-fought season opener between a pair of Mon Valley rivals was cut short Friday night after a gunshot was fired during Elizabeth Forward’s game at South Allegheny.
South Allegheny superintendent David McDonald confirmed in an official statement that no one was injured and a suspect was immediately apprehended. According to the statement, the suspect does not reside in either the South Allegheny or Elizabeth Forward school districts.
The incident with 4:44 left in the third quarter brought an early end to a game Elizabeth Forward led, 42-20. The gunshot was reportedly fired near the main entrance.
According to WTAE-TV, officers with Liberty Borough police say the single gunshot was heard near the entrance of the stadium.
School police officers took a 17-year-old into custody. Police say they found a loaded semiautomatic handgun in his waistband. Investigators say the gun had been reported stolen from Wilkins Township.
The superintendent says the suspect had neither a South Allegheny nor an Elizabeth Forward address. Officers say the suspect was a student at Brashear High School in the city of Pittsburgh, according to WTAE-TV.
Before play was halted, the Warriors put together an impressive offensive performance behind running back Rocco Thompson and firstyear starting quarterback Kaden Allen.
Thompson rushed for 167 yards and three touchdowns on 20 carries, while Allen accounted for three more scores in his first start under center. Allen rushed 12 times for 88 yards and two touchdowns and also connected with Geo Thompson for a 33-yard touchdown.
Elizabeth Forward wasted little time taking control.
Allen opened the scoring with a 30-yard touchdown run before finding Geo Thompson for the 33-yard score. Allen added an 18yard touchdown run later in the first quarter as the Warriors built a 21-6 advantage.
Elizabeth Forward’s Ryan Dolekary upends South Allegheny’s Derrick Pace. Jeff Helsel / MVI Sports
South Allegheny answered with some explosive plays of its own. Quarterback Alijah Cook connected with Kai Myers for a 29-yard touchdown in the first quarter, and Derrick Pace scored on a 4-yard run in the second to keep the Gladiators within striking distance.
Rocco Thompson scored from a yard out in the second quarter to send Elizabeth Forward into halftime with a 28-12 lead.
The Gladiators came out of the break and cut into the deficit when Pace scored his second touchdown on a 5-yard run. Cook found Marcel Boxley for the two-point conversion to make it 28-20.
Elizabeth Forward responded immediately.
Thompson broke loose for a 66-yard touchdown run to restore the Warriors’ twoscore advantage. He later powered in from a yard out for his third touchdown, pushing the lead to 42-20.
Cook spread the ball around in the South Allegheny passing game, completing passes to Myers, Chance Cole, Boxley, Nasir Roccman and his brother, Abel Cook.
It’s unclear if the game will be recognized as a Warriors’ win or a no-contest.
“Not sure, but that’s the way it should be. We really didn’t talk about it,” EF head coach John DeMarco said via text message. “Just wanted to make sure the kids were safe.”
South Allegheny will be back in action next week against Washington, while Elizabeth Forward will travel to North Catholic.
