Redbirds defeat McCorristin 26-14 and pick up forfeit victory from Ewing.
By: Kyle Moylan
Make no mistake about it, the Allentown High School football program is not a lucky one.
Bands don’t start walking on the field, blocking off would-be tacklers as it is trying to run back a game-winning kickoff return. And not only hasn’t any superstar player moved into the district just as football practices are about to begin, Allentown has had it hard enough keeping its own guys.
Well, Allentown’s luck has finally changed. A team that entered action this past Friday night with a 1-5 record is suddenly 3-4 and in first place (with a 2-4 mark) in the Valley Division of the Colonial Valley Conference.
Allentown won at McCorristin this past Friday night, 26-14, to improve to 2-5 on the season. This past Monday, the NJSIAA ruled Ewing had been using an illegal player and had to forfeit five games. Within a matter of seconds, Ewing went from 6-0 to 1-5 and Allentown went from 2-5 to 3-4.
"We’ll take anything we can get," noted Allentown Coach Greg LaCava. "We didn’t earn it, but we didn’t make Ewing use a kid who shouldn’t have been used."
What Ewing did was to use Adam Kiegler for kickoffs in both freshmen and varsity games. On five occasions, those games were within a 24-hour time period of each other. That is a NJSIAA no-no.
"I feel bad for Ewing," LaCava said. "The NJSIAA has a lot of rules and sometimes they are hard to follow. Rules like that one, you know. No one can play two games in a 24-hour period."
Allentown’s luck didn’t stop just there. Not only is Ewing out of contention for a Valley Division title it thought it had already won, it didn’t have to forfeit to Hightstown. If it had, Hightstown would have already clinched at least a tie for the Valley Division title. As it stands now, Allentown, Hightstown and West Windsor North are all 2-1 in the division with one game remaining for each squad. West Windsor North will play against Princeton this Saturday. Hightstown and Allentown will play each other on November 16 in the first night game ever at Allentown High.
"That’s good for us," LaCava noted. "That will be a big game."
A "big game" for more than just one reason. If Allentown could win one of its other two remaining games, it could also be playing Hightstown with a chance for its first .500 season in three decades.
"You take what you can get when you can get it," LaCava said.
And for a change, Allentown – a program that not long ago had to forfeit gamed because of a lack of players – is on the receiving end of some luck.
AHS 26, MCCORRISTIN 14
When looking at the scouting reports, Allentown High football Coach Greg LaCava decided the easiest way to defeat McCorristin was to just keep the Iron Mikes’ offense off of the field.
True, this is a good strategy against any team. This past Friday night, however, Allentown was able to make it work. With 244 yards rushing on 44 carries, Allentown was able to control the ball in its 26-14 win over McCorristin.
One of the reasons for Allentown’s success running the football was the return of Ryan Reiser to the lineup. After missing the West Windsor North game, Reiser responded with 141 yards and two touchdowns to show for his 18 carries. Matt Mordas also had a great game with 109 yards and a touchdown over his 19 carries.
"You don’t realize how much you miss someone until they are not there," noted LaCava. "We really missed Ryan Reiser and Brandon Watkins against West Windsor North.
"We felt they had to stop our running game in order to defeat us. Obviously, they weren’t able to do that."
Reiser scored two of the first three touchdowns as Allentown built an early 20-0 lead. Thomas Keeley caught a touchdown pass from Vic Veltre for the other score in that span. Mordas added a touchdown on a 37-yard run in the third quarter.
Allentown has a bye week. It will be back in action next Saturday, November 3 against Lawrence.
"Orlando Kane. That how good Lawrence is," LaCava noted. "When you have a kid like that on your team, that changes how other teams prepare for you. We have to control the ball and keep him off of the field."

