Kish takes home Pee Wee title, outlasts tough McVeytown squad
Photos by Kathy Reed
By Kenny Varner
LEWISTOWN – Crown them the champs!
In the past few years, the Kish Indians and Super Bowl appearances have gone hand in hand.
This year has been no different as the Pee Wees we’re looking to add another title to its legendary program.
In front of them was a feisty McVeytown team looking to add some hardware to its trophy case as well.
After a back-and-forth first half of action, resulting in a 6-6 stale mate, the Indians started to extend its lead en route to a 25-6 victory over the Eagles in the Central Keystone Football and Cheer League’s Pee Wee Super Bowl.
Defensively, the game was an opportunistic one for both teams as they combined to force seven turnovers on legendary Mitchell Field.
Leading the offensive punch for Kish was Wyatt Hassinger as he finished with 100-plus on the ground.
McVeytown runner Calvin Napikoski also had reached the century mark, rushing for 112 yards in a spirited effort.
In the first half, the defenses owned the line of scrimmage as each team mustered only a touchdown each.
After a scoreless first quarter, McVeytown found the end zone first when Napikoski muscled his way in from one yard out. Kish’s defense stood tall on the extra point, holding the game to just a 6-0.
After the Eagles touchdown, the Indians went on a scoring drive of its own.
Starting on its own 40, it took only seven plays to tie the score at six.
Quarterback Duke Peachey connected with Jace Atherton for the 25-yard TD hook up, tying things at six as both teams went into the intermission.
Coming out of the break, the defenses continued its hard hitting ways, keeping the game notched at six.
But with 4:44 left in the third, Kish took the lead for the first time in the contest.
Hassinger scored the one-yard scamper.
Atherton had the extra point off, making it a 13-6 game.
After forcing a turnover, Kish took and handed it to Hassinger. Hassinger made his way out around the end and then into the secondary, scoring a 51-yard TD, upping the lead to a 19-6 advantage with a quarter left in the contest.
Kish added an insurance touchdown late in the fourth.
Tyler Sheetz blazed his way through the line and capped things off with a 39-yard run en route to the victory.