HIRAM, Ohio -- The Allegheny football team returned from its bye week with a convincing, 38-13, North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) win at Hiram on Saturday (Oct. 16).

The Gators struck first when Garrett Paxton (Freedom, Pa./Freedom Area) knocked down a 27-yard field goal with 1:49 to play in the first quarter following a 14-play drive. Allegheny scored a pair of touchdowns in the second quarter to take a 17-0 lead into intermission. Tre Worship (East Cleveland, Ohio/Shaw) reached paydirt from two yards out at 10:24 to make it 10-0, and then Jack Johnson (Hingham, Mass/./Hingham/Milford Academy) capped a 95-yard drive with a 28-yard touchdown strike to Trey DeCicco (Fairview Park, Ohio/Padua Franciscan) with just 22 seconds remaining in the first half.

Just over three minutes into the third quarter, Johnson hit Mark Torsello (New Castle, Pa./New Castle) on a 59-yard touchdown pass to put the Blue & Gold up 24-0, the first of five consecutive drives that concluded in the end zone for either team. After a Hiram score, Johnson needed just one play to connect with Declan O'Brien (Irwin, Pa./Norwin) on a 48-yard tos, 31-6. Another Terriers touchdown made it 31-13, but just three plays later, Kyrie Miller (Bolivar, Pa./Ligonier Valley) jaunted 41 yards for a score to set the final margin with 24 seconds to go in the third quarter.

Johnson finished the day 19-for-23 for 242 yards and three scores. The three touchdown receivers topped the team in receiving yardage, highlighted by O'Brien's career high of 93 yards on his two total grabs. Vaun Ross (New Kensington, Pa./Valley) snagged a team-best five passes for 33 yards. Worship had a game-high 71 yards rushing on 16 carries, while Miller posted 50 yards on just three totes.

A week after Hiram's quarterback threw for more than 500 yards, the Gators held the Terriers to just 233 yards of total offense, including only 147 through the air. 

Zach Altenbaugh (Industry, Pa./Western Beaver) led Allegheny with eight tackles (including 1.5 tackles for loss), while Score Perkins (New Concord, Ohio/John Glenn) was second with six tackles and an interception. Uber Elisee (Miami, Fla./North Miami Beach) had three TFLs and two sacks in the win.

Three of Allegheny's final four games as members of the NCAC will be at home, beginning with a 1 p.m. kickoff against DePauw on Saturday, Oct. 23.