DUKE CENTER — There was already a buzz in the air at Otto-Eldred.

On Pennsylvania high school football’s opening night, the Terrors were introduced, for the first time ever, as defending Allegheny Mountain League North Division champions. But on the field, coach Nick LaBella’s team very easily could’ve made Friday even more special.

Otto-Eldred hung with Brockway of the mighty AML South — the same Brockway that dealt it a 57-6 defeat a year ago in “Week 0.” With under five minutes remaining, the Terrors had the ball, trailing by four points. Mistakes and missed opportunities, however, were too much to overcome in a 17-6 loss.

“We weren’t real solid. We didn’t play a clean game; I don’t know that Brockway would say they did, either,” said a still-encouraged LaBella. “But our kids played really hard.”

After trailing 10-0 at halftime, the Terrors had the ball inside the Rovers’ 10-yard line four times but scored only once, twice turning the ball over on downs and throwing an interception in the end zone.

O-E’s lone touchdown came with 6:31 left, when freshman Cole Sebastian fell on a fumble in the end zone to make the score 10-6. The Terrors then unsuccessfully attempted an onside kick but stopped Brockway three-and-out. A punt pinned the Terrors at their 5-yard line, where they threw a pass on the next play that was intercepted by Cameron Baka and returned for a touchdown.

Of his team’s failure to finish promising drives, LaBella said, “A little bit of that was they kind of went conservative in the second half a little bit because they had the lead, they had to make us score. We ended up out-gaining them (296-252). We couldn’t capitalize.”

The Rovers’ only offensive points — a Dylan LeCates 4-yard TD run and Zane Puhala 22-yard field goal — were off drives of only 41 and 25 yards due to special teams miscues. The Terrors also fumbled away a promising first drive that reached the Brockway 38.

LaBella said in the preseason Otto-Eldred desired to have success earlier this year. The Terrors brought back 17 lettermen (nine starters) from a squad that posted the program’s first winning regular season since 2003 and appeared in the District 9 playoffs for the first time. But O-E also started the campaign 0-4, outscored 114-19 in AML crossover play, including that 51-point loss to Brockway.

“They’re a different team too, we’re a different team,” LaBella said. “Playing at home in front of the big crowd, that helps. There was a lot of excitement. Certainly a 40-point improvement — I don’t think they were that much better than us last year, but they played like it that night. They graduated some really talented kids. They’ve got some young kids stepping in, and you can see the athletes they have on the field still. We didn’t play well enough to knock them off.”

O-E senior Sawyer Drummond was 17-of-35 passing for 234 yards. His favorite target was sophomore Cameron Magee, who had 11 catches for 183 yards.

The Terrors changed their game plan in the second half, throwing 29 times after just six attempts before intermission. The Rovers took away Drummond’s option running ability — he had 59 yards on the ground but 24 were on his first carry — so O-E adjusted.

“They were pretty much playing us man-zero all night … just pressed up and loading the box on us,” LaBella said. “That’s how we were throwing it so much, so it shrinks the field when you’re up close (to the end zone) and they made some plays. Their coverage was right there. They kept closing and making plays.

“I won’t question their effort at all,” he added of his team. “I think they laid it on the line. We’ve just got to improve.”

Brockway    7   3   0   7  —  17

Otto-Eldred    0   0   0   6  —  6

First Quarter

Brockway — Dylan LeCates 4 run (2 plays, 41 yards); Zane Puhala kick, 7-0

Second Quarter

Brockway — Puhala 22 field goal (7 plays, 25 yards); 10-0

Fourth Quarter

Otto-Eldred — Cole Sebastian fumble recovery in end zone after Sawyer Drummond 4 run (10 plays, 52 yards); pass failed, 10-6

Brockway — Cameron Baka 2 interception return; Puhala kick, 17-6

TEAM STATISTICS

            Brockway    O-E

First Downs        13        16

Rushes-Yards        38-171        23-65

Passing Yards        81        231

Comp-Att-Int        10-17-0    17-35-3

Total Offense        252        296

Fumbles-Lost        0-0        2-1

Penalties-Yards    6-55        2-10

Punts-Avg        6-31.3        4-25.5

Total Plays        55        58