Clairton wins the ‘Soul Bowl’
Wayne Wade and Roy Hall made history merely by stepping on the field Saturday, they were the first Black head coaches in the 100-year history of the WPIAL to face one another in a championship game.
Two Black head coaches, two Black starting quarterbacks, and two predominately-Black teams brought back memories of a game known as the “Soul Bowl”. Miami Jackson Generals and Miami Northwestern Bulls would square off annually in the old Orange Bowl in a game coined (is this the correct wording?) the “Soul Bowl”.
Robert Morris’ recruit, Harrison Dreher, returned the opening kickoff 98 yards to give Clairton an 8-0 lead.
Quarterback Aaron Matthews, a 6-foot-5, 190-pound, ran 4-yards for a touchdown to give Clairton (13-0) a 14-0 lead over Jeanette (11-2).
Matthews is the high school equivalent to Cam Newton, and he did everything except “DAB” on the Jayhawks. He passed for 133 yards, and scored two touchdowns, he rushed for 108 yards, and scored a touchdown, and he led the Bears in tackles.
Lamont Wade, only a junior, has rushed for 4,507 career yards and 75 touchdowns.
“Our motto is we have some unfinished business. We want to win the State championship,” said Coach Wade. “Holding up the tradition of Clairton football is very important to all of us. We look forward to practice on Thanksgiving and we walk about how we are thankful for going back to Heinz Field. We have been working hard since January to get back to the State Championship game.”
Clairton shut out Jeanette 40-0. The Bears’ 40 points gave them 748 on the season, fourth best in WPIAL history.
Clairton now has 12 WPIAL football titles, second best in WPIAL history behind Aliquippa’s 16 titles.
“I’m proud of my guys. It was an honor to get 700 wins this season and we are only the second team in WPIAL history to win 700 games,” said coach Hall. “We played hard and won time of possession and had opportunity to score. It was tough to overcome the opening kickoff returned for a touchdown.”
Clairton will play District 5 champion Berlin-Brothers Valley in the PIAA quarter finals on Friday.
The ‘Chain Gang’ too strong for Warriors
For Penn Trafford, to finally arrive at the notorious Heinz Field. The anticipation, the fears, but what excitement. Everyone had some advice, or anecdote to offer, but somehow the reality always rose above the exaggeration.
The WPIAL is very similar to the outside world. No one is really interested in what a team does unless they win the championship, and only then are their words worth hearing.
It takes perseverance, motivation, and a sincere desire, to lead Penn Trafford to Heinz Field, but aren’t those qualities similar to the prerequisites for success in all sports?
The Central Catholic Vikings “Chain Gang” defense is led by its best player Damar Hamlin. He is rated as the top defensive back in the State and is being recruited by Ohio State, Notre Dame and Pitt.
When Hamlin “hyperextended” his knee in the second quarter, nobody wanted to be the weak link.
Ronnie Jones’ 3-yard touchdown run gave Central a slim 7-0 halftime lead.
Rashad Wheeler returned a third-quarter interception for a touchdown to give Central a 14-0 lead. The Warriors fought back to tie the score 14-14.
Robert Morris recruit, Tim Vecchio, caught an 11-yard touchdown and quarterback Brett Laffoon 1-yard run gave Penn Trafford hope.
Toledo recruit Ronnie Jones took over the game in the fourth quarter. He had two touchdowns called back in the first half, but his 72-yard fourth-quarter touchdown run broke the heart of Warrior fans.
Jones finished the game with 146 yards and led Central (12-1) to a 24-17 victory over Penn Trafford (12-1).
Penn Trafford is 0-3 in WPIAL championship games.
The Vikings will play State College in the PIAA quarterfinals on Fridays.
Aliquippa gets revenge
It would be safe to assume that officials at Root Sports are kicking themselves for showing the WPIAL Class AA Championship game between Aliquippa and South Fayette on tape delay.
To be sure, there were parents, fans, students and alumni types who are unhappy with Root Sports and are expected to call or write in their protest of dissatisfaction.
“A long time rivalry may have come to an end. For the last three years, Aliquippa and South Fayette have been battling each other as high school football teams. With new classification next year South Fayette and Aliquippa will not meet again in playoff games,” Jodi Velazquez, mother of South Fayette cheerleader, Lanah Velazquez, said. “I am truly disappointed that friends, family and fans who could not attend were not able to watch this historic event live. In a town that is a breeding ground for many athletes and bleeds sports in all categories, it’s time that broadcast efforts learn to acknowledge that there is interest for more than just the big three (Steelers, Pirates and Penguins) and we need these events to be televised!”
The game became an instant classic with five lead changes, scoring plays at the end of each half, and an option pass—Aliquippa’s first of the year— that won the game 44-38. It is Aliquippa’s 16th WPIAL title.
Sheldon Jeter threw a lateral pass to receiver Jassir Jordan, who threw to Thomas Perry for the game-winning touchdown with 1:11 left in the game.
“After he caught it, I was very confident,” said Coach Mike Zmijanac, who said he last used the play in 2011. “When the ball was in the air, I was just praying for Thomas, because those are the kind of plays that if they don’t work, you look stupid.”
South Fayette sophomore quarterback, Drew Saxton, broke the WPIAL Championship record by passing for 435 yards and four touchdowns.
It was the third championship meeting in a row at Heinz Field between Aliquippa (13-0) and South Fayette (12-1).
Pitt-bound Kaezon Pugh, 6-foot-2, 215-pound running-back, got to perform on his future home field and made the most of it, rushing for 179-yards on 26 carries and has 1,995 rushing yards this season. For his career, the senior has 4,529 yards
Aliquippa will play Karns City Friday night in PIAA playoffs.
Jaguars speeding towards state title
Thomas Jefferson returned to Heinz Field for the first time since 2008 with a 20-7 victory over Central Valley in the WPIAL AAA Championship.
Nobody knew what to expect this season from Central Valley (11-2), because they were hit hard by graduation. The Warriors made it to Heinz Field for the third straight year, but couldn’t slow down the Jaguars ground game.
Thomas Jefferson’s (11-2) Quinton Hill and Braden Pahanish each rushed for touchdowns, and Hill rushed for 141 yards.
Last year, the Warriors could turn and hand the ball off to Jordan Whitehead, but now he is a star at Pitt University.
In 2013, Central Valley suspended football Coach Mark Lyons for recruiting violations. After watching junior running back Quinton Hills, Coach Lyons might have been tempted to pass him a business card.
A 57-yard touchdown, run by Pahanish, gave Thomas Jefferson a 7-0 lead. The Jaguars extended its lead to 14-0 with a 9-yard touchdown catch by Zane Zandier.
Central Valley’s defense scored its only points. Kyle Vreen returned an interception 56-yard for a touchdown to cut the lead to 14-7. Hill put the game away with a touchdown run late in the third quarter to give TJ the WPIAL Championship.
Thomas Jefferson will play District 10 Champion, Erie Cathedral Prep, in the PIAA quarterfinals at Erie’s Veterans Stadium.
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