Washington overcomes turnovers to defeat CWNC, advance to WPIAL Class 2A final
By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, November 18, 2017 | 12:57 AM
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Washington's Nick Welsh carries past Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic's Ryan Maziarz during the second quarter of their WPIAL Class AA semifinal Friday, Nov. 17, 2017, at Moon Area High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Washington's Nick Welsh scores past Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic's Cameron Branch during the second quarter of their WPIAL Class AA semifinal Friday, Nov. 17, 2017, at Moon Area High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Washington's Nick Welsh carries against Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic during the first quarter of a WPIAL Class AA semifinal Friday, Nov. 17, 2017, at Moon Area High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic's Ryan Maziarz catches a touchdown pass during the second quarter of the WPIAL Class AA semifinal against Washington Friday, Nov. 17, 2017, at Moon Area High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Washington's Dylan Asbury carries for a first down past Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic's Rashod Allen to seal the victory late in the fourth quarter of their WPIAL Class AA semifinal Friday, Nov. 17, 2017, at Moon Area High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic's Nikhai Hill-Green (22) celebrates after Zack Rocco (15) recovered a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown pass during the WPIAL Class AA semifinal against Washington Friday, Nov. 17, 2017, at Moon Area High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Washington's Dan Walker catches a touchdown pass in the back of the end zone, as Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic's Ryan Maziarz defends during the first quarter of their WPIAL Class AA semifinal Friday, Nov. 17, 2017, at Moon Area High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Washington's Nick Welsh stiff-arms Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic's Cameron Branch during the second quarter of their WPIAL Class AA semifinal Friday, Nov. 17, 2017, at Moon Area High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic's Nikhai Hill-Green carries for a long gain past the Washington side line during the second quarter of a WPIAL Class AA semifinal Friday, Nov. 17, 2017, at Moon Area High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Washington's Nick Welsh carries against Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic during the first quarter of a WPIAL Class AA semifinal Friday, Nov. 17, 2017, at Moon Area High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Washington's Isaiah Schoonmaker carries past Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic's Cameron Branch during the third quarter of their WPIAL Class AA semifinal Friday, Nov. 17, 2017, at Moon Area High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Washington's Nick Welsh carries past Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic's Ryan Maziarz during the second quarter of their WPIAL Class AA semifinal Friday, Nov. 17, 2017, at Moon Area High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic quarterback Zack Rocco tries to elude Washington's Myckel Brown during their WPIAL Class AA semifinal Friday, Nov. 17, 2017, at Moon Area High School.
Washington's Nick Welsh carries past Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic's Ryan Maziarz during the second quarter of their WPIAL Class AA semifinal Friday, Nov. 17, 2017, at Moon Area High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Washington's Nick Welsh scores past Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic's Cameron Branch during the second quarter of their WPIAL Class AA semifinal Friday, Nov. 17, 2017, at Moon Area High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Washington's Nick Welsh carries against Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic during the first quarter of a WPIAL Class AA semifinal Friday, Nov. 17, 2017, at Moon Area High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic's Ryan Maziarz catches a touchdown pass during the second quarter of the WPIAL Class AA semifinal against Washington Friday, Nov. 17, 2017, at Moon Area High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Washington's Dylan Asbury carries for a first down past Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic's Rashod Allen to seal the victory late in the fourth quarter of their WPIAL Class AA semifinal Friday, Nov. 17, 2017, at Moon Area High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic's Nikhai Hill-Green (22) celebrates after Zack Rocco (15) recovered a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown pass during the WPIAL Class AA semifinal against Washington Friday, Nov. 17, 2017, at Moon Area High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Washington's Dan Walker catches a touchdown pass in the back of the end zone, as Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic's Ryan Maziarz defends during the first quarter of their WPIAL Class AA semifinal Friday, Nov. 17, 2017, at Moon Area High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Washington's Nick Welsh stiff-arms Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic's Cameron Branch during the second quarter of their WPIAL Class AA semifinal Friday, Nov. 17, 2017, at Moon Area High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic's Nikhai Hill-Green carries for a long gain past the Washington side line during the second quarter of a WPIAL Class AA semifinal Friday, Nov. 17, 2017, at Moon Area High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Washington's Nick Welsh carries against Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic during the first quarter of a WPIAL Class AA semifinal Friday, Nov. 17, 2017, at Moon Area High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Washington's Isaiah Schoonmaker carries past Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic's Cameron Branch during the third quarter of their WPIAL Class AA semifinal Friday, Nov. 17, 2017, at Moon Area High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Washington's Nick Welsh carries past Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic's Ryan Maziarz during the second quarter of their WPIAL Class AA semifinal Friday, Nov. 17, 2017, at Moon Area High School.
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic quarterback Zack Rocco tries to elude Washington's Myckel Brown during their WPIAL Class AA semifinal Friday, Nov. 17, 2017, at Moon Area High School.
This 11-minute stretch would have crushed championship dreams for most WPIAL contenders.
Who could endure an interception, three lost fumbles, a defensive touchdown and a blocked punt on consecutive possessions in the second half of a tight semifinal?
The second-seeded Prexies leaned on their defense and weathered that dreadful five-possession stretch to defeat third-seed Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic, 19-14, in the WPIAL Class 2A playoffs.
“You could tell right from that, that is a very, very well coached, tough football team,” CWNC coach Pat O'Shea said. “The ball bounced our way, but it did not faze them for a second. They didn't lose a bit of energy, they didn't lose a bit of momentum. You thought it was going to, but it never did.”
With 4 minutes, 37 seconds left and CWNC calling timeouts, Washington (13-0) showed its resilience, strung together a nine-play, 57-yard drive and ended it with a kneel down that ate the final seconds. Key was a third-and-1 conversion by quarterback Zack Swartz, and later a 10-yard run by sophomore Dylan Asbury with 34 seconds left to seal the team's first finals appearance since 2012.
Washington had been highly seeded three years in a row without a finals appearance to enjoy. A year ago, the team lost in the semifinals.
“We came here last year, we've been here for three years, we didn't want it to end like it did before,” senior Isaiah Schoonmaker said. “So our defense dug in and definitely stopped them.”
Washington will face defending state champion Steel Valley in the WPIAL final next Saturday at Robert Morris.
“I honestly can't explain (the feeling) to you because I'm just so happy,” said Schoonmaker, whose 61-yard touchdown run gave Washington a 19-7 lead early in the third quarter.
CWNC had no first downs in the fourth quarter and saw two of its last three possessions end with failed fourth-down attempts.
“I think in today's day and age with how young men sometimes can be very fragile, that was a team that's extremely tough,” O'Shea said.
Nick Welsh had 100 of Washington's 262 rushing yards and scored a 15-yard touchdown on his 19 carries, but was on the sideline apparently injured for the final possession.
Dan Walker had a 15-yard touchdown catch to give Washington a 6-0 lead in the first quarter.
CWNC cut the gap to five points with 10:43 left when Zack Rocco recovered a fumbled Washington snap in the end zone for a touchdown.
