Weather cancels anticipated Aliquippa-Belle Vernon matchup

By: Ed Troup
Friday, August 30, 2024 | 11:10 PM

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The highly anticipated nonconference matchup between defending WPIAL and PIAA champions didn’t make it very far due to Mother Nature on Friday night at Heinz Field in Aliquippa.

The game between Class 4A champion Aliquippa and Class 3A champion Belle Vernon was canceled with 1:49 left in the opening quarter.

The No. 1 Quips feature running back Tikey Hayes, who only needed 114 yards coming in to move up the all-time WPIAL rushing list to go over 6,000 career rushing yards. Hayes had eight carries for 24 yards before the game was called, but the statistics will not count.

Hayes scored his first touchdown of the season on a 2-yard run after Leopards quarterback Curtis Wade was intercepted on their opening drive by Quips defensive back Qalil Goode, setting the Quips up in Leopards territory. The Quips led 6-0 with 8:04 left in the first quarter after a failed extra point.

Shortly after the Quips scored, the game was suspended for 51 minutes due to lightning for the first time.

After play resumed, the Quips took a 12-0 lead on a 16-yard touchdown run by Sanir Brooks with 1:49 left in the opening quarter. Both teams were penalized on the failed two-point conversion for unsportsmanlike conduct, which resulted in Quips star Larry Moon being ejected from the game.

The game went into a second lightning delay with 1:49 left in the second quarter and after waiting 50 minutes, game officials along with administrators from both schools decided to cancel the game due to weather. Both schools also decided not to resume the game at a later time or make up the game.

The Quips were looking to give first-year coach Vashawn Patrick his first victory. He took over after Mike Warfield took a leave of absence in the offseason. They will now have to wait until Week 2 when the Quips travel to Avonworth for another nonconference matchup.

“I was ecstatic and had a bunch of energy after our tailgate with the kids before here at Heinz Field,” Patrick said. “I had a good time for the short time we played tonight.”

On the decision by both the Quips and Leopards to cancel the game, Patrick added: “We had to do what is best for the kids, especially Belle Vernon traveling 90 minutes to here tonight. We didn’t want them getting home in the early hours of the morning to finish this game.”

The Leopards will return home next week to “The Beach” to host Central Valley.

Tags: Aliquippa, Belle Vernon