Clairton Falls Inches Short in PIAA Class A Football Championship Game

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, December 12, 2014 | 5:17 PM

An old saying is that defense wins championships and that was the case in the PIAA Class A State Championship on Friday afternoon as the Bishop Guilfoyle Marauders shut down the Clairton Bears offense when it counted to claim a 19-18 victory at Hersheypark Stadium. The Bears entered the championship game averaging 62 points per game and had a chance of breaking a national scoring record. The win for Bishop Guilfoyle gives the Marauders a perfect 16-0 season and ended the Bears’ dreams, finishing at 15-1.

The Bears had two chance to win the game. After scoring in the opening minute of the final quarter, when Lamont Wade broke a 64 yard touchdown with some serious moves. The Bears would for two and the win, but Harrison Dreher was ruled short of the goal line. Coach Wayne Wade said he thought Dreher scored by stretching the ball over the goal line, just one of several controversies with the officials on the afternoon.

The second came in the final two minutes, with a first and goal at the 10 yard line, Lamont Wade was held to just three yards on two plays. After an incomplere pass, Ryan Williams scrambled away from the BG defense and was able to find James Hines on the back line of the end zone. But Hines was not able to get a foot down after making a circus catch and the ball went over on downs to the Marauders, who were able to run out the clock.

On the final play of the game, Clairton was assessed a personal foul and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after a brief fight brke out. Both team’s coaches and PIAA officials separated the teams and did not allow the post-game handshake line. Several of the Clairton starters came across the field and shook hands with the Bishop Guilfoyle players. Marauders coach Justin Wheeler said it was an emotional game, that there were 18-year old kids on the field and the Bears wanted to win the game as much as his team did.

After a scoreless first quarter in which the Bears looked rattled at times, taking two timeouts in the first three minutes, Clairton scored on the first play of the second when Aaron Matthews caught a 20 yard pass from Ryan Williams, capping an 80 yard drive. But Bishop Guilfoyle answered with a ten play, 90 yard march of their own. Sam McClusky scored the first of his two touchdowns on a 22-yard pass from Brandon Chadbourn.

Clairton went to the trick play to take back the lead, as Matthews took a handoff and tossed a 61-yard pass and run to Lamont Wade for a score. Wade ended the day with 297 yards of offense, carrying 35 times for 212 yards and made four catches for 86.

The Bears defense, however, allowed the big play, as Chadbourn hit fullback DJ Kitt for a 47 yard screen pass, Chadbourn scored two plays later on a 13 yard run, the extra point gave Bishop Guilfoyle the lead. Clairton drove to the 12 yard line but Aaron Yasulitis intercepted Williams in the end zone. Bishop Guilfoyle thought they could run out the clock with Clairton out of timeouts on the scoreboard, but a stoppage that was thought to be charged to the Bears in the first quarter was actually a media timeout. Wheeler said the officials made him aware of the change but with the scoreboard reading zero, his assistants in the press box advised him to kneel on the ball, but the Bears still were able to stop the clock and had two chances to get downfield but could not get into the end zone.

Both teams had long drives to start the third quarter, the Marauders marched to the Bears 10 before stalling out on downs. Clairton had a 13 play drive of their own wiped out when Williams was sacked by Nick Learner on a fourth and four situation at the 21. Bishop Guilfoyle used a fake punt by Evan Chadbourn to keep their drive going, McClusky scored two plays later from 13 out for a 19-12 lead.

Clairton also missed out on an opportunity to keep a drive going midway thru the fourth when Williams hit Matthews on a fourth and 13 from midfield, but Matthews came up just short of the sticks and the ball went over on downs. Bishop Guilfoyle returned the favor when Chadbourn lost his grip on the football and tossed it weakly into the waiting hands of Jyleel Hall at the 46 yard line.

The Marauders had another scare with the clock after Hines was ruled out of the end zone, the scoreboard showed Clairton with one timeout left, the Bears actually had two but Bishop Guilfoyle was able to take time off the clock until tempers flared after the final Clairton timeout.

The win for Bishop Guilfoyle was their first and only the second title for District 6 as Tyrone won the first way back in 1999 in Class AA. Chadbourn led the offense with 116 yards passing on 9 of 13 and ran 22 times for 66 yards. The quarterback said that the Marauders were worn out at halftime but they were reminded of the hard work that was put in during the off season after falling in last year’s district title game. McClosky added 56 tough yards on 13 carries.

Williams was 15 of 23 for 156 yards for Clairton, Matthews had the one touchdown completion and made five catches for 62 yards. Clairton ended with 471 total yards but was only one of four in the red zone and that is what mattered most. Coach Wade said he was proud of what Clairton accomplished this season. Good times should continue for Clairton as many of the key offensive weapons do return for the Bears in 2015.

Scoring Summary:
Bishop Guilfoyle Marauders 0 – 13 – 6 – 0 = 19
Clairton Bears   0 – 12 – 0 – 6 = 18

Second Quarter:
C:  Aaron Matthews 20 pass from Ryan Williams (pass failed) 11:53
BG: Sam McClusky 28 pass from Brandon Chadbourn (kick failed)   7:06
C:  Lamont Wade 61 pass from Matthews (run failed)   6:08
BG:  B. Chadbourn 13 run (Josh Trybus kick)   3:34

Third Quarter:
BG:  McClusky 13 run (run failed)   :40

Fourth Quarter:
C:  Wade 64 run (run failed)   10:29
 

Tags: Bishop Guilfoyle, Clairton