Avonworth secures 4th straight trip to WPIAL 3A football final with win over North Catholic
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Friday, November 14, 2025 | 11:00 PM
Avonworth’s Dimitri Velisaris dives for the end zone past North Catholic defenders during the WPIAL Class 3A semifinals Friday, Nov. 14, 2025 at North Allegheny’s Newman Stadium.
Avonworth’s Peter Bonnet celebrates with Dimitri Velisaris after Velisaris’ second, second-quarter touchdown against North Catholic during the WPIAL Class 3A semifinals Friday, Nov. 14, 2025 at North Allegheny’s Newman Stadium.
Avonworth’s Luca Neal celebrates his second-quarter touchdown against North Catholic during the WPIAL Class 3A semifinals Friday, Nov. 14, 2025 at North Allegheny’s Newman Stadium.
Avonworth’s Romello Harris (left) celebrates his sack of North Catholic quarterback Joey Felitsky (8) during the WPIAL Class 3A semifinals Friday, Nov. 14, 2025 at North Allegheny’s Newman Stadium.
Avonworth’s Luca Neal fumbles against North Catholic during the WPIAL Class 3A semifinals Friday, Nov. 14, 2025 at North Allegheny’s Newman Stadium.
Avonworth’s Romello Harris sacks North Catholic quarterback Joey Felitsky during the WPIAL Class 3A semifinals Friday, Nov. 14, 2025 at North Allegheny’s Newman Stadium.
Avonworth’s Jaden Jones pulls in a touchdown pass over North Catholic’s Peyton Book during the WPIAL Class 3A semifinals Friday, Nov. 14, 2025 at North Allegheny’s Newman Stadium.
North Catholic’s Will Waskiewicz beats Avonworth’s Jack Crawford for a first-quarter touchdown during the WPIAL Class 3A semifinals Friday, Nov. 14, 2025 at North Allegheny’s Newman Stadium.
Avonworth’s Romello Harris pressures North Catholic quarterback Joey Felitsky during the WPIAL Class 3A semifinals Friday, Nov. 14, 2025 at North Allegheny’s Newman Stadium.
Avonworth’s Luca Neal avoids North Catholic’s Louie Laquinta on the way to a second-quarter touchdown during the WPIAL Class 3A semifinals Friday, Nov. 14, 2025 at North Allegheny’s Newman Stadium.
Avonworth’s Dimitri Velisaris pushes the ball over the goal line for his third touchdown of the second quarter past North Catholic’s Louie Laquinta during the WPIAL Class 3A semifinals Friday, Nov. 14, 2025 at North Allegheny’s Newman Stadium.
Avonworth’s Dimitri Velisaris avoids North Catholic’s Reid Rinker on the way to a second-quarter touchdown during the WPIAL Class 3A semifinals Friday, Nov. 14, 2025 at North Allegheny’s Newman Stadium.
North Catholic’s Logan Schade avoids Avonworth’s Gavin McDowell during the WPIAL Class 3A semifinals Friday, Nov. 14, 2025 at North Allegheny’s Newman Stadium.
Avonworth’s Jaden Jones avoids North Catholic’s Peyton Book on the way to a second-quarter touchdown during the WPIAL Class 3A semifinals Friday, Nov. 14, 2025 at North Allegheny’s Newman Stadium.
Defending champion Avonworth jumped out to a two-touchdown lead and saw North Catholic close the gap to four points after one quarter.
The slight turbulence was nothing to the top-seeded Antelopes, who barely flinched.
They were hard to stop from there in a WPIAL Class 3A semifinal as they batted away No. 5 North Catholic, 44-24, on Friday night at North Allegheny’s Newman Stadium.
It’s “back to the Ack,” as players and coaches said in a postgame huddle. The Antelopes are finals-bound for the fourth straight year.
“Our word of the year is perseverance,” running back Dimitri Velisaris said. “We never gave up. We knew we could turn it up because we knew we had it in us.”
Avonworth (12-0) advances to play No. 2 Imani Christian (12-0) in the WPIAL championship at 5 p.m. Nov. 22, at Acrisure Stadium.
Velisaris and Luca Neal combined for 221 rushing yards and five touchdowns in the Western Hills Conference rematch. Velisaris ran for 122 yards and three scores, while Neal had 93 and two TDs.
Avonworth, in the semifinals for the sixth time in seven years, outgained the Trojans, 459-338, but held its opponent to 88 yards rushing.
“These kids are seasoned; they have been there before,” Avonworth coach Duke Joncour said. “We went down 7-0 to Thomas Jefferson and 7-0 to Central Valley. It doesn’t bother them. They don’t get flustered. They have been in some battles.”
North Catholic (9-4), playing in the semifinals for the second year in a row, came in averaging 45.9 points, the second-highest average in the WPIAL. But the Trojans struggled to move the ball on the ground, relying on the passing of Joey Felitsky and receiving of Will Waskiewicz.
Felitsky, who was pressured to make throws, passed for 248 yards and two scores and was intercepted once. Waskiewicz caught seven receptions for 156 yards and two TDs.
“It’s so hard to get them into third and forever because they are so effective with the run,” North Catholic coach Chris Rizzo said. “We kept swinging. But (Avonworth) never wavered. They have that championship DNA.”
After Avonworth took a 14-0 lead on rushing TDs by Neal and Velisaris, Felitsky hit Waskiewicz for a 65-yard scoring strike.
Nick Franco recovered a fumble for the Trojans, and Dylan Shantz made a 35-yard field goal to cut it to 14-10.
But the Antelopes found their groove by getting a heavy push from their offensive line. After a personal foul penalty on North Catholic, Neal scored on a 32-yard run before Velisaris found the end zone two more times before the half to make it 35-10.
“We wanted to run the ball down their throats and do what we do,” Velisaris said. “If I don’t have the guys up front, I wouldn’t be able to do what I do.”
After an interception by Jaden Jones — the son of former Greensburg Salem wrestling standout and Avonworth assistant coach Vertus Jones — the Antelopes settled on a 40-yard field goal for a 25-point lead at the break.
North Catholic pushed back, but only briefly, and against the Antelopes’ second teamers.
Jones hauled in a 54-yard TD pass from Bellinger in the third quarter. Jones had three catches for 130 yards.
North Catholic’s Logan Schade helped the rushing totals for the Trojans with a 78-yard score in the fourth to make it 44-17.
Felitsky threw a late score to Waskiewicz for the last TD of the night.
The Antelopes also beat the Trojans in Week 8, 42-10.
Avonworth will now look for a repeat — and its fourth total overall — as it gets ready to face Imani Christian.
“Get your popcorn ready,” Rizzo said.
Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.
Tags: Avonworth, North Catholic
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