Big 2nd half fuels North Allegheny’s win over Norwin in WPIAL Class 6A semifinals
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Friday, November 7, 2025 | 10:43 PM
North Allegheny’s Gavin Ust celebrates with Luke Rohan after Rohan’s fourth-quarter touchdown against Norwin during the WPIAL Class 6A semifinals Friday.
Norwin’s Potter Brozeski pulls in a pass past North Allegheny’s Lorry Pitts during the WPIAL Class 6A semifinals Friday.
Norwin’s Ben Markel defends on a pass intended for North Allegheny’s Ben Kern during the WPIAL Class 6A semifinals Friday.
North Allegheny’s Cameron Kushner avoids the tackle attempt by Norwin’s Ben Markel on the way to a third-quarter touchdown during the WPIAL Class 6A semifinals Friday.
North Allegheny’s Gavin Ust celebrates with Cameron Kushner after Kushner’s touchdown against Norwin during the WPIAL Class 6A semifinals Friday.
Norwin’s Giovanni Rothrauff ramps for yardage over North Allegheny’s Kellan Frank during the WPIAL Class 6A semifinals Friday.
North Allegheny’s Cameron Kushner pulls in a touchdown pass past Norwin’s Potter Brozeski during the WPIAL Class 6A semifinals Friday.
North Allegheny’s Lincoln Hoke sacks Norwin’s Tristyn Tavares during the WPIAL Class 6A semifinals Friday.
North Allegheny’s Cameron Kushner gets past Norwin’s Jake Knight on the way to a third-quarter touchdown during the WPIAL Class 6A semifinals Friday.
Norwin’s Mason Kugler sacks North Allegheny’s Brady Brinkley during the WPIAL Class 6A semifinals Friday.
North Allegheny’s Luke Rohan steps through the tackle attempt by Norwin’s Zack Pawling during the WPIAL Class 6A semifinals Friday.
Norwin’s Jake Knight pulls in a touchdown pass past North Allegheny’s Kellen Frank during the WPIAL Class 6A semifinals Friday.
The Norwin football program has made nice strides over the years.
But there were still things on their bucket last that they had not achieved before Friday’s WPIAL Class 6A semifinal at North Allegheny Newman Stadium.
The Knights never had won a conference title, defeated North Allegheny, reached the WPIAL finals or claimed a WPIAL title.
Those achievements will have to wait.
North Allegheny (8-3) used a big second half and pulled away for a 35-17 victory. The Tigers will face No. 1 Central Catholic on Nov. 15 at Pine-Richland. NA improved to 17-0 against Norwin.
Penalties, big plays and a determined North Allegheny team were too much for Norwin to overcome. The Knights had eight penalties for 68 yards. This was their second trip to the semifinals in school history.
After a sluggish first half, the Tigers offense found its groove in the second half thanks to a couple of adjustments.
“We looked at what they were doing, and we hit them with a couple play-action passes,” North Allegheny coach Art Walker Jr. said. “Then we ran to where we felt they were soft.
“We felt we were close to breaking a couple in the first half, and we stuck to the game plan.”
They struck for two quick touchdowns — a 58-yard pass to Cameron Kushner and a 31-yard run by Luke Rohan — to open a 21-3 lead.
The Tigers defense also played well, holding the Knights to consecutive three-and-outs to begin the third quarter.
“We did not tackle well in the second half. That is what killed us,” Norwin coach Mike Brown said. “They just made more plays.
“These guys continued to fight, and that is the type of kids we have here at Norwin.”
Norwin drove to the North Allegheny 35 and was turned away, and it had an 80-yard touchdown pass to Jake Knight nullified by a holding penalty.
Norwin trimmed the lead to 21-10 early in the fourth quarter when Tristyn Tavares connected with Knight for 80 yards.
But Rohan — who rushed for 181 yards, including 154 in the second half — put the game away by scoring on runs of 57 and 11 yards.
Tavares, who completed 14 of 23 passes for 215 yards, scored on a 4-yard run.
Tavares was sacked six times. Giovanni Rothrauff rushed for 153 yards.
Norwin (7-4) grabbed a 3-0 lead in the first quarter when Tristan Josephic booted a 41-yard field goal.
North Allegheny responded early in the second quarter when quarterback Brady Brinkley found Kushner behind the Norwin secondary for a 56-yard touchdown pass.
“We missed a couple other passes in the first half,” Walker said. “Our kids took it personal that some were saying they were more athletic. That fueled our fire.”
Norwin moved deep into North Allegheny territory, but Josephic’s 29-yard field goal was blocked.
“We can compete with anyone,” Brown said. “But we need to step it up a little bit more. Nothing is going to be given to us. I also think we listened to the outside noise. We still have to earn it.”
Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.
Tags: North Allegheny, Norwin
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