CTK 2010 – 2009 Pittsburgh City League Football Flashback

By: HSSN Staff
Sunday, August 8, 2010 | 12:00 AM

When the Pittsburgh City League championship game was set, there was no sign of defending champion Brashear and powerhouse Perry. Instead it was Schenley and Oliver that played in a District 8 title game for the ages. When the dust had settled, it was the Spartans surviving the Bears 34-32 in double overtime giving Schenley their first City League in over a decade.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM CITY LEAGUE FOOTBALL IN 2009:

* A team not named Brashear or Perry won the Pittsburgh City League football crown for only the second time since 2000. The only other time was 2007 when runner-up Oliver claimed gold. Schenley last won the City League crown in 1999.

* 2009 did provide a rare postseason victory for District 8. Schenley beat Punxsutawney 54-0 in a Class AAA Preliminary Round game before losing big in Round One to Erie Cathedral Prep 44-12. Westinghouse fell in the Class AA Preliminary Round to Bedford 29-6.

* Speaking of the Bulldogs, they enjoyed their second consecutive three win season. That might not seem like much, but when you consider they won a combined total of four games in the previous five years, six wins in two seasons and a postseason contest is good news at Westinghouse High.

* Langley was back to its old tricks, which was bad news for Mustangs fans. After going 4-5 and qualifying for the City League playoffs in 2008, Langley suffered through another winless season in 2009. The Mustangs were also 0-9 in 2006 and 2007.

2009 CITY LEAGUE FINAL STANDINGS:

#-Schenley Spartans : (7-1) – (9-1)
#-Oliver Bears : (7-1) – (8-2)
*-Perry Commodores : (6-2) – (7-3)
*-Brashear Bulls : (6-2) – (7-3)
x-Carrick Raiders : (3-5) – (3-6)
x-Peabody Highlanders : (3-5) – (3-6)
x-Westinghouse Bulldogs : (3-5) – (3-6)
x-Allderdice Dragons : (1-7) – (1-8)
x-Langley Mustangs : (0-8) – (0-8)

2009 CITY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS:

CITY LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME:

Schenley Spartans 34 – Oliver Bears 32 in Double Overtime (MSA)

CITY LEAGUE SEMIFINALS:

Schenley Spartans 14 – Brashear Bulls 2

Oliver Bears 10 – Perry Commodores 6

Schenley Wins City League Title In Double OT Thriller Over Oliver

By Greg Warnock

Schenley Spartans 34 – Oliver Bears 32 in Double Overtime
A re-match of a 6-0 Schenley win over Oliver back on September 26th between the 1 and 2 seed to determine the City League Championship on Friday night from Cupples Stadium in the Southside.

The game started out with an 8 play drive by Oliver that ended with a block punt that was recovered by Shawn Davis of Schenley. Quarterback Darren Jackson then threw to Jerome Matthews for an 11 yard touchdown and a failed 2 point conversion made it 6-0 Schenley.

Oliver would come right back with a big streak from quarterback Donte Jeter to Martise Smith for 79 yards and after a missed 2 point conversion made it 6-6. Schenley came right back with a big kick off return by Matthews but Jackson fumbled the ball on the first play from their own 33 and Oliver recovered. Another big play from Jeter to Smith, a 54 yard pass play, set up a Tyree Mathis 5 yard touchdown run and after another missed 2 point conversion it was 12-6 Oliver.

Schenley then came back, with a touchdown drive capped by a 28 yard touchdown run by Jeron Grayson and another failed 2 point conversion made it 12-12 at halftime.

The second half started off with a surprise, as Oliver decided to try an onside kick and recovered. They then went on to have a 16 play, 49 yard drive that took up 7:46 capped by a Mathis 6 yard touchdown run and the failed 2 point conversion made it 18-12 Oliver.

Schenley then put together a 9 play drive going 47 yards and scored on a 5 yard touchdown run by Jackson and with the failed 2 point conversion it was 18-18 with :45 seconds left in regulation.

The game would go into overtime. There Oliver scored first with a Mathis 2 yard touchdown run and with the Smith 2 point conversion it was 26-18 Oliver. Schenley countered with a Deandre Black 4 yard touchdown run and Jackson’s 2 point conversion made it 26-26, sending the game into double overtime.

Schenley then had the ball first and Jackson scampered for a 9 yard score and a Black 2 point conversion made it 34-26 Schenley. Oliver would come back with a Jeter 13 yard touchdown strike to Smith and on the ensuing 2 point conversion, Mathis fumbled at the one yard line and the ball squirted out of the end zone. Schenley would win the City League Championship 34-32 in 2 overtimes.

Schenley, with a 9-1 record, plays Punxsutawney next Friday at 7pm at George Cupples Stadium in the South Side. Oliver’s season ends at 7-3.

PIAA PLAYOFFS FOR CITY LEAGUE TEAMS:

PIAA CLASS AAA Preliminary Round:

Schenley Spartans 54 – Punxsutawney Chucks 0

PIAA CLASS AA Preliminary Round:

Bedford Bisons 29 – Westinghouse Bulldogs 6

PIAA CLASS AAA First Round:

Erie Cathedral Prep Ramblers 44 – Schenley Spartans 12