In WPIAL championship rematch, Avonworth poses threat to Belle Vernon repeat bid

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Wednesday, November 22, 2023 | 12:01 AM

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Avonworth and Belle Vernon were having spells of déjà vu, even a little total recall, as they prepared to meet for the second year in a row for the WPIAL Class 3A football championship.

Many of the same players suited up for the title at Acrisure Stadium a year ago when Belle Vernon won 24-7 for its first championship since 1995.

Now, the top-seeded Leopards (10-1) are a win away from a WPIAL repeat but again must solve No. 2 Avonworth (12-0).

Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. Friday.

Belle Vernon is in the finals for the third straight year. It is chasing a third title.

“You don’t know what they’re going to throw at you, so you have to prepare for it all,” Leopards coach Matt Humbert said of the Antelopes, whose last loss came against Belle Vernon. “You might see one tight end and two backs, or they’ll run bootlegs, run out of the wildcat or go three wide.

“They’re big, and they’re better than they were last year.”

Belle Vernon was set to prepare just the same as it did last year, putting in longer days with film sessions and repetitiously working on plays — old and new ones — to mirror preparation from 2022.

“Our guys have to be better students than they have been any other week,” Humbert said. “Whoever knows their opponent inside and out is the team that is probably going to win. This is my fourth time to Heinz (Acrisure). We’re going to be calculated.”

Belle Vernon, with a number of dynamic two-way players, was a heavy favorite to repeat at the start of the season. The Leopards are scoring 42.9 points and giving up 7.0.

But Avonworth, which has forced 27 turnovers and allows 95.6 rushing yards a game, has caught the Leopards’ attention. A challenge could await the defending champs.

The Antelopes, who are averaging 37.1 points and allowing 13.3 and will play in their third WPIAL final in five years, dumped Elizabeth Forward, 21-10, last week as Andrew Kuban ran for 139 yards and a touchdown out of the wildcat and also threw a TD pass to Ben Barnes.

“The line of scrimmage is the key,” Humbert said. “Whoever gets that push. We have to clean up some things, like penalties. It’s an us game for us.

“Whoever blinks first, or whoever shoots themselves in their foot, could (lose) the advantage.”

Belle Vernon upended East Allegheny, 49-8, in the semifinals as Quinton Martin ran for 152 yards and scored twice, reaching 100 yards in the first quarter.

Belle Vernon piled up 450 yards on the ground, including 129 from Jake Gedekoh, who also had a TD, and Kole Doppelheuer also scored twice.

Semi Recap ???? pic.twitter.com/DN9S2JfiQS

— Coach Humbert (@BVAFootball) November 21, 2023

Last year, Martin, who has committed to Penn State since the teams’ last meeting, scored three touchdowns three ways in the title game, including a highlight-reel, 51-yard punt return.

He also caught a scoring pass and ran for a TD. Martin leads the Leopards with 913 yards and 14 touchdowns.

“We’ve been fortunate where, when teams key on Q, other guys have stepped up and made plays for us,” Humbert said. “Everybody says, ‘Why aren’t you using (Martin) all the time?’ Trust me, we’d like to.”

Braden Laux, the Leopards’ quarterback, made a key second-quarter sack from his defensive end spot that led to the Leopards’ first points, a 31-yard field goal by Willie Schwerha. Laux threw a fourth-quarter scoring pass to Martin.

Amazingly, Avonworth ran 61 plays to Belle Vernon’s 39 and outgained the Leopards, 261-170.

“They have skill all over the field,” Avonworth coach Duke Johncour said of Belle Vernon. “We have our hands full. We need to minimize the big play. They’re a big-play team.”

Adam LaCarte had nine tackles for the Leopards last year.

“We do know them because it’s a lot of the same players,” Laux said. “It’s an advantage, but it’s the same for them because they’ve seen us.”

Humbert was concerned with the Antelopes’ run defense.

“The box is where they make their money,” he said. “They have a six-man box, which is (Thomas Jefferson)-esque.”

Doppelheuer has 693 yards and 12 touchdowns, and Gedekoh has run for 432 yards and five TDs.

Laux has 1,335 yards passing with 16 TDs and 10 interceptions.

Martin also leads the team with 39 receptions for 620 yards and 10 TDs. Anthony Crews (23 catches, 4 TDs) is another down-field option.

Tanner Moody leads the Leopards with 68 tackles, including 15 for loss.

Freshman Dimitri Velisaris leads Avonworth in rushing with 895 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Carson Bellinger is the quarterback. He is 98 of 161 for 1,487 yards with 21 TDs and five interceptions.

“I would hate to defend us,” Johncour said. “We have had six or seven players catch touchdown passes. We have spread the ball around, and we’re confident in our kids making plays for us. We utilize our talent very well.”

Kuban has rushed for 588 yards and seven TDs and also has a team-best 54 receptions for 862 yards and 11 TDs.

“We’re extremely excited for Friday,” Kuban said. “I believe that we’re going to win.”

Brandon Biagiarelli, a 6-foot-2, 225-pound Bucknell commit who had a rushing TD last year in the final, leads the Antelopes with 72 tackles.

“Hopefully, we get the ball first, drive down the field and score,” Laux said. “Then, we shut them down the rest of the way.”

Both teams have 13 interceptions.

The Antelopes have two WPIAL titles, the last coming in 2019 in 2A.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Belle Vernon