MSA Sports Friday Night HighLights – Week Twelve

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, November 20, 2010 | 12:00 AM

The most painful loss for a WPIAL high school football player could be losing a Semifinals game. Sure, it stinks to lose in a title game, but the lasting memories of just playing at Heinz Field in a District 7 championship contest makes the pain easier to deal with. There is no such feeling when you fall on Semifinals Friday. Thus, the joy of winning is magnified much more…something these eight individuals are sensing after leading their teams a Championship Saturday date on the North Shore of Pittsburgh.

Lafayette Pitts – Woodland Hills

Late in the game LAST Friday night, defending WPIAL Class AAAA champion Woodland Hills was on the ropes against Mount Lebanon, now they are headed back to Heinz Field for the second straight year and the fifth time in ten years thanks to a player who will get used to playing in the big house starting next year. Pitt recruit Lafayette Pitts rushed for 267 yards and scored three touchdowns, including scoring runs of 56 and 52-yards against one of the top defenses in the WPIAL as the Wolverines beat the North Hills Indians 24-14.

Alex Papson – North Allegheny

We learned early in this 2010 season that North Allegheny will go as far as Alex Papson can run. Well the senior back has eclipsed the 4,000 yard career rushing mark is still going strong. Papson rushed for 191 yards and scored the game clinching touchdown on a 67-yard fourth quarter jaunt as the Tigers knocked out the top-seed Pittsburgh Central Catholic Vikings 17-7 in leading NA to Heinz Field for the first time and to the WPIAL Class AAAA title game for the first time since 1998.

Dillon Buechel – Montour

After a so-so start to the postseason for the Class AAA top-seed team when they slipped past West Mifflin in Round One, Montour has turned in up several notches in impressive wins over Indiana in the Quarterfinals and Mars in the Semifinals. Quarterback Dillon Buechel was 10 of 15 passing for 225 yards and four touchdown passes of 49, 46, 64 and 10 yards, two of those TD tosses going to Darren Massey as the Spartans remained unbeaten with a 35-14 thumping of the Mars Fighting Planets.

Robert Foster – Central Valley

It is ironic that a young speedster help pave the wave for a young program to qualify for the WPIAL championship game in this, their first season of existence. Sophomore Robert Foster caught three touchdown passes from former Monaca teammate Matt Bradford, scored what turned out to be the winning touchdown on an 80-yard run, then put the cherry on the icing of his teams impressive cake with a fourth quarter interception as the Central Valley Warriors continue to raise eyebrows with a 42-24 victory over the Thomas Jefferson Jaguars.

Aliquippa – Defense

Aliquippa is making its third consecutive trip to Heinz Field thanks in large part to the part of the game that coaches tell you wins championships…DEFENSE. Aliquippa held the vaunt Ford City wing-T ground attack to only 123 yards rushing and a fourth quarter touchdown once the game was in-hand, plus they scored twice on a pair of fumble returns for touchdowns, one of 21 yards by Donald McKenzie, the other of 73-yards by Richard Lowe in a 26-7 victory over the Sabers by the undefeated and top-seed Quips.

Jeff Davis – South Fayette

While it was another day at the office for South Fayette quarterback Christian Brumbaugh, 12 completions for 171 yards and three touchdowns, SF is hardly a one-trick pony. Offensive balance has been the key to twelve straight wins thanks in large part to the ground attack of Jeff Davis, who gained 113 yards and scored on a pair of touchdowns runs as well as a scoring reception in the Lions one-sided 55-28 victory over the Beaver Falls Tigers.

Desimon Green & Karvonn Coles – Clairton

Their numbers against a tough Springdale team were not gaudy, but a pair of 100-yard plus rushers helped lead two-time defending WPIAL champion Clairton back to the Class A title game. Quarterback Desimon Green rushed for 128 yards and scored on three short touchdown runs while Karvonn Coles ran for 102 yards and scored on a 36-yard touchdown pass from Green as the Bears won their 27th consecutive game in a 26-7 victory over the Dynamos.

Devon Glass – Rochester

It wasn't pretty and Gene Matsook will tell you they have to play better against Clairton or else…but Rochester is also headed back to Heinz Field after knocking off Avonworth. A big part of the win was the running of Devon Glass, who gained 154 yards and scored the games first touchdown as the Rams head-butted the Antelopes by a final score of 20-7, putting Rochester into the WPIAL championship game for the 11th time in the last 20 years.

Tags: Aliquippa, Avonworth, Beaver Falls, Central Valley, Clairton, Ford City, Mars, Montour, Mt. lebanon, North Allegheny, Rochester, South Fayette, Springdale, Thomas Jefferson, West Mifflin, Woodland Hills