Road To Hershey – Quarterfinals Recaps

By: Bruce Markey
Saturday, December 4, 2010 | 12:00 AM

The state playoffs began for the four WPIAL football champions on Friday night with snow and a chill in the air. The WPIAL has never swept the PIAA football playoffs in 22 years of the state postseason and it won't again here in 2010. Here are the four recaps as three WPIAL champions move on the the PIAA Final Four while one see's a magical ride come to an end.

Thanks to Randy Gore, Bob Barrickman, Bob Gregg and Mark Schaas for their halp on these recaps.

PIAA CLASS AAAA QUARTERFINALS:
North Allegheny Tigers 21 – State College Little Lions 6

The North Allegheny Tigers advanced to the semifinals of the PIAA Class AAAA Playoffs thanks to a 21-6 win over State College on Friday night. Even though the Tigers were without leading rusher Alex Papson because of a collarbone injury suffered in the WPIAL Championship game, North Allegheny still ran the ball effectively by racking up 280 rushing yards. Junior running back Vinnie Congedo led the way with 142 yards and two touchdowns. Congedo's first score from one yard out gave the Tigers a 7-0 lead with 3:47 remaining in the first quarter. In the second quarter, State College took advantage of a Michael Buchert fumble and drove 39 yards for a touchdown. The drive was capped on a 1-yard run by Luke Jones. State College missed the extra point and the Little Lions trailed 7-6 with 9:15 remaining in the first half. NA put together a methodical 16 play, 65 yard drive to answer the State College score. Sophomore running back Alex DiCiantis, who rushed for 72 yards in the game, punched the ball in from five yards out to give North Allegheny a 14-6 lead at the half. After a three-and-out to start the second half, the Tigers' Brendan Coniker returned a punt 66 yards to the State College 12-yard line. Soon after, Congedo scored on a 5-yard run to up the NA lead to 21-6. That lead would hold thanks to a Tigers defense that kept State College off the board for the remainder of the game. North Allegheny improves to 13-1 and moves on to the PIAA semifinals. After making it to the State quarterfinals for the third straight year, the Little Lions' season ends with a 7-7 record.

PIAA CLASS AAA QUARTERFINALS:
Erie Cathedral Prep Ramblers 31 – Central Valley Warriors 21

Central Valley had a statistical edge in total yardage but seven turnovers did the Warriors in as Erie Cathedral Prep won the PIAA AAA west semifinal, 31-21. Paul Palombo scored on a 27-yard run early in the second quarter to give Central Valley a 7-6 lead. The Ramblers, who lost three fumbles in the first half, coughed up the ball at their own 1-yard line and quarterback Matt Bradford took it in from the one two plays later to give the WPIAL champions a 14-6 advantage. Leading 14-9 at the start of the third quarter, Central Valley recovered a squib kick to open the second half and went on a time consuming drive. But, running back Lukas Turley, who gained 149 yards, fumbled in the end zone which was recovered by Cathedral Prep. The Ramblers scored on a 9-yard pass to running back Anthony Jordan to go back on top, 15-14. Two interceptions and a fumble later, Cathedral Prep went on a 22-0 run to go up by a commanding 31-14 score. The Warriors Rob Foster ended the scoring on a 4-yard run with just over four minutes left in the game. Central Valley ended its inaugural season following the merger of Monaca and Center high schools with a 10-4 mark. The 9-4 Ramblers will face Bishop McDevitt in the state west final.

PIAA CLASS AA QUARTERFINALS:
South Fayette Lions 62 – Brockway Rovers 38

Christian Brumbaugh passed for 376 yards and five touchdowns leading South Fayette to its first-ever PIAA playoff victory, 62-38, over previously undefeated Brockway at Joseph DiMichela Stadium at West Allegheny High School. The Indians improved to 14-0 and advanced to the PIAA semifinals next weekend against the Sharon/Forest Hills winner. Brumbaugh out-gunned Derek Buganza, the most prolific passer in PIAA history, in a classic battle in less-than-ideal conditions. South Fayette scored on four of five first-half possessions and was in position to add a fifth when the first half clock ran out. After converting 3rd-and-6, Brumbaugh found Zach Challingstworth streaking past double coverage down the right side line for a 56-yard scoring pass just three minutes into the game. Buganza came right back, leading the Rovers on a 78 yard, 11 play drive capped by his 13-yard scoring pass to Zach Freemer tying the game halfway through the first quarter. Tyler Patterson, South Fayette's backup quarterback, handled a short, bounding kickoff and returned it 26 yards to midfield. Five plays later, Brumbaugh put the Lions in front to stay, finding Josh Patterson on the 12-yard strike just inside the goal line. Tyler Challingsworth got the game's first defensive stop, picking off a tipped Buganza pass at the Lions' five-yard-line and returning it to the SF 37. On first down, Patterson caught a pass in the right flat and outran the Rovers' defense for a 63-yard touchdown, his second of the game and 8th of the year. Brockway, the District 9 champion, came right back, covering 53 yards on 14 plays with Buganza getting to the endzone on fourth-and-1. As they did a week ago, South Fayette used their ground game to produce the next score, picking up 56 yards on four Jeff Davis' runs, including his 15th-rushing touchdown with just under five minutes left in the half, putting the Lions up 28-14. A 10-yard scoring pass to Jacob Schaffer capped the final Brockway possession of the first half, giving Buganza 95 td passes in his career, pulling the Rovers to within 28-21. The Lions moved from their own 19 to the Brockway 14 where they took two shots to the endzone as time ran out. Davis got open in the back of the enzone but Zach Brinkley recovered to jar the ball loose in the back of the endzone. And incomplete pass to Tyler Challingsworth brought the first half to a close. The teams combined for 576 yards in the first 24 minutes. It looked like Brockway had squared the score on the first possession of the second half, but what would have been a 49-yard td pass to Kyle Braun was called back on a penalty. Good pressure forced an incomplete pass on fourth down in the midfield. Brumbaugh, who now has 43 scoring passes this year and 78 for his career, capped an 8-play drive with a 12-yard scoring pass to TE Eric Myers running down the seam. Mike Vervoort, who was shaken up in the first half, returned in the second to catch seven passes, including a 20-yard jump ball against Ben Meredith to pull the Rovers to within 35-28. The Lions got a short field to work with following Tyler Challingsworth's 51-yard kickoff return to the Brockway 43. Davis caught Brumbaugh's final td pass of the night, scoring from 26-yards out, putting South Fayette up by two scores one play into the fourth quarter. Following a roughing penalty, the Lions defense got their third defensive stop of the game, stopping the Rovers on fourth-and-one at the SF 28. But a fumble gave the ball back to Brockway at the Rovers' 22 yard line. On second-and-nine, Tanner Courtad ducked underneath Buganza's intended receiver, picked off the pass and taking it 22-yards to the endzone, getting the Lions' first-ever PIAA playoff win in hand. Challingsworth scored on a 44-yard run and third-string quarterback, John Lerda, ran a 54-yard bootleg to close the scoring. Brumbaugh went 22-of-26 for 376 yards and five tds, passing the 3,000 yard mark for the season. Challingsworth caught nine throws for 111 yards, and ran for 69 yards on three carries, the game's leading rusher. Buganza finished 24-of-43 for 356 yards, 3 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. The three-year-starter completed his high school career with 9,768 yards passing, the most in state history. He also tossed 95 touchdown passes.

PIAA CLASS A QUARTERFINALS:
Clairton Bears 52 – North Star Cougars 0

The Clairton Bears posted their tenth shutout of the season and ran their consecutive winning streak to 29 in defense of the PIAA Class A championship. The Bears racked up 411 yards of offense, while holding North Star to minus 48 yards rushing. Clairton jumped out to a 7-0 lead on their opening possession when Capri Thompson scored on a 31 yard run. Thompson started at quarterback in place of Desimon Green, who did not play on defense. The Bears added to the lead on a 86 yard drive, capped by a Karvonn Coles 21 yard score. Clairton took advantage of a short field in the second quarter, Trenton Coles ran in from 5 yards out to put the three-time WPIAL Champions up 24-0. On the ensuing possession, North Star marched from their own 32 to the Clairton 4, helped by a couple of yellow flags against the Bears. But on 4th and 1, Dylan Freidline was thrown for a 2 yard loss, ending the only Cougars scoring threat. The Bears put the game away, scoring three times in the third quarter. Green tossed an 11 yard td pass to Josh Page, Karvonn Coles added a 10 yard run and Trenton Coles scored on a 34 yard punt return for a 46-0 lead after three. Thompson added a 47 yard run with 8:49 remaining to close the scoring. Thompson led the Clairton rushing attack with 97 yards on 6 carries. Karvonn Coles carried 5 times for 67 yards, Green ran 7 times for 33 yards, the senior qb was 4 of 12 for 98 yards. Clairton is now 14-0 on the season and will meet Farrell for the third time in three seasons in the state semifinals next weeekend. Farrell defeated Curwensville 35-14 at Clarion University Friday night. North Star, the District 5 champion, ends the season at 9-4. The Cougars had defeated previously unbeaten Berlin Brothers Valley and Northern Bedford to win the district crown, but could not slow down the Bears march on the Road to Hershey once again.