West Catholic Rocks South Fayette to Win PIAA Class AA Championship

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, December 18, 2010 | 12:00 AM

A dominant performance for West Catholic as the Burrs pilled up 406 yards on the ground on the way to a 50-14 blowout win over South Fayette in the PIAA Class AA championship game. David Williams ran 14 times for 183 yards and two touchdowns, Brandon Hollomon added 112 yards on 14 carries. It's West Catholic's first PIAA title, the Burrs fell to Wilmington in the 2008 title game 35-34 in double overtime.

The day started well for the Lions, who took the opening kickoff and went 61 yards in ten plays, Christian Brumbaugh hit Zach Challingsworth with a 8 yard touchdown pass just inside the pylon. The Burrs evened the score on an 81 yard run by David Williams, who went right up the gut, then turned on the jets for the score.

West Catholic took the lead in the second on a long bomb from Anthony Reid to Jaleel Strong-Rankin, who got behind Mike Fetchet. Quarn Kent ran for two, giving the Burrs a 14-7 lead with 8:45 remaining in the half. The Lions fumbled on their first play following the touchdown, Tyler Challingsworth coughed up the football and West Catholic made them pay seven plays later as Reid scored on a seven yard run

South Fayette answered with a nine play drive, Brumbaugh to Zach Challingsworth for a 20 yard score just inside the far sideline with 2:55 remaining in the half. But West Catholic tacked on two more scores before the break. Brandon Hollomon found paydirt with a 16 yard cutback run and Strong-Rankin from Reid for 25 yards to go up 36-14 at the half. West Catholic rushed for 210 yards in the first half and outgained the Lions 334 to 140 in total yards.

The District 12 champions started the second half the same way they ended the first, going 93 yards in nine plays, Williams scoring his second touchdown on a four yard run. Joshua Mathis scored on a 26 yard run with 10:26 left in the game to bring on the mercy rule.

Brumbaugh finished the game with only 111 yards on 11 of 28. The two touchdown passes broke the single season mark for touchdowns with 52. Head coach Joe Rossi said the offense never got on track today and they were beat up physically. South Fayette managed only 24 yards rushing as running back Jeff Davis played with a brace on his right leg, suffering an injury in last week's semifinal. Davis had five carries for 11 yards and had only one catch out of the backfield. The Lions end the season at 15-1.

Brian Fluck, the Burrs head coach, said he thought going in that his team was quicker than Aliquippa and they were able to pick up any South Fayette run blitzes. When asked where Williams came from, he said they started adding the sophomore in gradually, and that he did rush for 700 yards and 15 touchdowns coming into the title game. Reid added 124 yards thru the air, giving the Burrs 530 yards of total offense and 23 first downs on the afternoon. The 530 yards breaks the Class AA title record of 506, held by Jeannette in 2007, the Burrs also broke the Jayhawks record of 49 points scored. West Catholic ends the season 13-2.

Score by Quarters:
South Fayette 7 7 0 0 – 14
West Catholic 7 29 8 6 – 50

Scoring Summaries:
First Quarter:
South Fayette: Zach Challingsworth 8 pass from Christian Brumbaugh(Tyler Yee kick) 7:37
West Catholic: David Williams 81 run(kick failed) 1:59

Second Quarter:
West Catholic: Jaelen Strong-Rankin 75 pass from Anthony Reid(Quran Kent run) 8:45
West Catholic: Reid 7 run(kick failed) 5:30
South Fayette: Z. Challingsworth 20 pass from Brumbaugh(Yee kick) 2:55
West Catholic: Brandon Hollomon 16 run(Jim Lynch pass from Anthony Reid) 1:07
West Catholic: Strong-Rankin 25 pass from Reid(Kent run) :04

Third Quarter:
West Catholic: Williams 4 run(Joshua Mathis run) 7:53

Fourth Quarter:
West Catholic: Mathis 26 run(kick failed) 10:27