WPIAL Class 2A football championship breakdown: Beaver Falls vs. Sto-Rox

By: Chris Harlan
Thursday, November 12, 2020 | 11:03 PM

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WPIAL Class 2A football championship

No. 1 Beaver Falls vs. No. 3 Sto-Rox

5 p.m. Saturday, North Hills’ Martorelli Stadium

On the air: TribHSSN.triblive.com

Winner plays: Either District 10 champion Wilmington (9-0) or District 5 champion Chestnut Ridge (7-2) in the PIAA semifinals, Nov. 20-21.

WPIAL titles: Beaver Falls 4 (1928, ’60, ’84, 2016), Sto-Rox 2 (1966, ’87)

Beaver Falls (9-0)

Player to watch: Josh Hough

Senior, 6-3, 230, RB/DE

The Syracuse recruit is the WPIAL’s leading rusher. He’s bigger than most running backs but averages 18 yards per carry, a testament to his speed and quickness.

Statistical leaders

Passing: Jaren Brickner, 35-91, 862 yards, 4 TDs, 4 INTs

Rushing: Josh Hough, 100-1,816 yards, 26 TDs

Receiving: Trey Singleton, 11-394 yards, 3 TDs

How they got here: No. 1 seed Beaver Falls defeated No. 8 Western Beaver, 42-14, in the quarterfinals; No. 4 Apollo-Ridge, 50-27, in the semifinals

Probable starting lineup

Coach: Nick Nardone

Offense

LT, 77, Nathanael Harris, 6-3, 240, sr.

(or) LT, 76, Kamari Mathews, 6-3, 270, fr.

LG, 60, Mitchell Myers, 6-2, 230, sr.

C, 71, Connor Paolucci, 6-0, 290, so.

RG, 63, Sy’Mauri McCoy, 6-2, 215, fr.

RT, 52, Anthony Cousar, 6-3, 205, jr.

TE, 8, Tyler Cain, 6-2, 210 jr.

TE/WR, 9, Quadir Thomas, 6-2, 180, so.

WR, 2, Trey Singleton, 5-11, 220, so.

WR, 3, Mekhi Clark, 6-0, 165, jr.

QB, 11, Jaren Brickner, 5-10, 165, so.

RB, 10, Josh Hough, 6-3, 230, sr.

(or) RB, 1, Shileak Livingston, 5-11, 220, sr.

FB, 4, Tyler Jones, 5-9, 185, sr.

Defense

DT, 76, Kamari Mathews, 6-3, 270, fr.

DT, 77, Nathanael Harris, 6-3, 240, sr.

DE, 60, Mitchell Myers, 6-2, 230, sr.

DE, 10, Josh Hough, 6-3, 230, sr.

LB, 4, Tyler Jones, 5-9, 185, sr.

LB, 1, Shileak Livingston, 5-11, 220, sr.

LB, 8, Tyler Cain, 6-2, 210 jr.

CB, 9, Quadir Thomas, 6-2, 180, so.

CB, 2, Trey Singleton, 5-11, 220, so.

S, 3, Mekhi Clark, 6-0, 165, jr.

S, 25, Da’Sean Anderson, 5-9, 145, fr.

Special teams

K, 8, Tyler Cain, 6-2, 210, jr.

P, 1, Shileak Livingston, 5-9, 145, so.

LS, 60, Mitchell Myers, 6-2, 230, sr.

Notable: Beaver Falls is a newcomer to Class 2A this season after four years in Class 3A. … Coach Nick Nardone was an assistant on Ryan Matsook’s staff when the Tigers won WPIAL and PIAA titles in 2016. … The offense averages 45.7 points per game, best in WPIAL Class 2A. The defense allows 18.3 ppg.

Sto-Rox (8-1)

Player to watch: Josh Jenkins

Sophomore, 6-2, 165, QB/WR

Jenkins’ coach compares him to former Steelers quarterback/wide receiver Kordell Stewart. The sophomore splits time behind center with junior Austin Jones (769 passing yards).

Statistical leaders

Passing: Josh Jenkins, 68-108, 1,250 yards, 14 TDs, 6 INTs

Rushing: Zay Davis, 81-569 yards, 8 TDs

Receiving: Jaymont Green-Miller, 32-692 yards, 11 TDs

How they got here: No. 3 seed Sto-Rox defeated No. 6 Laurel, 21-20, in the quarterfinals; No. 7 Serra Catholic, 49-38, in the semifinals.

Probable starting lineup

Coach: LaRoi Johnson

Offense

LT, 69, Zyhaire Young, 5-11, 270, jr.

LG, 51, Mike Durrett, 6-0, 260, jr.

C, 52, Alfred Throop, 5-10, 255, jr.

RG, 70, Matt Carswell, 5-7, 245, so.

RT, 55, Amari Harper, 6-1, 230, fr.

TE, 24, Diontae Givens, 6-0, 220, sr.

WR, 16, Terry Booth, 5-9, 160, so.

WR, 2, Jaymont Green-Miller, 5-9, 160, so.

WR, 6, Drevon Miller-Ross, 5-11, 165, so.

WR, 14, Deigo Ellis, 5-9, 165, so.

QB, 5, Josh Jenkins, 6-2, 165, so.

(or) QB, 11, Austin Jones, 5-11, 165, jr.

Defense

DE, 10, Damontay Smith, 6-0, 210, so.

DT, 51, Mike Durrett, 6-0, 260, jr.

DT, 72, Andre Porter, 5-10, 255, sr.

DE, 55, Amari Harper, 6-1, 230, fr.

OLB, 26, Emir Short, 5-8, 168, so.

MLB, 24, Diontae Givens, 6-0, 220, sr.

OLB, 8, Taemar Hall, 5-10, 175, jr.

CB, 2, Jaymont Green-Miller, 5-9, 160, so.

CB, 19, Will Fuller, 5-9, 155, jr.

CB, 14, Deigo Ellis, 5-9, 165, so.

S, 6, Drevon Miller-Ross, 5-11, 165, so.

S, 16, Terry Booth, 5-9, 160, so.

Special teams

K/P, 20, Adam Devine, 5-9, 160, so.

LS, 52, Alfred Throop, 5-10, 255, jr.

Notable: Sto-Rox was the WPIAL Class A runner-up last season. The team also was the WPIAL runner-up in 2003, ’11, ’12 and ’13. … The Vikings are undefeated on the field this season. Their only loss was a forfeit in Week 1. … Senior LB/TE Diontae Givens is a Duquesne recruit. … The offense averages 40 points per game. The defense allows 22.

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.

Tags: Beaver Falls, Sto-Rox