WPIAL Football Plays of the Week – 11/21/2011

By: Bruce Markey
Monday, November 21, 2011 | 5:48 PM

Semifinal Friday 2011 was one of the most memorable that we’ve ever encountered in recent memory.  As games went down to the wire, as top seeds were turned away and unsuspecting dreams live on to play at the confluence of the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio, we are reminded why our little neck of the woods is so special.  A cool, crisp autumn evening turned memorable at many stadiums around the WPIAL because of the remarkable football that was witnessed throughout the Greater Pittsburgh area.  With the thrill of the victories, there was plenty of agony to go around  for those that suffered the defeat.  We’ll remember this past Friday as one of the best.  Raise your glass and say “cheers” to the Week 12 (Semifinals) Plays of the Week.

Play #1
AAAA
Upper St. Clair 28
Central Catholic  14

The devastating news that do-everything quarterback/linebacker Dakota Conwell was not only going to miss Friday’s game, but perhaps the remainder of the post-season was about as big a blow one team could suffer when preparing to take on one of the WPIAL’s most talented teams.  However, adversity usually creates opportunity and this case was no different.  The door was opened for junior Pete Coughlin to start his first game at quarterback and run the Panthers to victory.  Coughlin ran for 209 yards in the win.  Shortly after the Vikings took a one-point lead, Coughlin dazzled the crowd with a 73 yard touchdown scamper that pulled USC away for good and vaulted them into the championship game.

Play #2
AAA
Montour  21
Central Valley  14

The Montour Spartans have had to do it the hard way.  Playing the entire regular season in the brutal Parkway conference, battle-tested they were for a rematch against AAA’s top seed.  After Montour jumped out to a two-touchdown advantage, the Warriors stormed back and cut their deficit to one score.  As time was winding down, CV found themselves on the Spartans one yard line, but it was the Spartans’ D that held on as the ball was fumbled as time expired to preserve the dramatic upset.

Play #3
AAAA
North Allegheny 21
Gateway 17

The Gateway Gators flew under the radar a bit and snuck up on some teams in dominant fashion down the stretch run and through the first two rounds of the playoffs.  They almost snuck up on Quad-A’s top seeded team.  Missing their quarterback Thomas Woodson for a good portion of the game, the Gators’ junior signal caller returned with an obvious sub-100% bill of health.  He led his team to a remarkable comeback attempt, however it fell short due to the simple fortitude that the North Allegheny Tigers have, and the guts that their head coach exudes.  Instead of kicking a game-tying field goal to tie the contest and force overtime, Art Walker, Jr. called an old-school, belly-busting, Nick Passodelis fourth-down-fullback-dive that resulted in the game-winning score in the final seconds of the game.  Oh, and a rematch with the Upper St. Clair Panthers.

Play #4
A
Sto-Rox 12
Bishop Canevin 10

The Bishop Canevin Crusaders were probably dubbed too-slow or less skilled than the higher-seeded Vikings.  While such is probably the case, and such is probably the reason why Sto-Rox has their ticket punched to Heinz, make no mistake the Crusaders gave the Vikings all they could handle.  However, the Vikings gave that much more.  Especially their quarterback, Lenny Williams.  Overcoming a left ankle injury, it was Williams who led Sto-Rox on “the drive.”  A 74-yard, eight-play drive with his team trailing and facing an upset elimination.  With just over seven minutes left in the game, Williams found the talented Marzett Jeter in the endzone with 7:21 left to tee up a dandy of a single-A duel against the Clairton Bears.

Tags: Bishop Canevin, Central Valley, Gateway, Upper St. Clair