WPIAL Plays of the Week – Week Five 2015

By: Bruce Markey
Tuesday, October 6, 2015 | 6:58 PM

While the first four weeks of the 2015 season were filled with fantastic finishes, dramatic comebacks and upsets galore, lopsided affairs and powerhouse teams asserting their dominance proved prevalent in the fifth week of the campaign. Still, the top plays of the week are not short on excitement or drama, as they include a game-changing run seconds before halftime, the lone score in a defensive battle, and a pair of touchdowns scored by defense and special teams. Here’s what made the cut in week five.

1. West Allegheny 47, Montour 14

Prior to the season, this contest appeared to be perhaps the top matchup in Class AAA this year. While West Allegheny has lived up to and perhaps exceeded expectations, Montour has been hit hard by injuries. Although the final score appears lopsided, it was a one-score game until the closing seconds of the first half, when Terence Stephens took a delayed handoff 75 yards with just nine ticks left on the clock.

MSA Sports Matt Vandriak and Steve Nagler have the call:

2. Indiana 8, Greensburg Salem 7

The Little Indians entered 2015 with high expectations, but through four weeks, they had not found the win column. Similarly, the Golden Lions were seeking their first triumph of the season. With the teams accounting for little offense, it was the Indiana defense that made the crucial play late, as Connor Tshudy scooped up a Greensburg Salem fumble and took it for a 21-yard score. Indiana converted the ensuing two-point conversion to take the lead, and ultimately prevail.

WDAD-AM 1450’s Jack Benedict, Bill Otto and Bruce Weber provide the commentary for the deciding play:

3. Quaker Valley 34, Freedom 22

In a battle of teams hoping to keep their playoff hopes alive in the Class AA Midwestern Conference, it was the Quakers that scored a massive victory. It looked as though Freedom had  the momentum heading into the half, though, and the Bulldogs attempted to add three points on a field goal. The kick was blocked, however, and Quaker Valley’s Derrick Dillard returned the kick 82-yards to extend his team’s lead to 27-14.

MSA Sports’ James Dotson and Greg Kuntz paint the picture of the momentum-shifting moment:

4. Carmichaels 8, California 0

In a defensive battle in the Tri-County South, Carmichael’s Coty Allen provided the only scoring of the contest. His touchdown run put the Mighty Mikes ahead with 1:47 left in the opening stanza, and his team’s defense did the rest, posting the shutout.

Greene County Sport Networks’ Jason Tennant, Lanfer Simpson and Emily Bennett have the call of the game’s lone points.