WPIAL Plays of the Week – Week Fourteen

By: Bruce Markey
Tuesday, December 6, 2016 | 5:59 PM

The WPIAL has almost always enjoyed strong showings in the state football playoffs, as the district boasts the most PIAA football titles ever. With the expanded classifications, five WPIAL teams had an opportunity to advance to Hershey. While West Allegheny’s terrific season came to an end, the other four representatives all advanced. Thus, this week’s installment highlights the plays that helped send each team to “Chocolate World.”

1. Beaver Falls 14, Central Martinsburg 7

The Tigers were held scoreless in the first half against Central Martinsburg, but Malik Shepherd made sure that wasn’t the case in the second half. Sherpher’s touchdown run in the third quarter tied the contest, and early in the fourth, he elevated to haul in the winning 17-yard pass from Austin French.

WBVP-AM 1230’s Bob Barrickman and Tom Hays have the call on the touchdown that sent Beaver Falls to Hershey for the first time in team history:

2. Clairton 24, Farrell 6

Lamont Wade’s incredible career with the Bears already had cemented him as one of the best players in the recent history of the WPIAL. But Wade’s determination to win his first state title has seemingly propelled him to even greater heights recently, as he showed against the Steelers. Wade, who returned to his more natural position of running back, deftly scooped an arrant backwards pass from QB Noah Hamlin, and then raced 72-yards for the score. Wade’s electric touchdown staked Clairton to an 18-0 lead, which it would not relinquish.

WPIC-AM 790’s Mark Slezak and Bob Greenburg provide the audio for the long score, which set up a long-awaited Clairton Bishop Guilfoyle rematch:

3. Steel Valley 49, Wilmington 13

Not only has Steel Valley maintained its perfect record throughout the WPIAL playoffs and now the PIAA postseason, but the Ironmen have kept another incredible streak in tact. Steel Valley has won every game this season via the mercy rule, and that was the case against Wilmington in the PIAA semifinals, too. Prolific running back Dewayne Murray assured that outcome early in the third quarter, as he found pay dirt on a 54-yard run to put his team ahead 35-0.

MSA Sports Cory Campano and Johnny Lee detail Murray’s big strike, his third score of the game, that put the icing on another dominant win for Steel Valley:

4. Central Catholic 63, West Lawn Wilson 21

For most of the 2015 season, JJ Younger was unheralded for the Vikings, until he exploded in the PIAA Championship and was instrumental in the Vikings claiming gold. This season, though, Younger has often been the focal point of the Central Catholic attack, and for the second-straight week, he dominated right out of the gate. Younger followed up a long touchdown reception with a 62-yard run to give Central Catholic a 21-0 edge in the first quarter, as the Vikings cruised past West Lawn Wilson to return to Hershey.

MSA Sports Kyle Dawson and James Dotson have the call on Younger’s long scamper that kept the Vikings bid to defend their title alive: