WPIAL Plays of the Week – Week Nine 2015

By: HSSN Staff
Tuesday, November 3, 2015 | 1:29 PM

The 2015 WPIAL football regular season came to a dramatic conclusion, with countless teams jockeying for playoff positioning, while other squads were fighting just to qualify for the postseason. This past Friday, one crucial play likely determined the top seed in Class AAA, while a thrilling shootout in Class A led to a record-setting performance. Also, the unpredictable Allegheny Conference produced more fireworks, with longtime rivals squared off with home-field advantage on the line in the Eastern Conference. Here are the best of the best from the final week of the campaign.

1. Central Valley 23, West Allegheny 13

The Indians appeared poised to lock up the top seed in Class AAA with a victory against Central Valley, but much like in the 2014 WPIAL Championship, the Warriors came out on top. The turning point came after a field goal extended the West Allegheny edge to 13-8. On the ensuing kickoff, Kurt Reinstadtler went 90 yards to give Central Valley a lead it would not relinquish.

MSA Sports’ Rob Matzie and Johnny Lee on WKPL-FM 92.1 The Pickle have the call of the play that helped catapult the Warriors to the No. 1 seed:

2. Avonworth 50, Northgate 49

As the score indicates, this affair was a shootout thriller that was decided by the play of a record-setting quarterback. Avonworth’s Zach Chandler established a new WPIAL single-season passing yardage mark earlier in the contest, but with just more than one minute left, the powerful signal caller used his legs to notch the winning score against Northgate.

MSA Sports’ Rick Smith and Steve Nagler provide the commentary for the final points of the matchup:

3. Freeport 50, Valley 35

The Allegheny Conference has featured some historic moments in Class AA this season, and the season finale between the Yellowjackets and Vikings was no exception. Valley needed to win to qualify for the postseason, while Freeport was playing for a section crown and playoff seeding. The second quarter was a memorable one for Freeport, and Dylan Hochbein’s long touchdown in the closing seconds staked the Yellowjackets to a lead heading into the locker room, en route to the triumph.

MSA Sports’ Josh Rowntree and Scott Majesky detail the long strike just before intermission:

4. Jeannette 49, Greensburg Central Catholic 35

For many years, the rivalry between nearby schools Jeannette and Greensburg Central Catholic has carried significant meaning. Annually, the teams are fighting either for a playoff spot, or for positioning. This contest determined the second place finish between the Jayhawks and Centurions in the Class A Eastern Conference. Although GCC had a quick start, it was Jeannette that took command in the second quarter, led by quarterback GioVanne Sanders. His touchdown scamper in the early moments of the frame made it 20-7 Jeannette and set the tone in the Jayhawks’ triumph.

MSA Sports’ Paul Paterra and Lou Rood call perhaps the biggest of several Jeannette signature plays: