WPIAL Plays of the Week – Week One 2014

By: Bruce Markey
Thursday, September 4, 2014 | 11:48 AM

Welcome back, WPIAL football! And welcome back Plays of the Week. Week one was one of the more memorable in recent memory. Upsets, numerous last-second field goals, multiple games going to overtime. The bar, needless to say, has been set high for the rest of 2014. Until then, enjoy the Week One Plays of the Week:

1. Fort Cherry 27, OLSH 26
Without a doubt, the most improbable finish of week one came at Joe Walton Stadium in Moon Township, as Fort Cherry escaped with a 27-26 victory. After OLSH grabbed a 26-20 lead with 3:18 to go, Fort Cherry would drive the field, looking for a tying score. But a fumble on the center-quarterback exchange would see the football roll into the endzone. Fort Cherry Junior Brian Carnegie would pounce on the football with 17 seconds to go, tying the game. Anthony Kampion would hit the go-ahead extra point moments later, giving the Rangers a 27-26 road win.

The OLSH Sports Network’s Terry Neary and Don Seeds on the call.

2. Greensburg Central Catholic 15, Monessen 12
In Greensburg Central Catholic’s first Class A football game since 2001, a former offensive guard proved to be an unlikely hero. Brian Pevarnik, who started the summer as an offensive lineman but was turned into a bruising running back, scored the Centurions’ only two touchdowns and rushed for 68 yards in the contest. But most importantly, he connected on a 26-yard field goal with 1.8 seconds left, giving Greensburg Central Catholic an important first win in Class A’s Eastern Conference.

MSA Sports’ Josh Rowntree and Gero Von Dehn on the call.

3. Shenango 23, Western Beaver 22
Dylan Kleckner kept the one-point week one trend going on a steamy Saturday afternoon in Beaver County, knocking through a 21-yard field goal as time expired, giving surprising Shenango a tough fought road victory over a strong Western Beaver team.

MSA Sports’ Sean Meyers and Scott Majesky on the call.

4. Indiana 29, Mars 26
Down 19-0, the Indiana Little Indians were looking at an 0-1 start to their 2014 season. But Indiana rallied, outscoring Mars 29-7 the rest of the way. The final go-ahead score came with 4:16 to go, as Riley Stapleton hauled in a 24-yard touchdown pass from Jacob Zilinskas, lifting the Little Indians to the 29-26 upset win.

WDAD-AM 1450’s Jack Benedict, Bill Otto and Bruce Weber on the call.