WPIAL Plays of the Week – Week Six 2016

By: HSSN Staff
Tuesday, October 11, 2016 | 5:59 PM

Perhaps no week thus far in the 2016 campaign has had as many standout plays as this most recent slate of games. Narrowing the list to just four shining moments was particularly difficult, but alas, these selections cover a wide variety of action. Included in Week Six is a winning pass in the closing seconds to squash a 1A upset bid, a long defensive score that produced the deciding points, a jaw-dropping individual effort in one of the most anticipated WPIAL games in decades, and a prolific player adding to his resume with an overtime winner.

1. Bishop Canevin 33, Imani Christian 30
Imani Christian is in its infancy as a football program, but the Saints have proven to be a handful for several opponents this season. That was the case again on Saturday, as the first-year squad appeared poised to pull off an upset again Bishop Canevin. After the Saints scored late in the fourth quarter to take the lead, the Crusaders mounted a drive in the waning seconds. Trailing 30-25, Bishop Canevin needed to find the end zone, and that’s exactly what the Crusaders did with six seconds left. QB Austin Scott fired a pass that was hauled in by Maleik Hemmingway for the 30-yard winning score.

MSA Sports’ Don Rebel and Johnny Lee detail the play that earned the Crusaders the comeback victory:

2. Highlands 12, Montour 10
In a year dominated by offensive outbursts, the Golden Rams and Spartans engaged in a defensive struggle. Thus, it was fitting that the biggest play came on that side of the ball. With Montour staked to a lead in the fourth quarter and driving to extend the advantage, Highlands’ forced a fumble on a sack, and the Golden Rams’ Noah Gillette scooped up the ball and returned it 85 yards for the score. Gillette’s touchdown put the Golden Rams in the lead, and they held on for a critical win to remain in the thick of the playoff hunt.

MSA Sports’ Kyle Dawson and Donny Chedrick provide the commentary for Gillette’s defensive score:

3. Clairton 52, Aliquippa 16
Rarely does a game that ends with a running clock feature a single play that was instrumental to the outcome, but Lamont Wade’s second-quarter TD run proved to be a game changer. The battle between the Bears and Quips was the talk of the district, as it was regarded as one of the most anticipated non-section games in recent memory. With Clairton ahead by just four points early in the second quarter, the highly-touted senior for the Bears handled an errant snap, and then displayed his magic. Wade broke to the left side, leaped over a defender, absorbed a hit but stayed on his feet, tight roped the sideline, and then cut back to find paydirt on a 73-yard run. The spectacular play garnered national attention, including an appearance on ESPN.

WMBA 1460’s Bob Barrickman and Jason Colangelo have the call of Wade’s highlight-reel score that sparked Clairton to a lopsided win:

4. Mapletown 26, Jefferson-Morgan 20
Aside from Armstrong’s Zane Dudek, perhaps nobody has been more vital to his team’s success than Mapletown’s Dylan Rush. The appropriately-named running back as provided nearly all the offense for the Maples this season, and he continued that trend this week. Rush eclipsed 250 yards on the ground, and accounted for all of Mapletown’s scores, including the clincher in overtime.

The Greene Sports Network’s Bobby Fox and Sam McCollum describe Rush’s winner, a 10-yard run on Mapletown’s first offensive play in the extra session: