WPIAL Plays of the Week – WPIAL Championships 2015

By: Bruce Markey
Tuesday, December 1, 2015 | 6:10 PM

Nearly three months of terrific football action culminated on Saturday with the WPIAL Championship games at Heinz Field. Four teams were crowned champions of their respective classifications, including one repeat winner, the Clairton Bears. Additionally, the Aliquippa Quips, Thomas Jefferson Jaguars and Central Catholic Vikings all hoisted the trophies, securing their spot in the PIAA postseason. Congratulations to all of the winners, as well as every team and all the players and coaches for a wonderful 2015 WPIAL campaign. To put the cherry on top of the great season, here are the very best plays from Championship Saturday.

1. Aliquippa 44, South Fayette 38

The Quips and Lions met for the third-consecutive year in the Class AA title game, but the third time proved to be the charm for Aliquippa. In a matchup of Aliquippa’s running attack against South Fayette’s potent passing, the Quips ironically used a trick pass with just more than one minute on the clock to score the winning points. Aliquippa’s QB Sheldon Jeter fired a backwards pass to Jassir Jordan, who subsequently chucked the ball downfield to Thomas Perry, who snuck behind the defense for the decisive 47-yard touchdown.

MSA Sports’ Sam Hall and Scott Majesky have the call of the trick play that secured the Quips the gold on WJAS-AM 1320:

2. Central Catholic 24, Penn-Trafford 17

The Vikings have been regular participants at Heinz Field over the past decade, while the Warriors were making their first title game appearance since 1997. In the end, Central Catholic’s experience and bevy of Division I talent came out on top, but the Vikings needed a spectacular fourth-quarter touchdown to claim the win. After having two long scores negatated by penalties earlier in the contest, Central Catholic’s Ronnie Jones made another game-breaking play, as his 72-yard run put the Vikings ahead 21-14.

MSA Sports’ Lanny Frattare and Bob Orkwis provide the commentary for Jones’ play that helped guide the Vikings to their fifth WPIAL Championship:

3. Thomas Jefferson 20, Central Valley 7

The Jaguars proved the adage ‘it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish’ to be accurate this season, as Thomas Jefferson claimed the title after starting its season 0-2. The Jags’ turnaround was keyed by suffocating defense, as well as a return to their power running attack. Against the defending champion Warriors at Heinz Field, it took TJ just two offensive plays to assert its will on Central Valley. After Quinton Hill nearly broke a long run on the first play, fullback Braden Pahanish broke through the line of scrimmage and scampered into the end zone to stake Thomas Jefferson to an early lead it would never surrender.

MSA Sports Cory Campano and Brandon Showers detail the key rushing touchdown that allowed the Jaguars to capture their first title since 2008:

4. Clairton 40, Jeannette 0

When the Bears and Jayhawks met in conference play during the regular season, Jeannette held a second-half lead, and provided perhaps the stiffest test that Clairton faced all season. The rematch at Heinz Field was a completely different story, though, as the Bears dominated from start to finish. To that point, Clairton’s Harrison Dreher took the opening kickoff to the house, seemingly taking the life out of the Jayhawks’ upset hopes. From that point on, the Bears never looked back, cruising to the repeat.

MSA Sports’ Rick Smith and Rob Longo have the call of the long score on the game’s opening kickoff: