WPIAL Plays of the Week – WPIAL Championships 2010

By: Bruce Markey
Tuesday, November 30, 2010 | 12:00 AM

Eight teams showed up on the North Shore on Saturday with a job to get done. There were four WPIAL football titles up for grabs as each team had the thirst to be number one. These are the key plays that for the winners turned out to be so bold. As we tip our caps to North Allegheny, Central Valley, South Fayette and Clairton as they all left Heinz Field with the gold.

CLASS AAAA FINALS:
North Allegheny Tigers 21 – Woodland Hills Wolverines 14
MSA Sports Lanny Frattare and Bob Orkwis on WJAS-AM 1320 with the call

While he would later be knocked out to spectator status after an early third quarter shoulder injury, North Allegheny senior running back Alex Papson turned in a spectacular play that turned into the game deciding score. With the Tigers already leading Woodland Hills 14-0 late in the first half, Papson took a handoff, ran right into four white jerseys, then a few seconds later, escaped the many grasps and dashed 43-yards to pay dirt as NA held on for their first title in 20 years with a 21-14 victory over the defending champion Wolverines.

CLASS AAA FINALS:
Central Valley Warriors 24 – Montour Spartans 7
MSA Sports Adam Hoerner and Greg Kuntz on WJAS-AM 1320 with the call

A pair of Parkway Conference teams had battled for three quarters with upstart Central Valley leading top-seed Montour 14-7 thanks to a punt return by Robert Foster. But the big plays weren’t over for the super sophomore as he scored on a 70-yard touchdown pass from former Monaca teammate quarterback Matt Bradford early in the fourth quarter as the Warriors surprised many by running with their 14th seed all the way to a WPIAL title in this, their first season with a 24-7 victory over the Spartans.

CLASS AA FINALS:
South Fayette Lions 19 – Aliquippa Quips 6
MSA Sports Paul Paterra and Dan Zangrilli on KDKA-FM 93.7 with the call

Two second half touchdowns would eventually decide this Class AA showdown, the first drive of the game for South Fayette proved that there would be no deer in a headlights look for the Century Conference champs against Aliquippa, the mighty winners of the Midwestern Conference. The Lions finished off the drive when Christian Brumbaugh hit Tyler Challingsworth with a 38-yard scoring pass in what would be a 19-6 triumph over the Quips for the first South Fayette football championship since 1964.

CLASS A FINALS:
Clairton Bears 12 – Rochester Rams 0
MSA Sports Ken Laird and Lee Mohn on KDKA-FM 93.7 with the call

The much anticipated rematch between the top two teams all year in the WPIAL Class A turned into a titanic defensive struggle. There was very little action offensively until Clairton started moving the sticks with a drive late in the second quarter that was capped by quarterback Desimon Green and his bobbing run in and out and through the Rochester defense for a 26-yard scoring jaunt that gave the Bears the lead for good in what would be a 12-0 victory over the Rams for a third consecutive WPIAL championship.

Tags: Aliquippa, Central Valley, Clairton, Montour, North Allegheny, Rochester, South Fayette, Woodland Hills