In the WPIAL (District 7), Clairton (A), Greensburg Central Catholic (AA), West Allegheny (AAA) and Woodland Hills (AAAA) were victorious. The Pittsburgh City League (District 8) saw Schenley capture its lone crown, while in District 9 Clarion (A), Karns City (AA) and Punxsutawney (AAA) made it a clean sweep for the Keystone Shortway Athletic Conference. And in District 10 Farrell (A), Wilmington (AA) and Erie Cathedral Prep (AAA) all took home championship hardware.
But while all 11 teams call themselves champions, the excitement of their title-winning contests were not all the same. Here is a ranking of the 11 title game contests from the least exciting (to the fans) to the most exciting.
11. District 7 Class AA – Greensburg Central Catholic 33, Aliquippa 7, Nov. 27
Greensburg Central Catholic captured its first WPIAL title on the strength of 203 yards rushing and three touchdowns from David Miller. But the game was over before halftime, as the Centurions rolled off 26 straight points, including 19 in the second quarter, after Aliquippa took an early 7-0 lead. Trent Hurley added a touchdown run and a touchdown pass for GCC, which has won nine straight since a 2-2 start.
10. District 10 Class A – Farrell 34, Sharpsville 7, Nov. 27
The District 10 Class A title game Friday at Slippery Rock was a game for a half, as Farrell and Sharpsville were tied at seven going into intermission. But the Steelers but a lock on their second straight championship with 21 unanswered third-quarter points that started when Malcolm Hailstock scored on a 50-yard run on the first play from scrimmage in the second half. Farrell quickly added two more scores, both from Preston Jefferson, to put the game away.
9. District 10 Class AAA – Erie Cathedral Prep 47, Grove City 21, Nov. 20
Grove City players probably never want to hear the name Justin Wiley again. Wiley was a one-man wrecking crew for Erie Cathedral Prep gaining 274 yards of offense and scoring five touchdowns to lead the Ramblers to their ninth District 10 title since 1998 but their first in Class AAA. Wiley had 171 yards rushing and four touchdowns and three catches for 103 yards and a score. Cathedral Prep led 21-7 at halftime and 28-14 at the end of three quarters before scoring the first 19 points of the fourth quarter to put the game away.
8. District 7 Class AAAA – Woodland Hills 10, Gateway 0, Nov. 27
A pair of first-half scores was all Woodland Hills needed to win its first WPIAL Class AAAA title since winning its third in four years in 2002. The Wolverines got a Sam Scifio field goal in the first quarter and a Jayron Polk touchdown run in the second before letting their defense take over. Gateway, which lost the title game for the third straight year, managed just 148 yards of offense while being shutout for the first time since Woodland Hills blanked the Gators on Oct. 6, 2006.
7. District 10 Class AA – Wilmington 19, Sharon 0, Nov. 27
Wilmington, the defending PIAA Class AA champion, won its fourth straight District 10 Class AA title in a game that was a lot more of a nailbiter than the final score indicates. The Greyhounds scored an early touchdown to take a 6-0 lead but found themselves still up by just six midway through the fourth quarter when a blocked punt and a fumbled kickoff led to 13 quick points that put the game out of reach. Sutton Whiting had a big game for Wilmington with 117 yards rushing and three touchdowns.
6. District 9 Class A – Clarion 7, Coudersport 0, Nov. 28
The Bobcats made 22nd-year head coach Larry Wiser’s final season a memorable one by scoring a late touchdown to win its first District 9 Class A title since 1997 on Saturday. Bubba Rue scored on a 1-yard run with 5:42 to play, and Clarion’s defense pitched its second straight shutout to give the ‘Cats the title. In fact, in three District 9 playoff games this year, Clarion’s defense didn’t allow a point. The only two points scored against Clarion in the D9 postseason came on a blocked punt safety by Elk County Catholic in the first round.
5. District 10 Class AAA – West Allegheny 36, Hopewell 28, Nov. 27
West Allegheny built a 29-7 lead in the first half before having to hold off a furious Hopewell comeback attempt. The Viking scored on the last play of the first half to cut the lead to 29-14 at halftime and then scored again at the start of the second half to make it 29-21. But West Allegheny got a touchdown back to make it 36-21 before Hopewell cut the lead back to eight in the fourth quarter. The Vikings then drove inside the West Allegheny 30-yard line before the Indians defense came up with two big pass breakups to secure their first title since winning three in a row and four of five in 2001.
The game featured two of the top running backs in Western Pennsylvania, as Hopewell sophomore Rushel Shell went over the 4,000-yard mark in his career with 274 yards and four touchdowns and Hopewell junior Mike Caputo was nearly as good rushing for 178 yards and four scores despite a couple of nagging injuries that put him on the sideline at times in the second half. Caputo had 127 yards and all of his scores in the first half.
Derek Buganza, Brockway
File photo by Paul Burdick
4. District 7 Class A – Clairton 14, Rochester 13
Clairton captured its second straight WPIAL Class A title and its third in four years thanks to a defensive stand on a Rochester 2-point conversion attempt with 1:08 left after the Rams had cut a seven-point deficit to one on a 23-yard Terry Gettings touchdown reception from Jasson Adamson.
Rochester initially set up to try a game-tying extra point but elected for the two-point conversion after a penalty moved the ball inside the 2-yard line. But the Bears defense stopped Trey Johnson at the one to preserve the lead and secure the victory.
3. District 9 Class AA – Karns City 42, Brockway 40, Nov. 20
This game had a bit of everything, including a record-setting performance by Brockway junior quarterback Derek Buganza, a stirring Brockway comeback attempt and a key two-point conversion stop by Karns City.
Karns City, which won its third straight District 9 title, had leads of 21-7 in the first half and 42-27 in the fourth quarter only to watch Brockway battle back both times. The Rovers tied the game at 21 at the half and then rallied with two touchdowns in less than four minutes late in the game to close within two. But Karns City’s defense was able to stop a two-point conversion with 2:41 to play to secure the win.
Buganza, a junior, broke the Pennsylvania single-season passing record during the game finishing the year with 3,824 yards and the District 9 career passing mark with 6,747 career yards. Also, Brockway receiver Mike Vervoort set the single-season receiving record in D9 with 1,390 yards. But Karns City got 159 yards and a touchdown from Aaron Markle, who also returned an interception for a score.
2. District 9 Class AAA – Punxsutawney 34, Clearfield 28, Nov. 13
Punxsutawney found itself trailing defending champion Clearfield 28-20 early in the fourth quarter but rallied within two on a 22-yard Brennan Niver run with just over nine minutes to play. The Chucks, who won their first District title since 1991 just two years after finishing 0-10, then went 82 yards in 10 plays to take the lead on a 3-yard Ben Blazavich run with 1:41 left. Clearfield had one final chance but a fourth-and-10 pass from the Punxsy 19-yard line to star receiver Trey Campman was broken up by a punishing hit by Braedon Pennington at the 1-yard line with 16 seconds left.
1. District 8 – Schenley 34, Oliver 32, Nov 13
It took a fourth quarter-comeback and two overtimes, but Schenley picked up its first Pittsburgh City League title since 1999 and only its second since 1951 with a thrilling victory at Cupples Stadium on Pittsburgh’s South Side.
Schenley trailed 18-12 going to the fourth quarter but tied the game on a Darren Jackson touchdown run in the fourth quarter. Both teams then scored in the first overtime to tie the game at 26 before Schenley took a 34-26 lead in the second overtime on an 8-yard Jackson run and a two-point conversion run by Deandre Black. Oliver answered back with a 13-yard touchdown pass from Donte’ Jeter to Martise Smith and then lined up for the 2-point conversion. Tyree Mathis took the handoff and headed to toward the goaline before fumbling just before crossing the goaline. The ball was then loose in the end zone with both teams scrambling for it before it rolled out the back of the end zone for a touchback and a Schenley win.
PIAA PLAYOFFS
All 11 district-title winners from Western Pennsylvania advance into the PIAA playoffs. The teams that won titles this past weekend will play Friday, Dec. 4, while the other teams have already played their postseason games. A quick look at how each has fared.
District 7
Class A – Clairton will face District 5 champion Conemaugh Township at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4, at Yough High School
Class AA – Greensburg Central Catholic will face District 5 champion Bedford at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4, at Windber High School.
Class AAA – West Allegheny will face District 10 champion Erie Cathedral Prep at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4, at North Allegheny High School
Class AAAA – Woodland Hills will face District 6 champion State College at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4, at Altoona High School’s Mansion Park.
District 8
Class AAA – Schenley beat District 9 champion Punxsutawney 54-0 in the PIAA play-in game before losing to District 10 champion Erie Cathedral Prep 44-12 in the first round.
District 9
Class A – Clarion will face District 10 champion Farrell at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4, at Slippery Rock University.
Class AA – Karns City lost to District 5 champion Bedford 28-26 in triple overtime in the first round.
Class AAA – Punxsutawney lost to District 8 champion Schenley 54-0 in the play-in game.
District 10
Class A – Farrell will face District 9 champion Clarion at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4, at Slippery Rock University
Class AA – Wilmington will face District 6 champion Forest Hills at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4, at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Class AAA – Erie Cathedral Prep beat District 8 champion Schenley 44-12 in the first round and will face District 7 champion West Allegheny at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4, at North Allegheny High School.
