CLARION, Pa. — Derek Buganza and the
Brockway Rovers can add a District 9 Class AA title to go along with all the crazy offensive numbers they have put up the last three years.
Buganza, the all-time leading passer in Pennsylvania history, orchestrated three touchdown drives in a span of 1:36 late in the first half to turn a 14-0 lead into a 50-0 blowout win over Brookville at Clarion University’s Memorial Stadium.
“It feels great,” Brockway head coach Frank Varischetti said. “We were a little worried coming into the game. Brookville had a good offense and a decent defense. I was happy with the way we won the turnover battle. I thought that was huge.”
Brockway (11-0) scored twice in the first quarter to take a 14-0 lead, but Brookville looked poised to get back in the game late in the first half when it drove to the Rovers 10-yard line. But the Brockway defense turned the ball over on downs at its own 9 yard line, and a play later Buganza hit
Kyle Braun on a screen pass that ended up going 91 yards for a touchdown.
Then, on Brookville’s next offensive play,
Joe Caruso intercepted a Steven Kennedy pass, and that immediately led to a 30-yard touchdown pass from Buganza to
Jake Shaffer making it 29-0.
Brookville proceeded to fumble the ensuing kickoff, and Brockway turned the game into an official rout when
Chris Marshall scored on a 10-yard run making it 36-0 at halftime and ensuring a running clock thanks to Pennsylvania’s Mercy Rule (35-point lead or greater in the second half).
Buganza had a fabulous game going 14 of 16 passing for 302 yards and five touchdowns to five different receivers. In the process, he became the first quarterback in Pennsylvania history to go over 9,000 career passing yards (9,254), and he also has 91 touchdown passes in his career.
Brockway faces Oliver (4-6) Friday in the opening round of the PIAA Class AA playoffs at 7 p.m. back at Clarion’s Memorial Stadium.
Click here to view MaxPreps' Pennsylvania football playoff brackets.
KOYACK BREAKS D-10 RECEIVING RECORD
Oil City tight end
Ben Koyack had six catches in a 56-6 loss to Erie Cathedral Prep in the District 10 playoffs giving him 152 in his career, setting the District 10 record. Koyack, who is going to Notre Dame, finished with more than 1,000 yards receiving this season and more than 2,500 yards in his career.
WPIAL CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEWS
The WPIAL championship games are set for Saturday at Pittsburgh’s Heinz Field starting with the Class A title game at 9:30 a.m. Here’s a quick look at each game
Class A
Clairton (12-0) vs. Rochester (12-0)
About Clairton: The two-time defending WPIAL champions who also won the PIAA title last season are on a 27-game win streak. They have outscored their opponents 598-26 on the season including 115-7 in three WPIAL playoff games. Quarterback
Desimon Green, a Pitt defensive recruit, makes the Bears offense go and had three touchdown runs in a 26-7 semifinal win over Springdale last week and has five touchdown runs and three touchdown passes in three playoff games this season.
About Rochester: The Rams have lost to Clairton in each of the last four WPIAL playoffs including 14-13 in last season’s title game. Rochester is a balanced team on offense and that has shown in the playoffs with three different leaders in three wins. In the first round, quarterback Jason Adamson was 6 of 6 passing for 160 yards and three touchdowns. Then, in the quarterfinals Nick Tapia ran for 118 yards and three scores before Devon Glass carried the load in a 20-7 win over Avonworth with 154 yards rushing and a touchdown.
Prediction: Clairton 25, Rochester 14
Class AA
South Fayette (McDonald) (12-0) vs. Aliquippa (12-0)
About South Fayette: The Lions have one of the top quarterbacks in the WPIAL in senior
Christian Brumbaugh. Brumbaugh ranks third in the state with 2,722 yards while throwing 37 touchdowns. South Fayette has experience winning lately in other sports and was the PIAA Class AA basketball champion last year.
About Aliquippa: The Quips, who are looking for their second WPIAL title in the last three years, have a defense that will test South Fayette’s offense. Aliquippa has allowed just 93 points all year, including seven in the playoffs, and no team has scored more than 14 on the Quips all season. On offense, Aliquippa also has a pretty good quarterback in
Mikal Hall, who has passed for nearly 1,400 yards on the season while throwing 19 touchdown passes.
Prediction: South Fayette 24, Aliquippa 18
Class AAA
Central Valley (Monaca) (9-3) vs. Montour (12-0)
About Central Valley: The Warriors are the Cinderella story of the WPIAL this year and have made the title game in the first year of having a football team (Central Valley is a combination of Monaca and Center – both of which played football until last year). Central Valley is also the 14th seed in the bracket. But don’t look at them as a fluke, as they crushed perennial power Thomas Jefferson 42-24 last week in the semifinals. Central Valley lost to Montour 12-7 earlier in the season.
About Montour: The Spartans are a well-balanced team that has outscored teams an average of 34.2 points to 15.3 points per game. They are led by a superb running back in
Julian Durden (1,870 yards, 24 touchdowns) and a good quarterback in
Dillon Buechel (2,085 yards, 24 touchdowns, four interceptions).
Prediction: Central Valley 21, Montour 20
Class AAAA
North Allegheny (Wexford) (11-1) vs. Woodland Hills (Pittsburgh) (9-3)
* One of MaxPreps' Top 10 Games of the Week
About North Allegheny: Head coach Art Walker has his Tigers in the title game thanks to a strong running game led by senior
Alex Papson, who has 2,360 yards and 31 touchdowns on the season while averaging 8.14 yards per carry. North Allegheny started the season with eight straight wins before dropping a 21-16 decision to North Hills in Week Nine but has rebounded with three tough playoff wins including a 17-7 victory over top seed Pittsburgh Central Catholic last week.
Woodland Hills: The defending champion Wolverines started 1-3 but have won eight straight and earned the top seed in the playoffs.
Lafayette Pitts leads the offense with 1,029 yards rushing and 359 yards passing.
Prediction: Woodland Hill 20, North Allegheny 19
