Bishop McDevitt fired its very best shot at Aliquippa in a highly entertaining and tense PIAA Class 4A final Thursday night at Hersheypark Stadium. But in the second half the Quips made every big play when it was needed and held off the Crusaders 34-27 to claim the state title.
KEYS TO VICTORY
The bombshells each team dropped to start this contest, which included four total touchdowns in the opening seven minutes, leveled off and the Quips and Crusaders went into halftime deadlock at 20-20. Each defense had found its footing in the game by the third quarter, and the second half opened with an exchange of punts. Then Aliquippa put together a drive that completely changed the dynamic of this game. The Quips traveled 80 yards in 17 plays, chewing up nearly nine minutes of clock, and scored on the first play of the fourth quarter to take a 27-20 lead it would never relinquish.
During the first half, McDevitt’s defense was losing the battle on first down as the Quips averaged 12 yards per carry. In the second half, the Crusaders’ D couldn’t get off the field when it had Aliquippa in a trick down-and-distance. The Quips executed and made plays when it mattered. On that critical 17-play march the Quips converted third-and-9, fourth-and-8 and scored on fourth-and-1. The next time Aliquippa had the ball it converted third-and-11 with a 40-yard pass and scored on an 8-yard touchdown run the very next snap to go up 34-20.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Hard to believe Tiqwai Hayes is only a freshman, but the Quips star RB had a monster game with 32 carries for 139 yards and three touchdowns. … McDevitt freshman QB Stone Saunders threw for 237 yards and three touchdowns, completed 50% of his 26 attempts and threw a pick-6 in the first quarter during the early four-touchdown flurry. … Quips QB Quentin Goode, a sophomore, was the difference in this game. He completed 9 of 12 passes for 127 yards. It wasn’t his volume but rather the timing of his completions that was the difference maker. … McDevitt rushed for only 50 yards on 18 carries, but that’s not a surprise against the Quips defense. … McDevitt took a 13-0 lead before the game was three minutes old. Aliquippa answered back with a long-range 42-yard Hayes TD run followed by a Cameron Lindsey pick-6 less than a minute later to make it 14-13 Quips with nearly five minutes still remaining in the first quarter. … McDevitt WR Mario Easterly had four catches for 128 yards and a touchdown. … Crusaders LB Ryan Russo had a game-high 16 tackes. … McDevitt DL Riley Robell had 12 tackles, including three tackles for a loss. … Aliquippa was 8-for-11 converting on third and fourth downs. … Aliquippa ran 35 plays in the second half, compared to only 15 for McDevitt. … Aliquippa had a massive offensive line with three of its guys measuring 6-foot-4, 325; 6-4, 345 and 6-7, 365.
WHAT WE SAW
Bishop McDevitt played a pretty solid football game overall and was simply beat by the better team on this night. There were some little things that you could point to that the Crusaders could have done better, but overall the Quips executed better when it counted and made every single big play in the second half. Right after that long Aliquippa drive of 17 plays, 80 yards and nearly nine minutes, the Crusaders quickly went three-and-out on the next drive and the lack of an answer by the McD offense in that moment sealed the deal. After the Crusaders’ punt, the Quips quickly scored again to open up a two-score lead.
At the end of the day McDevitt’s defense couldn’t get the stops it needed when it had the advantage to stem the tide. Five times in the second half the Crusaders’ D had the Quips in a bad spot, and each time Aliquippa made the play to keep its march to a state title on track. In a game where the margins are slim and the gap between the two teams was minimal, the Crusaders defense couldn’t make that big stop in a good spot to give its offense a chance.
THEY SAID IT
“We’re a young team, and coming in here the nerves got to us. On top of that they are a good football team. We played our hearts out, but they were the better team today. That (drive) by them really took a lot out of us. We’re giving everything we have out there on the field and they’re driving like that … yeah, it’s draining.” — Bishop McDevitt DL Riley Robell
“We couldn’t get a running game going against them because they are so big. We did better in the second, made some adjustments, spread them out and ran traps. We didn’t have a whole lot of time to do it the second half. When we got the ball back after their big drive, we have the guy open on the play, they get the pressure on the QB, we get intentional grounding and that killed us.” — Bishop McDevitt head coach Jeff Weachter
6-1 Bishop Guilfoyle vs. 9-1 Redbank Valley, at Hersheypark Stadium, 1
Andy Shay: Redbank Valley 27, Bishop Guilfoyle 23: For the second week in a row, my football mind tells me BG is the team better equipped to win the small-school title. I can’t help rooting for the lads from D9, though, because they’ve climbed some major hurdles to get here and possess some elements that could get the Marauders on tilt.
Geoff Morrow: Redbank Valley 23, Bishop Guilfoyle 21: While the Marauders from Altoona have won three state titles since 2014, not a single team from the far reaches of District 9 has ever won a PIAA championship. In fact, I think Smethport in 1992 is the only D9 squad to make it this far, falling to former District 3 small-school powerhouse Scotland in the Class A final. But why not the Bulldogs? Why not now? This collection of multi-sport athletes obviously believe in each other and keep finding ways to win. If RV wins, expect a party unlike any other in Clarion and Armstrong county history.
Andy Sandrik: Bishop Guilfoyle 30, Redbank Valley 24: Why do I feel like there’s more pressure on the underdog Bulldogs, the team that can make District 9 history, than on the Marauders, who seem to be in state contention nearly every fall?
Adam Kulikowski: Bishop Guilfoyle 28, Redbank Valley 27: On the biggest stage, the team that is most battle-tested hails from Altoona. Experience matters, and this is a crew that should be more prepared to navigate the emotions of playing for a state title.
PIAA Class 4A Championship
3-1 Bishop McDevitt vs. 7-1 Aliquippa, at Hersheypark Stadium, 7
Andy Shay: Bishop McDevitt 28, Aliquippa 21: Couple of young and talented quarterbacks with plenty of offensive weapons around them to help out. At the end of the day, I think the defenses for each team end up having a major say in the outcome of this one.
Geoff Morrow: Bishop McDevitt 21, Aliquippa 20: There will be MANY interesting matchups, but the RB vs. LB battles will really go a long way to deciding this outcome. How about Quips RB Tiqwai Hayes vs. McD LB Ryan Russo, or Crusaders RB Marquese Williams vs. LB Cameron Lindsey? McDevitt really, really wants to add to its lone 1995 title, while Aliquippa seeks its fourth (1991, 2003, 2018). No shortage of talent, so who makes the fewest mistakes?
Andy Sandrik: Bishop McDevitt 31, Aliquippa 21: I think Aliquippa has as good of a chance as anyone against McDevitt, but then I look up and down this Crusaders roster and realize how many different ways Jeff Weachter’s boys can beat you. McDevitt wins its first state title since 1995.
Adam Kulikowski: Bishop McDevitt 35, Aliquippa 33: To me, the Crusaders’ offensive line holds the keys to this battle. Can it keep a strong Quips d-line in check and open holes for Marquese Williams and Cyncir Bowers? And, perhaps most importantly, can this line provide the time Stone Saunders needs to feel comfortable in the pocket and settle into a rhythm?
Friday’s Games
PIAA Class 2A Championship
4-1 Southern Columbia vs. 7-1 Serra Catholic, at Hersheypark Stadium, 1
Andy Shay: Southern Columbia 42, Serra Catholic 19: Is this the “one for the thumb” for the Tigers? A victory by SC would make it an even dozen state titles and five in a row. I like where the Eagles are heading into this matchup, but the Tigers have shown too much might at this level for too long to think they are NOT going to win.
Geoff Morrow: Southern Columbia 45, Serra Catholic 20: The Tigers own 11 PIAA titles, including four straight. Among those championship tilts, the two closest scores aren’t close at all: 31-6 over Rochester in 2002, and 42-14 over Wilmington last year. The Eagles out of McKeesport pulled an impressive upset of Farrell last week, but they’ve never claimed PIAA gold before, and to do so on Friday would be an even bigger stunner.
Andy Sandrik: Southern Columbia 38, Serra Catholic 21: Imagine making it all the way to the state title game and then being picked to get blown out by all of the experts. Nothing personal, Serra Catholic; there is just an ambush of dangerous Tigers waiting on the other side of the field on Friday afternoon.
Adam Kulikowski: Southern Columbia 41, Serra Catholic 28: It feels like each year we’re talking about who the Tigers are going to knock off in the state finals. This year is no different. Quite the achievement to win five straight titles — and this crew should do just that.
PIAA Class 5A Championship
12-1 Imhotep Charter vs. 7-1 Penn-Trafford, at Hersheypark Stadium, 7
Andy Shay: Imhotep Charter 21, Penn-Trafford 7: I think this will be a defensive tussle into the second half. If that’s the way this unfolds, the ridiculous numbers this Panthers defense has rolled up 2021 will win out in the end. I mean, one team has scored twice on Imhotep, and it threw up a shutout in the state semifinal. Call me Mr. Defense this year.
Geoff Morrow: Imhotep Charter 28, Penn-Trafford 7: Do you realize the Panthers out of Philadelphia haven’t allowed more than 13 points in a game all season? They’ve allowed a total of 24 points since October, including a 36-0 shutout of Strath Haven last weekend. Remember the name Rahmir Stewart. The Warriors of Penn-Trafford are obviously an impressive unit, but I can’t get past what the Imhotep defense has done. I’m expecting the Panthers to add another trophy next to their 2015 version.
Andy Sandrik: Imhotep Charter 21, Penn-Trafford 14: I want to contribute something other than “dEfEnSe WiNs ChAmPiOnShIpS,” so I’m going to point out that Imhotep’s only loss came to La Salle College, a team that also beat Bishop McDevitt, another PIAA finalist. Interestingly enough, the Explorers didn’t make it out of the first round.
Adam Kulikowski: Imhotep Charter 24, Penn-Tafford 14: Imhotep’s top two backs average more than 10 yards per carry. How Penn-Tafford combats that explosive duo will dictate how long it remains within striking distance of the Panthers.
Saturday’s Games
PIAA Class 3A Championship
3-1 Wyomissing vs. 7-1 Central Valley, at Hersheypark Stadium, noon
Andy Shay: Wyomissing 24, Central Valley 21: Let’s go beyond the obvious for a second when it comes to this pick. CV has ripped almost every defense it has faced this season, averaging close to 50 points per game. I like the Wyo defense, and it’s better than it was a year ago. Here’s my hidden key: The Wyo offense is more powerful than you think, and it hogs the ball. Will CV get enough chances to wreck this game? Big plays must be avoided by the Spartans’ defense for this to happen. Friendly reminder: Wyomissing beat Southern Columbia 41-21!
Geoff Morrow: Central Valley 27, Wyomissing 21: The only game to feature a pair of unbeaten teams, this is the clichéd heavyweight fight, a rematch of last year’s championship slugfest, won 35-21 by the Warriors. This one gets the hype, deservedly so, with star power galore on both sidelines and on both sides of the ball. If revenge is a deciding factor, tilt it toward the Spartans of Berks County. If history is a deciding factor, CV finds a way. A splendid show no matter what.
Andy Sandrik: Wyomissing 28, Central Valley 21: The more I try to search out a weakness for CV, the more I’m convinced the Warriors have no weaknesses. Still, I trust that the revenge-minded Spartans will find a way after getting beat in the final by CV last year.
Adam Kulikowski: Wyomissing 32, Central Valley 31: Round 2! These two clubs battle for the state title for the second year in a row. This time the Spartans flip the script to bring a state title home.
PIAA Class 6A Championship
12-1 St. Joseph’s Prep vs. 7-1 Mt. Lebanon, at Hersheypark Stadium, 6
Andy Shay: St. Joseph’s Prep 38, Mt. Lebanon 27: I’m on the list of those who thought for some unknown reason that SJP was going to get all it could handle from Garnet Valley last week and picked the Hawks to lose. Yeah, I didn’t swallow the whole bottle of stupid pills, though. I am worried about the Mt. Lebo defense in this matchup.
Geoff Morrow: St. Joseph’s Prep 42, Mt. Lebanon 29: I guess I’m among the suckers who, for whatever dumb reason, thought the Hawks — the same program that’s decisively won six PIAA titles since 2013, including the last three big-school championships — would somehow falter vs. District 1 upstart Garnet Valley last weekend. My bad. Now, as much as I admire what the undefeated Blue Devils have done in reaching this game, I’m unable to pick twice in a row against Prep. I’m also a bit curious about Mt. Lebo surrendering 28 points to State College last weekend, an unusually high point for the Little Lions. I feel there’s something there SJP can exploit.
Andy Sandrik: St. Joseph’s Prep 35, Mt. Lebanon 21: Remember that year SJP wasn’t in the state final? Yeah, neither do I. This is the Hawks’ eighth PIAA championship appearance in the last nine years.
Adam Kulikowski: St. Joseph’s Prep 41, Mt. Lebanon 20: Each year until further notice, just pencil St. Joseph’s Prep as my 6A state champion. After winning the last three titles, it just feels like a formality for Prep to be anointed champs.
Marquese Williams, jr., RB, Bishop McDevitt — Williams scored on a 25-yard run late in the first half to cut the Crusaders’ PIAA Class 5A semifinal deficit to 14-13. Williams went on to finish with 22 carries and 108 yards, leading all rushers in both carries, as the Crusaders went on to beat Bishop Shanahan 28-21 to book a trip to Hersheypark Stadium.
Nate Kinsey, sr., TE/LB, Bishop McDevitt — The Crusaders needed another impressive defensive performance Friday night and got it. While holding Bishop Shanahan to 210 total yards, Kinsey came up with the eventual game-winning play, snaring a Cooper Jordan pass and returning it 25 yards for a touchdown midway through the third quarter for a 28-14 lead.
Ryan Russo, sr., TE/LB, Bishop McDevitt — Another big defensive stop came late in the game with Shanahan trying for one last game-tying attempt. On fourth-and-10, QB Cooper Jordan scrambled right. But Russo was there to trip him up short of the first-down marker to secure a Bishop McDevitt victory. Russo was part of a strong defensive effort that held the Eagles to just 81 rushing yards and 129 passing.
Owen Yerka, so., QB, State College — Few things went the Little Lions’ way in a 49-28 loss to Mount Lebanon in the PIAA Class 6A semifinals, but Yerka did his part to get the offense into the end zone a few times. Yerka threw a pair of touchdowns and an interception, finishing with 210 yards through the air. His first TD was a 44-yarder in the first quarter to Jashaun Green. The two hooked up again in the fourth for a 10-yard TD.
This Bishop McDevitt team won its 15th District 3 championship and earned a ticket to the state final for the first time since 2013 over the last eight quarters of football by scoring four offensive touchdowns.
McDevitt’s back-to-back one-touchdown victories, 7-0 over Lampeter-Strasburg and 28-21 over Bishop Shanahan, were fueled by a defense that is taking center stage as the stakes get higher.
McDevitt’s offense isn’t broken or overtly struggling. The opponents are tougher and quarterback Stone Saunders, for the first time this season, looked like a young man playing his first year of varsity football Friday night. He’s still an extremely talented signal caller. This is his learning curve.
What is working for the Crusaders offensively is a run game powered by Marquise Williams and Cyncir Bowers.
Still, four touchdowns over eight quarters of high-stakes Class 4A football is not necessarily a recipe for success.
Unless you have a defense like the Crusaders.
You could argue I sound like a broken record singing the praises of this McDevitt D, but the proof is in what they’ve done the last eight quarters.
Let’s just start with McDevitt head coach Jeff Weachter throwing the ball exactly three times the second half nursing a one-score lead. Those who know the Crusaders under Weachter know Jeff likes to take his shots, particularly with a quarterback who has a live arm and depth at the wide receiver position.
Like his defense the final 31-plus minutes, Weachter stayed disciplined and ran the ball Friday night in the 28-21 victory over the Eagles even when the down-and-distance screamed for a pass of any kind. He trusted his defense and milked the clock for every second it was worth.
Over this torrid two-game stretch, the Crusaders defense has pitched a shutout, allowed only two touchdowns, scored a touchdown and produced five turnovers, including a pick-6 Friday by DE Nate Kinsey.
And the Eagles had a quarterback in senior Cooper Jordan who is not only ridiculously fast, but has a rock-solid arm. And in the absence of extreme discipline he is a 25-yard play waiting to happen at any moment.
Jordan was on fire early, too. He marched the Eagles down the field twice to open the game to stake Bishop Shanahan to a 14-7 advantage.
“That quarterback can make plays, and we put a spy on him and we had to come together as a defense and do our jobs,” “We had to come together at halftime and make it work, because it wasn’t working the first half at all.”
MCDEVITT DB CHASE REGAN, WHO ALONG WITH JAIRE RAWLINSON, EXCELLED IN MAN COVERAGE DURING CRUNCH TIME.
The Crusaders defense looked uncomfortable and out of sorts most of the first half. And it was because they were playing a 3-4 with zone coverage against the Eagles’ spread offense instead of their normal 4-3 and man coverage.
Once they made the switch back at halftime, McDevitt’s D was flying all around the field making plays at every level.
Just how good were the Crusaders on that side of the ball?
The Eagles’ longest play from scrimmage was a 30-yard pass on the last play of the first quarter. After scoring on its opening two possessions, Bishop Shanahan went nine straight drives without a point. And the second half all the Eagles could muster was 77 yards of total offense, and 45 came on the final drive when McDevitt turned the ball over on downs inside the final minute at its own 27.
That is how you lock down a game and punch a ticket to the state final.
Bishop McDevitt punched its ticket to its first appearance in the state final since 2013 Friday night in Coatesville. Led by a defense that kept Bishop Shanahan’s offense off the scoreboard the final 31 minutes and an efficient run game, McDevitt took out the Eagles 28-21 in one the PIAA Class 4A semifinals. The Crusaders will play WPIAL winner Aliquippa for the state title.
KEYS TO VICTORY It starts with the Crusaders defense that looked uncomfortable most of the first half but came alive after halftime to slam the door on the Eagles offense with authority. McDevitt opened the game with a three-man front and was playing mostly zone coverage against Bishop Shanahan’s spread offense, which is powered by quarterback Cooper Jordan. At halftime the Crusaders returned to their regular four-man front and went man coverage across the board. The Eagles had less than 100 total yards the second half, and the only touchdown for Bishop Shanahan was a 92-yard kickoff return by Jordan. McDevitt came out after halftime with plenty of juice and scored 15 quick points to turn a 14-13 intermission deficit into a 28-14 lead. After Bishop Shanahan went three-and-out to start the third quarter, Mario Easterly returned a punt 40 yards to the Eagles’ 13-yard line. Three snaps later, Cyncir Bowers scored from 3 yards out. The next time Bishop Shanahan had the ball, Crusaders DE Nate Kinsey knocked a Jordan pass in the air, caught it on the way down and scampered 25 yards for a defensive touchdown and the second McDevitt score in two minutes and a 14-point lead.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS Bishop McDevitt had more penalties (12) than pass attempts (9) and more penalty yards (113) than passing yards (90). The Crusaders committed 10 of those infractions in the first half. … The Crusaders running back duo of Marquese Williams and Bowers combined to rush for 159 yards and two touchdowns. Williams earned his game-high 108 yards on 22 carries with a 25-yard touchdown run. The Eagles defense stunted like crazy all game, and the two running backs made tacklers miss consistently all game. … Bishop Shanahan had 77 total yards in the second half on 27 plays. That’s 2.9 yards per play. … Jordan accounted for 169 of the Eagles 210 total yards. … Bishop McDevitt attempted only three passes in the second half and didn’t complete any of them. … Combined the two teams, both with high-powered offenses, punted 11 times.
WHAT WE SAW This was a very entertaining and quality Class 4A state semifinal. Once Bishop McDevitt went up two scores early in the third quarter, Crusaders skipper Jeff Weachter turned the game over to his defense. Freshman quarterback Stone Saunders was struggling, so Weachter leaned on his running backs and trusted his defense could finish the job. And they did. Bishop Shanahan took a 14-7 lead at the 7:32 mark of the second quarter, scoring on each of its first two drives. The offense never put another point on the board.
For all the talk about points and yards on offense heading into this contest, it was the two defenses that shined the brightest in this game over 48 minutes. The two teams combined for 449 total yards of offense and five touchdowns. Neither defense surrendered a point in the fourth quarter, and the Eagles’ defense didn’t allow the McDevitt offense to put a point on the board the final 22 minutes and change. This game was a physical meat grinder with both defenses forcing the offenses to earn everything they got.
THEY SAID IT “We had to get that quarterback under wraps. Once we started playing man we locked them up pretty good. We had to be disciplined.”
— Bishop McDevitt DB Chase Regan
“Once I saw that ball go up, I knew I had to grab it. And I saw the end zone and just took it to the house. Second half the defense came together and we knew we had to win this game. We changed our defense up a little bit at halftime, went from a three-man front to a four-man front and it worked. We played a four-man front all year, and when we switched it up to that it made for a whole different mindset.”
— Bishop McDevitt DE Nate Kinsey
PIAA Class 4A semifinal (at Coatesville Area High School)
Bishop McDevitt 7-6-15-0 — 28
Bishop Shanahan 7-7-7-0 — 21
First quarter
BS-Brandon Choi 13 pass from Cooper Jordan (Zane Domsohm kick), 5:48
MCD-Mario Easterly 16 pass from Stone Saunders (Mchael Chiha kick), 2:08
Second quarter
BS-Jordan 7 run (Domsohm kick), 7:32
McD-Marquese Williams 25 run (kick blocked), 4:05
Third quarter
McD-Cyncir Bowers 4 run (Easterly pass from Saunders), 9:11
RUSHING: Bishop McDevitt, Marquese Williams 22-108, Cyncir Bowers 10-51, Team 3-0, Mario Easterly 1-(minus-3), Stone Saunders 2-(minus-7); Bishop Shanahan, Cooper Jordan 15-44, Colin McGrory 4-15, Nicholas Romano 2-12, Brandon Choi 4-10, Simmi Whitehill 4-9
PASSING: Bishop McDevitt, Stone Saunders 5-9-1–90; Bishop Shanahan, Cooper Jordan 12-23-1–125, Simmi Whitehill 1-1-0–4.
RECEIVING: Bishop McDevitt, Mario Easterly 4-52, Kamil Foster 1-38; Bishop Shanahan, Colin McGrory 4-39, Simmi Whitehill 2-31, Evan Kapczynski 2-22, Nicholas Romano 3-20, Brandon Choi 1-13, Cooper Jordan 1-4.
(3-1) Exeter Township vs. (7-1) Penn-Trafford, at Bald Eagle HS, 7
Andy Shay: Penn-Trafford 24, Exeter Township 21: What do the Eagles do for a second act after executing the biggest upset in Pennsylvania last week? This confident group will believe they can’t be beat. My guess is the Warriors’ defense will have the final say.
Geoff Morrow: Exeter Township 28, Penn-Trafford 24: It’s uncharted territory for both of these programs, and both are riding high after narrowly toppling favored foes a week ago. I can’t imagine Eagles RB Eric Nangle getting 41 carries again, so I think the Berks County outfit’s path to victory is led by PSU WR recruit Joey Schlaffer. The Warriors, though, will be ready.
Andy Sandrik: Exeter Township 33, Penn-Trafford 28: Exciting time to be an Eagle or Warrior. Both squads are first-time district champions, and one will be in the state finals for the first time. Expecting a banger from beginning to end.
Adam Kulikowski: Exeter Township 28, Penn-Trafford 24: Perhaps the only folks who gave Township a shot to beat Governor Mifflin were inside the Eagles’ locker room, yet here they are fighting another week. Kudos to those gents, but the business is not done, and this is a winnable game.
(12-1) Imhotep Charter vs. (1-1) Strath Haven, at Ridley HS, 7
Andy Shay: Imhotep Charter 28, Strath Haven 14: I know it wasn’t the best Cathedral Prep team compared to recent years, but for Imhotep to drill that Ramblers club by 35 and surrender only a touchdown last week is a clear tell.
Geoff Morrow: Imhotep Charter 34, Strath Haven 14: The number that stands out to me is the 6+ ppg allowed by the Philly school’s defense. Just 65 points allowed all season against some high-quality opponents, including Pittsburgh Central Catholic, DeMatha (Md.), La Salle College and, of course, Erie’s Cathedral Prep last weekend. The District 1 champs need to dip back into the magic hat like they did last week.
Andy Sandrik: Imhotep Charter 32, Strath Haven 17: Finding a way to slow down Imhotep RB Tre McLeod — who rolled up 278 yards and three TDs on just 13 carries last week — is a must if the Panthers hope to stay in this game.
Adam Kulikowski: Imhotep Charter 31, Strath Haven 13: Imhotep hasn’t given up more than 13 points all season. That doesn’t change this week.
PIAA Class 4A Semifinals
(1-1) Bishop Shanahan vs. (3-1) Bishop McDevitt, at Coatesville HS, 7
Andy Shay: Bishop McDevitt 20, Bishop Shanahan 7: This could be a battle of quarterbacks, and dual threat Cooper Jordan for the Eagles presents a lot of the same challenges the Crusaders’ defense faced last week. He is the engine that drives the engine for Bishop Shanahan. No wind, please.
Geoff Morrow: Bishop McDevitt 35, Bishop Shanahan 14: Obviously when you get this far into the season, any surviving team is worthy of its semifinal status. But one thing that worries me about the Eagles is, even in the impressive victory last week vs. Valley View, they surrendered a handful of big plays. That’s bad news vs. notorious “Big Play” McD.
Andy Sandrik: Bishop McDevitt 21, Bishop Shanahan 0: It takes a certain level of toughness to pitch a shutout in the freezing cold of the state quarterfinals, like McDevitt did in a 7-0 win over Lampeter-Strasburg last week. I think the Crusaders will do it again this week.
Adam Kulikowski: Bishop McDevitt 24, Bishop Shanahan 14: The Crusaders will be the first to admit that they didn’t play their best game last week against Lampeter-Strasburg. Still, for the 11th time in school history, they will take the field in a state semifinal. Barring 20 mph wind gusts, Jeff Weachter’s crew should play for a title in Chocolate Town.
(4-1) Jersey Shore vs. (7-1) Aliquippa, at Central Cambria HS, 7
Andy Shay: Jersey Shore 27, Aliquippa 25: Why do I keep waiting for Jersey Shore to stumble and not meet expectations? I like where the Bulldogs are, and they are playing with a certain freedom that is hard to harness if you’re the Quips.
Geoff Morrow: Jersey Shore 26, Aliquippa 19: The 18-time WPIAL champion Quips — a Class 1A-sized school, mind you — are young and playing some outstanding football right now. The unbeaten Bulldogs, meanwhile, are eying a return trip to the title game. Difference for me is the Jersey Shore defense, which last week minimized what had previously been a devastating Meadville rushing attack and hasn’t allowed a second-half point all postseason.
Andy Sandrik: Jersey Shore 24, Aliquippa 21: I’ll respect any QB that can run for 1,000 yards in a season, and Jersey Shore’s Brady Jordan reached that milestone last week. He could very well eclipse 2,000 passing yards this week, too.
Adam Kulikowski: Aliquippa 24, Jersey Shore 21: The mighty men from Aliquippa sport a pair of offensive linemen — Tyrese Jones (6-7, 365) and Naquan Crowder (6-4, 345) — who have opened plenty of holes for their freshman lead back. Countering that brute force will be tough, even for a Jersey Shore defense that has played well against the run.
PIAA Class 3A Semifinals
(6-1) Central at (7-1) Central Valley, 7
Andy Shay: Central Valley 42, Central 14: A couple of unbeatens, but CV has so much firepower to deal with in addition to leading rusher Landon Alexander and his nearly 2,000 yards.
Geoff Morrow: Central Valley 37, Central 13: Considering Dragons QB Jeff Hoenstine has tossed a state-record 56 TD passes this year, predicting just two scores might seem like a stunner. However, the defending champ Warriors — now on a 25-game winning streak — aren’t your typical playoff squad. CV is deep, skilled, smart and precise. Oh, and it gets to play at home, too.
Andy Sandrik: Central Valley 38, Central 21: Just watched a few Landon Alexander highlights. I’m a believer. Can he continue this tear against Central? I say yes.
Adam Kulikowski: Central Valley 35, Central 20: Central QB Jeff Hoenstine set a state record for passing with 56 touchdowns this season, part of an outstanding stat line that also includes 3,355 passing yards. CV’s Landon Alexander etched his own name in the record books this year with a new school career rushing record. All this to say that while both teams have front-line stars, the edge I’m riding is the stronger supporting cast CV possesses.
(12-1) Neumann-Goretti vs. (3-1) Wyomissing, at Pennridge HS, 7
Andy Shay: Wyomissing 28, Neumann-Goretti 14: What has become clear about the Spartans is they can play any brand of football you want when it comes to their defense. And they know exactly who they are offensively, and it works. Reminder: Wyomissing beat Southern Columbia this season.
Geoff Morrow: Wyomissing 21, Neumann-Goretti 14: While I still think the Spartans are deserved favorites, two things concern me: 1. The Saints’ strength is in the trenches, and they stop the run. Wyo loves to run, obviously, but might actually need to throw a few passes this week. 2. This is a weird one, but this is the Spartans’ first Friday night game since Oct. 15. That’s a long time without playing under the lights.
Andy Sandrik: Wyomissing 24, Neumann-Goretti 21: I’m personally separated from Wyomissing by about 80 miles, but thanks to the magic of social media, I’ve been able to follow the Spartans more closely in recent years. I really think their championship caliber defense — which has allowed an opponent to break the 20-point barrier just once this season — could take them all the way.
Adam Kulikowski: Wyomissing 30, Neumann-Goretti 24: I’m siding with the gents from Wyo and that stellar defense they put on the field each week. Can anyone break a game open against that crew? I have serious doubts.
PIAA Class 2A Semifinals
(10-1) Farrell vs. (7-1) Serra Catholic, at Slippery Rock U., 7
Andy Shay: Serra Catholic 33, Farrell 29: The most impactful player belongs to Farrell, but I like the depth of the Eagles’ weapons and think that has a major impact on this game in the end. Key matchup for me is the Serra Catholic offense vs. Farrell defense. How that plays out will make the ultimate difference.
Geoff Morrow: Farrell 42, Serra Catholic 22: While the Eagles scratched off a surefire winning ticket last week by turning Beaver Falls over NINE times, it still feels like a mighty uphill battle to me against the District 10 powerhouse. The big boy Steelers from Pittsburgh nearly gave up as many points last week vs. Cincinnati as the high school Steelers have allowed all dang season.
Andy Sandrik: Farrell 35, Serra Catholic 30: It’s hard to pick against Farrell and its sizable RB, Anthony Stallworth, a Division I recruit who is two wins away from a third straight state championship.
Adam Kulikowski: — Serra Catholic 35, Farrell 33: Serra sports a pair of 6-foot wideouts in Jayvon Holt and Terrell Booth–each of whom has more than 35 receptions and 600 yards. Pair them with a 1000-yard rusher and a gunslinger QB and you have an offense that could give Farrell fits.
(11-1) Northern Lehigh vs. (4-1) Southern Columbia, at Lehighton HS, 7
Andy Shay: Southern Columbia 34, Northern Lehigh 14: Yeah, the Tigers don’t have the ridiculous depth in terms of weapons they’ve enjoyed in recent years. Just not sure Northern Lehigh has enough in the tank to upend this powerhouse. Pedigree and history matter.
Geoff Morrow: Southern Columbia 55, Northern Lehigh 20: Since getting thumped by Wyomissing two months ago, the Tigers have been outright petulant, not exactly playing nice with others. In short, they’ve smoked everybody since. The Bulldogs have been tough and scoring in bunches, but I’m having a hard time imagining the defense making enough stops to keep up.
Andy Sandrik: Southern Columbia 35, Northern Lehigh 21: When I was a football-crazy kid — and eventually a player — the legendary program in the state was Central Bucks West. I think the Tigers have more than earned the right to carry that same level of mystique.
Adam Kulikowski: Southern Columbia 45, Northern Lehigh 24: Gavin and Garrett Garcia are absolute studs for the Tigers. Older bro Gavin needs just 129 stripes to move into third place all-time in career rushing yards in Tigers history — he currently has 2,147 yards this season and 6,947 career yards. Garrett, a sophomore, already has his name etched in the record book with a school-best 183 tackles this year. Yep, they are pretty good.
PIAA Class 1A Semifinals
(7-1) Bishop Canevin vs. (9-1) Redbank Valley, at North Hills HS, 7
Andy Shay: Redbank Valley 23, Bishop Canevin 21: I’m taking the Bulldogs’ talent at quarterback and depth at receiver in this one. Not usually a favorable matchup for a District 9 team playing the WPIAL champion. Is this the upset pick?
Geoff Morrow: Bishop Canevin 30, Redbank Valley 25: Could be one of the more entertaining games this weekend. I’ll take the Crusaders, who’ve been wrecking foes and last weekend mercy-ruled their way to school’s first WPIAL title since 1990. The Bulldogs, impressively, are the first District 9 school since 2013 to reach the state semifinals. Unrelated side note: My college roommate became a math teacher at Redbank Valley after graduating IUP, and I haven’t heard from him since.
Andy Sandrik: Bishop Canevin 18, Redbank Valley 14: Coin flip all the way for me. Going with the Crusaders just out of respect for the WPIAL.
Adam Kulikowski: Redbank Valley 21, Bishop Canevin 14: With two teams that should be evenly matched, give me the QB who has a 60% completion percentage, nearly 2,000 passing yards and 28 TDs. That’s Redbank Valley’s Bryson Bain.
(6-1) Bishop Guilfoyle vs. (4-1) Canton, at Altoona HS, 7
Andy Shay: Canton 21, Bishop Guilfoyle 14: Everything tells me BG is the team better equipped for this game. But give me the Warriors and their magic carpet ride through the postseason. Canton has been in back-to-back highwire games and came out on top.
Geoff Morrow: Canton 27, Bishop Guilfoyle 21: Like Steel-High a year ago, the Warriors feel like a team of destiny. That’s, of course, partially because they held off the Rollers two weeks ago before going OT to knock off Old Forge last week. The Marauders are always tough, though, and rebounded quite nicely after a 1-2 start to the season.
Andy Sandrik: Canton 28, Bishop Guilfoyle 14: Why not Canton? The unbeaten Warriors are coming off a down-to-the-wire win in OT over Old Forge and are two weeks removed from dispatching defending state champ Steel-High.
Adam Kulikowski: Canton 34, Bishop Guilfoyle 21: Yes, it is a bit cliché, but defense really does win championships — and the Warriors have all the tools on D to slow any offense.
Saturday’s Games
PIAA Class 6A Semifinals
(6-1) State College vs. (7-1) Mt. Lebanon, at Altoona HS, 1
Andy Shay: Mt. Lebanon 31, State College 10: Physically, I think the Little Lions will be just fine in this tilt. Their limitations on offense will show up, though, and Mt. Lebanon is a very explosive and balanced offense that can really stretch a defense and get it out of its comfort zone.
Geoff Morrow: Mt. Lebanon 35, State College 17: As much as it pains me to pick a team nicknamed the Blue Devils now that we’re officially into basketball season, I can’t deny the workmanlike, championship-caliber feel of this WPIAL outfit. Meanwhile, State High’s Matt Lintal is the Coach of the Year, right? This was NOT an impressive Little Lions team that lost four of five games heading into Week 10. Yet here it is, knocking on the door of a state championship. I feel like SC is more comfortable as the underdog, too.
Andy Sandrik: Mt. Lebanon 28, State College 14: You know how I know the Mid-Penn Commonwealth Division is one of the best in the state? The sixth-place team from the division, State College, is playing for a berth in the state championship. That’s how I know.
Adam Kulikowski: Mt. Lebanon 37, State College 21: For almost three quarters last week, it looked like we would be writing about Harrisburg’s chances in this semifinal matchup against Mt. Lebanon. Then the big men up front took over for the Little Lions. Dominant fourth-quarter performance by those dudes. It will take another such effort to keep practicing another week.
(1-1) Garnet Valley vs. (12-1) St. Joseph’s Prep, at Ridley HS, 7
Andy Shay: Garnet Valley 30, St. Joseph’s Prep 27: I’m looking for lots of fireworks and plenty of points. SJP has flourished in these high-level state playoff games, and it is due to lose one of them every now and again. I think GV has the ingredients to make it happen.
Geoff Morrow: Garnet Valley 44, St. Joseph’s Prep 33: This is and isn’t unfamiliar territory for the Hawks. On one hand, the Philly school is seemingly always in this game — and it’s comfortable winning, reaching the state finals in seven of the last eight seasons. On the other, Prep carries a rare underdog label (barely). The Jaguars have been monsters this year in every facet. Nobody’s played them within two TDs yet. That probably changes Saturday night, but I still expect the District 1 champs to punch a ticket to Hershey.
Andy Sandrik: St. Joseph’s Prep 33, Garnet Valley 28: There aren’t many rosters equipped to handle the luxury of one-way players, but SJP is deep and will be fresh when this close game reaches crunch time.
Adam Kulikowski: St. Joseph’s Prep 28, Garnet Valley 27: OK, so the over/under on future NFL players on this team might not be as high as in recent years. But that hardly means there aren’t enough dynamic weapons for Prep to play for the right to hoist another one of those giant chocolate bars next week.
Pennsylvania high school football Week 14 rankings (Nov. 30)
Class 6A — Record — Previous
1. Mount Lebanon (7) — 13-0 — 1
2. Garnet Valley (1) — 14-0 — 4
3. St. Joseph’s Prep (12) — 10-2 — 3
4. Bethlehem Freedom (11) — 11-2 — 6
5. State College (6) — 8-5 — NR
6. Harrisburg (3) — 12-2 — 2
7. Coatesville (1) — 12-2 — 5
8. Quakertown (1) — 12-1 — 8
9. McDowell (10) — 9-3 — 7
10. Wilson-West Lawn (3) — 9-4 — 9
Honorable mention: Central York (3) 10-1, La Salle College HS (12) 9-2, Northampton (11) 12-1, North Penn (1) 11-1, Pittsburgh C.C. (7) 9-3, Ridley (1) 11-2.
Class 5A — Record — Previous
1. Imhotep Charter (12) — 10-1 — 2
2. Penn-Trafford (7) — 11-1 — 6
3. Exeter Township (3) — 10-3 — 8
4. Strath Haven (1) — 13-1 — 7
5. Governor Mifflin (3) — 10-1 — 1
6. Moon (7) — 12-1 — 3
7. West Chester Rustin (1) — 11-2 — 5
8. Cathedral Prep (10) — 11-2 — 4
9. Cedar Cliff (3) — 10-3 — 9
10. Plymouth-Whitemarsh (1)– 10-2 — 10
Honorable mention: Academy Park (1) 9-3, Manheim Central (3) 9-2, Shippensburg (3) 11-1, Spring Grove (3) 10-2, Unionville (1) 10-2.
Riley Robell, jr., DT, Bishop McDevitt — In conditions that gave all the advantages to defense, Robell stood the tallest. The big man in the middle of the Crusaders’ impressive defense had a banner day in their 7-0 win over Lampeter-Strasburg for the District 3 Class 4A gold. In ending L-S’s streak of two straight titles, Robell recovered two fumbles — one in the second quarter and another late in the game — had three of McDevitt’s five sacks and tallied two tackles for loss. One of those sacks helped stall the Pioneers’ final drive in the closing minutes.
Marquese Williams, jr., RB, Bishop McDevitt — Someone had to score to win this game, and that someone was Williams. The ___ burst forth for a 30-yard TD with 1:05 left in the first half to give the Crusaders a 7-0 lead over Lampeter-Strasburg, and that was all that was needed. Williams finished with 21 carries for 124 yards on a night when McD’s vaunted aerial game was grounded due to strong, cold winds.
Kajetan Kaszubowski, jr., K, State College — We are unabashedly ashamed here, at 4th Down Magazine headquarters, of being excited about a kicking nomination. Kaszubowski drilled three field goals in the Little Lions’ 16-13 PIAA Class 6A quarterfinal victory over Harrisburg on Saturday, including the game-winning 34-yarder with 3 seconds left. He nailed a 33-yarder in the third quarter, then tied the game with a 37-yarder with 4:55 left to play. He also had a fourth-quarter PAT.
Brady Bendik, sr., RB, State College — Bendik was one of the few offensive bright spots on a tough day for anyone on offense. He ran for 132 yards and a fourth-quarter 4-yard run that sparked the Little Lions’ comeback win over Harrisburg. He finished with 34 carries, easily the most in the game, and caught two passes for 24 yards. His TD came with 8:58 left to play and drew SC to within 13-10.
Justin Cook, sr., WR/DB, Harrisburg — A nomination for a season of dominance, Cook picked off his 11th pass of the season, tying a Harrisburg program record for the most in a season. It was one of three interceptions of State College passes in the Cougars’ loss and came with the ‘Burg up 13-3 midway through the third quarter. He also had a 4-yard reception and had two carries for 0 yards.
Once State College fell behind Harrisburg by 10 points late in the third quarter the path to victory for the Little Lions was a murky proposition at best. Turns out the five-loss Little Lions were just getting started against the one-loss Cougars. State College scored 13 fourth-quarter points, dominated the line of scrimmage all day and left wind-swept Severance Field Saturday afternoon with a well deserved 16-13 PIAA Class 6A quarterfinal victory.
KEYS TO VICTORY
It starts with the line of scrimmage, and on both sides of the ball State College was dominant. The Little Lions limited Harrisburg to nine yards rushing on 24 carries and offensively pounded out 218 yards on a staggering 52 carries. State College ran twice as many plays (68-34) and leaned on the Cougars all game by dominating time of possession by nearly nine full minutes.
Junior kicker Kajetan Kaszubowski’s right leg propelled the Little Lions into the state semifinal round opposite WPIAL champion Mt. Lebanon. Kaszubowski was 3-for-3 converting field goals from 33, 34 and 37 yards with enough wind around to impact kicks. His final one, from 34 yards out, came with :03 on the fourth-quarter clock.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
State College senior RB Brady Bendik, a 6-4, 215-pound horse in between the tackles, carried 32 times for 134 yards and had the lone State College touchdown. … In the fourth quarter, when State College scored 13 of its 16 points, the Little Lions piled up 142 yards on 23 snaps. Harrisburg had the ball twice the final 12 minutes, went three-and-out both times and those six plays yielded minus-1 yards. … State College won despite three interceptions by the Cougars. Senior Justin Cook tied the Harrisburg school record for interceptions in a season with his 11th pick in the third quarter. … Harrisburg RB Mahkai Hopkins was limited to 10 yards on 10 carries. … Combined the two teams rolled up 155 penalty yards on 16 accepted flags including five personal fouls. … Harrisburg playmaker Kyle Williams scored the Cougars’ first-half touchdown on a 43-yard stellar catch-and-run. He finished with four catches for 79 yards. … State College had an 18-play, 70-yard drive in the first half that chewed up nearly nine minutes of clock but came away with no points. … State College sophomore quarterback Owen Yerka had 62 of his 70 rushing yards in the fourth quarter on seven carries. The Little Lions found something on the left edge with Yerka down the stretch and it paid huge dividends. … State College was 7-for-13 on third down conversions including 4 of 6 in the second half.
WHAT WE SAW
State College deserved to win the game. They were the better team overall from start to finish. Harrisburg really didn’t do anything to lose this game, but the Cougars found themselves in the position of behind helpless to have a say in the outcome in the fourth quarter. Once State College seized momentum with a Bendik touchdown with 8:58 to play that made it 13-10, it was clear State College was in complete control. The Cougars defense was dog tired from being on the field so long and Harrisburg’s offense was rendered powerless to stem the tide. Once State College started rolling downhill late in the third quarter, each play the rest of the way only added fuel to the Little Lions’ fire. Harrisburg had three possessions after grabbing a 13-3 lead inside the final 2½ minutes of the third quarter. And each time the Cougars went three-and-out and punted. The snowball from State College was rolling downhill on Harrisburg on both sides of the ball.
It was hard to decide which group up front was better for the Little Lions. Either way, the line of scrimmage victory across the board belonged to State College. The Little Lions’ game plan was a meat grinder of ground-and-pound inside the tackles with a little sprinkle of outside shots on a very limited basis. It took extreme patience, even down 10 points, to stick to that plan. State College head coach Matt Lintal never wavered and stayed true to his plan. In the end, when Harrisburg desperately needed a stop of any kind to seal a victory in the fourth quarter, the tank was empty.
THEY SAID IT
“I’m so proud of this team. It was a great win. The defense played their heart out. This team creates our own energy. We had a lot of momentum today. Defense made a ton of big plays and that fueled our offense. It felt great.” — State College RB Brady Bendik “It’s been a mixed bag of guys up front all year with the injuries we’ve had. Since the first Harrisburg game, this group has come together. That loss was the turning point of our season. Those guys were grinding today and getting the job done.” — State College head coach Matt Lintal
State College 0-0-3-13 — 16
Harrisburg 7-0-6-0 — 13
First quarter
HBG-Kyle Williams 43 pass from Shawn Lee (Mahkai Hopkins kick), 9:48
Third quarter
SC-FG Kajetan Kaszubowski 33, 6:13
HBG Hopkins 30 pass from Lee (kick failed), 2:27
Fourth quarter
SC-Brady Bendik 4 run (Nick Kowalski kick), 8:58
SC-FG Kaszubowski 37, 4:55
SC-FG Kaszubowski 34, :03
Team statistics SC HBG
First downs 22 7
Rush-yards 52-218 24-9
Passing 71 113
Comp-Att-Int 6-16-3 6-10-0
Fumbles-lost 0-0 1-1
Punts-Avg. 1-45 6-37.8
Penalties-yards 7-70 9-85
Individual statistics
RUSHING: State College, Brady Bendik 34-132, Owen Yerka 12-70, Jashaun Green 6-16; Harrisburg, Mahkai Hopkins 10-10, Kyle Williams 3-3, Nayquan Prather 1-2, Justin Cook 2-0, Shawn Lee 8-(minus-6).
PASSING: State College, Owen Yerka 5-13-2–68, Finn Furmanek 1-3-1–3; Harrisburg, Shawn Lee 6-10-0–113.
RECEIVING: State College, Kyle Kurzinger 2-28, Brady Bendik 2-24, Stephen Scourtis 1-16, TJ Yoder 1-3; Harrisburg, Kyle Williams 4-79, Mahkai Hopkins 1-30, Justin Cook 1-4.
This was the 15th time tradition-rich Bishop McDevitt has claimed a District 3 championship trophy.
During 30 years covering the Mid-Penn Conference, it’s safe to say I’ve seen more than my fair share of McDevitt teams coached by Jeff Weachter win district titles.
This one stands out as one of the most impressive in my book because the Crusaders had to win with one hand tied behind their back against the two-time defending champions from Lampeter-Strasburg.
The final was 7-0 Crusaders in an extremely competitive and physical game that was contested on a bitterly cold night with a searing 15-20 mile-per-hour wind that took away McDevitt’s competitive advantage.
McDevitt’s 300-plus yard passing offense with Stone Saunders firing the ball around the lot and having his choice of three elite receivers to target was taken off the table.
The Crusaders’ passing game, complemented by a more-than-adequate running game, makes them very difficult to defend most nights. But this Friday was not like most nights. Throwing the ball was impossible.
McDevitt tried in vain against and with the wind to get anything cooking in the passing game. Mother Nature simply threw up a big red stop sign at any pass that traveled more than 5 yards in the air. It was brutal.
The frigid conditions and howling wind actually favored Lampeter-Strasburg. The Pioneers didn’t have to cover those wideouts, their offense is built around the run with just enough out of the passing game to be lethal. In these conditions, L-S was built to have success.
Enter the X-factor on this night — McDevitt’s defense. It has been very quietly rock solid all season but gets lost in the sea of 56-point output after 56-point output by the offense.
And the Crusaders’ D was facing an offense that was built for success on a night tailor made for the Pioneers to pull off the upset. Holding L-S to zero points required a little luck, some bend-but-don’t break in the fourth quarter and a bushel of big plays from several players that made sure the Crusaders get one more week of practice.
McDevitt’s defense surrendered only 187 rushing yards to the Pioneers on 50 carries, forced three red-zone turnovers, had five sacks and added another five tackles for loss to finish with 10 stops behind the line of scrimmage.
As the game wore on the Pioneers found more success on the edges, especially running left, but simply could not stop turning the ball over at the end of impressive drives instead of scoring.
DT Riley Robell was a monster in the middle. He finished with three sacks and two tackles for a loss. Five stops behind the line is massive, but it was the timing of his stops in critical situations that made his work all that more impressive. He also recovered one of the three fumbles.
Linebacker Ryan Russo was all over the field. He made a couple stops on those sneaky good QB read-options the Pioneers run that prevented really big plays. He also came up with a huge sack in the fourth quarter.
Robell had the most impact on the game. Russo was the best player on the field over the course of four quarters for the Crusaders.
DE Jamani George-Heron not only recovered a fumble, he came up big in the second half holding the edge to keep those chunk plays outside of him from happening in crunch time. He was getting folded inside the first half on a regular basis. He was not off the mark very often the final 24 minutes when the Pioneers went back to the well.
After McDevitt took that 7-0 lead on Marquese Williams’ nifty and ad-libbed 30-yard touchdown run with 65 seconds remaining in the third quarter, the Crusaders’ offense went silent.
Lampeter-Strasburg ran 23 of the final 29 plays in this game. This championship came down to McDevitt’s defense making one touchdown stand up against an offense built to flourish in less-than-stellar conditions.
“I never look down on our offense,” Robell said. “They punched one through and got us a lead. We made our adjustments that we need to tonight, and tackled well. That made a difference.”
Right after McDevitt scored to go up 7-0, the Pioneers marched from their own 32 to the Crusaders’ 25 before Giovanni Malatesta fumbled after a 6-yard run on first down at the McDevitt 19 and George-Heron recovered.
McDevitt’s offense immediately went three-and-out in less than 90 seconds and gave the ball back to L-S at the Pioneers’ 39.
Back on the march, L-S converted on third down twice and completed the only normal looking pass of the evening, really, on fourth-and-8 from the McDevitt 19 to set up first-and-goal at the 10 with less than four minutes remaining. The intense and impressive drive came to a screeching halt when Pioneers QB Berkeley Wagner pulled out a little quick from under center and left the ball on the ground.
Robell pounced on the miscue and gave the ball back to the offense with 3:40 to play. Three more snaps in less than 90 seconds put the Crusaders’ defense back out on the field with 1:47 to play and 52 yards of field to defend.
