Scholastic Notebook – 11/23/2014

By: HSSN Staff
Sunday, November 23, 2014 | 1:14 PM

There was the WPIAL regular season, then the playoffs, and now another season begins for four WPIAL teams.

The four WPIAL champions begin the PIAA playoffs next weekend with four quarterfinal games. Sites and times have been determined for all of the games.

Here is a look at the matchups for the WPIAL champs:

CLASS AAAA – PINE-RICHLAND VS. STATE COLLEGE – This game will be played Saturday at Mansion Park in Altoona at 1 p.m.

State College’s record certainly isn’t impressive. The Little Lions are only 6-6. But they are fresh off a terrific defensive performance against McDowell Saturday night.

State College defeated McDowell, 27-6, in a PIAA game. State College held McDowell to 22 rushing yards on 19 carries and McDowell, from Erie, had only one first down in the first half. McDowell quarterback Joe Tarasovitch came into the game with more than 1,000 yards rushing and more than 1,000 rushing. But he was held to three yards on five carries and completed 1 of 8 for 15 yards.

State College’s offense features junior running back Jordan Mishler, who rushed for 111 yards on 33 attempts against McDowell. For the season, he has 1,387 yards on 235 attempts. Quarterback Johnny Weakland has completed 126 of 220 for 1,473 yards.

CLASS AAA – CENTRAL VALLEY VS. CONNEAUT AREA – This game will be played Friday at North Allegheny High School at 7 p.m.

Both schools have similar stories. They came about in recent years by mergers.

This is the fifth year of Central Valley. It was formed when Center and Monaca merged. Meanwhile, Conneaut Area High School was opened in 2012 when Conneaut Lake, Conneaut Valley and Linesville high schools merged.

Conneaut Area is 11-1 and has a very impressive win on its resume. A week ago, Conneaut knocked off Erie Cathedral Prep, 14-7. Erie Prep was undefeated and was expected to meet the WPIAL champ again. Erie Prep beat West Allegheny the past two seasons in the PIAA quarterfinals. But Conneaut Area pulled off the surprise in the District 10 championship.

Conneaut is the first District 10 champ from Crawford County since Cambridge Springs in 1996.

Conneaut averages 44.5 points a game.

CLASS AA – SOUTH FAYETTE VS. KARNS CITY – This game will be played Friday at Clarion University at 7 p.m.

For these two teams, it’s a case of “we meet again.” The two teams met in the PIAA quarterfinals last year and South Fayette walked away with a 57-21 victory. For Karns City, it is yet another fight with Lions. In a PIAA sub-regional game Friday, Karns City beat the Lions of Chestnut Ridge, 23-14.

Karns City has never fared well in PIAA games against WPIAL teams. Besides losing to South Fayette last year, Karns City also lost to Aliquippa, 51-15, in 2012; to Aliquippa, 42-14, in 2008; and to Jeannette, 35-6, in 2007.

Karns City relies on a running game. Tristian Rhoades was the team’s leading rusher with 714 yards, but but has missed some games with injuries. Colin Dunmyre had 203 yards rushing two weeks ago and was the team’s leading rusher against Chestnut Ridge.

CLASS A – CLAIRTON VS. BERLIN  BROTHERSVALLEY – This game will be played Friday at Elizabeth Forward High School at 7 p.m.

Berlin Brothersvalley is located in Somerset County. It won the District 5 title with a 42-7 victory against Meyersdale Saturday night. Berlin Brothersvalley has outscored teams, 540-79. Its only loss was to Portage, 38-27, but the Mountaineers came back and defeated Portage, 38-14, later in the season.

Berlin Brothersvalley’s offense is led by 5-8, 171-pound Braden Fochtman, who has rushed for 1,816 yards. He had 180 in the victory against Meyersdale.

WPIAL REWIND

Here is a look back and some factoids from the WPIAL championships at Heinz Field Friday.

*** Clairton and Central Valley won titles and had impressive offensive performances.

Clairton’s 46-14 victory against Avonworth was the fourth-most points in a Class A championship game. Bridgeville scored 64 in 1949, Clairton 58 in 2012 and Duquesne 55 in 1993.

Clairton had 455 yards in the game, which is the eighth-most ever in a championship game at Heinz Field or Three Rivers Stadium. Central Valley defeated West Allegheny, 35-28, and the 468 yards by Central Valley was the sixth-most in a title game at Heinz or Three Rivers.

*** South Fayette quarterback Brett Brumbaugh keeps setting records. Not only was his 352 yards passing the most in any title game at Heinz Field or Three Rivers, Brumbaugh also became the first quarterback in WPIAL history to throw for 3,000 yards in two different seasons. He also did it last year.

*** Eric McAllister, Pittsburgh Central Catholic’s fine center, has decided to play at West Point.

*** Clairton quarterback Ryan Williams threw for 301 yards, the most ever in a Class A game at Heinz or Three Rivers. But Williams now has a shot at becoming the sixth quarterback in WPIAL history to pass for 3,000 yards in a season. Williams now has 2,533.

Remember, Williams wasn’t Clairton’s No. 1 QB a year ago. Aaron Mathews played the position. But Mathews was moved full-time to receiver this year.

Tags: Central Valley, Clairton