Big Game Hunting – WPIAL Football Four-Pack – 12/7/2011

By: Bruce Markey
Wednesday, December 7, 2011 | 1:06 PM

A perfect first weekend of state playoff action for the WPIAL teams gives us another full slate of big games as we get set for the PIAA semi-final round. Any football coach will tell you that if you are still playing football as the Christmas decorations are going up it is a very good thing. The WPIAL has four teams still hoping to stuff their stockings with a PIAA Championship as we head into week 15. We will try to avoid anything with a big shiny red nose (besides Mike Azadian) this week as we get set to go Big Game Hunting.

AAAA PIAA Semifinals:
North Allegheny Tigers (14-0) vs Central Dauphin Rams (13-1)
Saturday December 10th 6:00 PM @ Mansion Park in Altoona Broadcast on the MSA Sports Network and the North Allegheny Sports Network by Randy Gore and Rick Meister

Mack Leftwich and company will try to keep it rolling for the Tigers as they attempt to return to Hershey for a second straight season. The Tigers are looking for their second straight state championship and third overall while the Rams of Central Dauphin with a win Saturday night would advance farther than any other Ram team ever has in the state tournament.

The Tigers rolled up 509 yards of offense last week in the quarterfinals against State College in a 40-14 win. The diversity of the Tiger offense is part of what makes it so tough to defend. Leftwich can beat you with his arm, on the season he has completed 123 of 216 passes for 2149 yards and 19 touchdowns, or, he can beat you with his legs which he did last week rushing for five touchdowns against State College. For the season Leftwich has carried it 122 times for 775 yards and 14 touchdowns. Those numbers though, are just scratching the surface of this North Allegheny rush offense. An offense that includes four running backs that would be the feature back in most other offenses, sharing the workload in an attempt to go back-to-back with state titles for Art Walker.

Alex Deciantis (144 carries 773 yards and 14 touchdowns), Vinnie Congedo (133, 775 and 11), Nick Passodelis (86, 563 and 11), and Isiah Faulk (71, 396 and 4) each bring their own talent to the table for North Allegheny and they are all the beneficiaries of what is likely the best offensive line in the state of Pennsylvania.

Central Dauphin has not lost since a week two misstep @ Bishop McDevitt when they fell 20-13. Since then they have rattled off 12 wins in a row. At the end of October Central Dauphin beat State College 26-17 while North Allegheny handled State for the second time this year last week by that aforementioned 40-14 score, make of that what you will.

The Rams have a balanced attack of their own, quarterback Brandon LaVia has completed 82 of 144 passes for 1303 yards and 15 scores while throwing eight picks. The running game has a nice one-two punch of Zayd Issah and Drew Scales out of the backfield. Issah has 204 carries for 1273 yards and 19 touchdowns on the year. Scales has 118 attempts and has amassed 779 yards and six scores on the year.

Issah is also the leading receiver for the Rams with 28 catches for 649 yards and 10 touchdowns. He is also the leader of a Rams defense that has tallied 74 sacks on the year including tossing opposing quarterbacks backward to the tune of 430 yards. Issah is the team leader in sacks and ranks eighth in the state with 14 on the year.

AAA PIAA Semifinals:
Montour Spartans (12-2) vs Bishop McDevitt Crusaders (12-2)
Friday December 9th 7:00 PM @ Mansion Park in Altoona  Broadcast on the MSA Sports Network by Lee Mohn and Brandon Showers

Lou Cerro’s Spartans face yet another very tough test as their trek through the post season begins to reach really epic proportions in terms of difficult teams faced. The Spartans in this playoff season have faced basically a “murderers-row” of AAA football teams but the toughness developed by playing in the Parkway conference in the WPIAL has allowed them to not blink and, had a big hand last week as they overcame a 21-0 deficit to beat Grove City 25-21 and reach the semi-finals.

Next up for Montour, the district three champion Bishop McDevitt Crusaders and the number one player in the state according to many rankings defensive end Noah Spence, who has been named the Gatorade Pennsylvania player of the year. The Crusaders won their only state championship in 1995 and the Spartans are seeking their first ever state title.

The Spartans balanced offensive attack will be tested by a Crusader defense that is allowing only 12 points per game on the year, with much of that coming in mop up time.

Montour quarterback Dillon Buechel has completed 168 of 258 passes for 2537 yards 39 scores and just seven interceptions, the yardage number ranks him fifth in the state for the season.

The Spartans also boast the ninth leading rusher in the state in senior Julian Durden who has totaled 1967 yards and 25 scores on the ground in 233 attempts. Add in the Spartans dynamic duo of receivers in Darren Massey, 17th in the state with 941 receiving yards on 46 catches, including 17 touchdowns, and Devin Wilson 33rd in the state with 819 yards and 11 scores on 61 catches and you have an offensive juggernaut for Lou Cerro.

The Crusaders like to wing it, using the pass to set up the run. Their passing attack showcases the fourth leading passer in the state in junior quarterback Alec Werner who has completed 199 of 285 passes for 3051 yards, 27 touchdowns and only six interceptions. Talk about a great pair of receivers Werner has his own in Brian Lamelle and Shawn Seif. They are ranked 2nd and 8th respectively in the states AAA classification by yards. Lamelle has 75 catches for 1364 yards and 13 touchdowns while Seif has caught 61 balls for 833 yards and another six scores. They will put some big time pressure on that Spartan secondary that has totaled 18 interceptions on the year.

On the ground the Crusaders are led by Rashad Lawson who has 833 yards rushing and 14 touchdowns in 146 attepmts, he is aided nicely by Andre Robinson’s 794 yards and 15 scores in 107 carries.

For a second straight week we here at Big Game Hunting think the AAA game will turn into the most intriguing game of the weekend, not to break our own arm patting ourselves on the back …but we were on the money last week, Friday night in Altoona looks like another dandy.

AA PIAA Semifinals:
Aliquippa Quips (14-0) vs Tyrone Golden Eagles (13-1)
Saturday December 10th 12:00 PM @ Mansion Park in Altoona  Broadcast on the MSA Sports Network and WKPL-FM 92.1 by Sam Hall and Dan Zangrilli and on WMBA-AM 1460 & WBVP-AM 1230 by Jim Frederick, Bruce Frey and bob Barrickman

The Quips and Golden Eagles get set to battle it out to head to Hershey in a game featuring two teams with amazing traditions in their respective districts. Aliquippa won their 14th district 7 title en route to this semi-final appearance while the Golden Eagles won their 9th district 6 championship on their way here. That is a lot of tradition, and a lot of expectations for both teams as they get it on Saturday at noon.

Tyrone is led by the eighth leading passer in the entire state, tops in terms of AA passers Steve Franco. Franco on the season has completed 133 of 218 passes for 2328 yards and 30 touchdowns, he has thrown 11 interceptions and that number might have a tremendous ball hawking Aliquippa secondary chomping at the bit for this game.

Senior running back Christian Getz is a great one for the Golden Eagles as well, Getz ranks 8th in AA with 1672 yards rushing and has scored 21 touchdowns while carrying the ball 278 times this season for Tyrone. The Golden eagles also boast the top receiver in AA in the state, senior Nick Patton has 56 catches for 1143 yards and 15 touchdowns on the year.

The Quips are led by senior quarterback Mikal Hall who is a three year starter for Mike Zmijanic’s club, and his demeanor and presence have a tremendous effect on his football team. Hall has completed 80 of 143 passes for 1529 yards 18 touchdowns and only two interceptions.

The Quips have a seriously great trio of wide receivers in Davion Hall (24 catches 492 yards, four scores), Kaylan Kenney (19 catches 538 yards, six touchdowns) and Devon Walker (14 receptions 181 yards five scores), all of whom are a threat to score from anywhere on the field when Hall gets them the football.

On the ground the Quips are led by sophomore Dravon Henry who has 181 carries 1385 yards and 20 touchdowns on the year. He is a nightmarish combination of speed, strength, and moves for opposing defenders.

The Quips will have a significant size advantage up front on both sides of the football in this game and it says here, that will be the difference in this football game.

Ed Mitchell (270 pounds), Jaleel Fields (235 pounds) and Nayo Seaburn (212 pounds), Khalil Seaburn (252 pounds) and Damon Sims (300 pounds) will present literally and figuratively a huge challenge for the Golden Eagles.

A PIAA Semifinals:
Clairton Bears (14-0) vs Sharpsville Blue Devils (13-0)
Friday December 9th 7:00 PM @ Slippery Rock University  Broadcast on the MSA Sports Network courtesy of WPIC-AM 790 by Mark Slezak and Bob Greenburg

The Bears amazing win streak continues as they head to the state semi-finals for a third straight season.
Clairton won their 45th in a row last week thumping North Star 44-0, and can tie Braddock’s WPIAL record of 46 straight with a win Friday at “The Rock” against the Sharpsville Blue Devils.

The District 10 champion Blue Devils enter this game unbeaten but have been hampered by the injury bug here in the post season. Head coach Paul Piccirilli’s wing-t offense is making it’s third trip to the state final four where they have gone 1-1 winning in 1997 and going on to win PIAA gold over Riverside and falling in the semis to Rochy in 2000.

Clairton meanwhile is looking for their third straight PIAA Championship and their fourth straight trip to Hershey.

The Bears prowess is well-documented, quarterback Capri Thompson leads a prolific offense that relies heavily on junior running back Tyler Boyd. Boyd showed no ill-effects from being banged-up in the WPIAL championship win in the PIAA quarters going off for 176 yards in only seven attempts including an 87 yard scoring run on the Bears opening offensive play of the game against North Star. Thompson had a big night as well despite only throwing four passes, Thompson was 3 of 4 for 136 yards and two scores, a 39 yarder to Trenton Coles and a 70 yarder to Terrish Webb. It is that big play proclivity that the Sharpsville club will have to watch out for if they hope to stay in this game.

The Bears defense presents a tremendous challenge to anyone, Clairton is allowing a state low 3.6 points per game on the defensive side of the football. They have great team speed, tremendous size and experience up front and what many say is the best secondary in the state.

The Blue Devils will run the wing-t but have had some solid success throwing the ball as well this season with quarterback Jake Henwood over a thousand yards passing including 19 touchdowns on the year and he has only thrown a pair of interceptions. Fullback Spencer Bland has rushed for 1230 yards, while wing back Dersean Alberty-Brown has carried it to the tune of 900 yards and 17 touchdowns for the Blue Devils. Injured wing back Joey Flynn is one of the banged-up Sharpsville crew that will try to make a return to the gridiron for coach Piccirilli in this game, how he responds will have a lot to say as to whether or not the Blue Devils can hang with the Bears.

Defensively keep an eye on Bland at middle linebacker and senior defensive lineman Dylan Hogue for the Blue Devils, both are tremendous hard nosed tacklers who will play on the next level.

Tags: Aliquippa, Clairton