Clairton continues to roll, beats Springdale

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, October 19, 2018 | 10:18 PM

Type “Clairton football stadium” into Google, and the top review says, “Get to watch one of the best high school football programs in the state.”

It was written a year ago. Springdale found out Friday night it’s still true.

The Class A No. 2 Bears started with a fumble on their first possession for the third game in a row, but it didn’t matter. Clairton (8-0, 5-0) defeated the Dynamos, 43-7, in an Eastern Conference game Friday night.

It was coach Wayne Wade’s job to make sure his team wasn’t looking ahead to its marquee matchup against No. 1 Jeannette in the regular-season finale.

“The kids think about it a lot,” said Wade. “We just try to preach and teach all the time to take it one week at a time. Springdale was up this week, and that’s all we concentrated on.”

Sophomore running back Dontae Sanders scored on runs of 20 and 64 yards before leaving the game with a knee injury.

“He’s a little iffy right now,” Wade said. “There’s a little swelling there, but everything seemed to be tight in the knee, so he’s OK. It’s just a little hyperextension.”

Springdale had a hard time matching the Bears up front. Quarterback Josh Jones was pressured throughout the game.

He finished with 13 carries for 41 yards and was 5 for 7 for 26 passing yards.

“We’re super young and only graduating four seniors this year,” Springdale coach Seth Napierkowski said. “We have freshmen and sophomores getting meaningful experience. This is going to benefit us down the road.

“You go against the No. 2 team in the WPIAL and No. 3 in the state, I think we put up a good fight. We were outmatched at the skill positions.”

With Sanders, Clairton still ran well as senior Taevon Thompson finished with 12 carries for 49 yards and a touchdown.

Quarterbacks Brendan Parsons and Jonte Sanders threw touchdowns. Parsons was an efficient 5 for 8 with 71 yards and a touchdown before getting a breather.

Junior Kenlein Ogletree caught two touchdown passes — his only receptions of the game — for 59 yards.

Clairton’s defense was dominant again, though it could not post its fifth shutout.

Springdale (1-7, 0-5) went into halftime with 18 total yards.

“Our defense has been playing lights out all year,” Wade said. “That’s how we win here. We’ve always said that. Defense wins championships. That’s how we’ve won in the past, and we really have a good, long, fast and aggressive defense.

“Hopefully next week, they’ll show up and come out victorious.”

Springdale recovered after starting wideout Dexter Logan was carried off the field with an injury when Christian Vokes scored on a 14-yard jet sweep.

“They don’t have any quit,” Napierkowski said. “They don’t give up and continue to play hard. I was really happy we came back and scored that touchdown.”

Napierkowski said Logan’s neck was bothering him, and he was taken off the field as a precautionary measure.

Devon Moore is a freelance writer.

Tags: Clairton, Springdale