Golden Bears Back on Top With WPIAL Class A Win

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, November 21, 2014 | 4:49 PM

After a one year hiatus, the WPIAL Class A championship is coming back to Clairton. The Bears improved to 13-0 and won their sixth district title in the last seven years with a convincing 46-14 triumph over the Avonworth Antelopes Friday at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh.

(Picture left: Ryan Williams launces one of his five touchdown passes)

The first quarter of the WPIAL Class A finals started as a back-and-forth battle of heavyweights throwing haymakers. On the second play of their second possession, Lamont Wade scored on a 54-yard run. The standard two-point conversion attempt by the Bears was no good on an incomplete pass. 

Avonworth answered quickly, driving 63-yards on five running plays which included a 43-yard run by quarterback Joshua Drwal. The other four runs were by bruising back Brandon Wasko, who capped off the quick answer with a 2-yard run. Cole Pappas added the extra point that gave the Antelopes a 7-6 advantage, which would be their final lead of the day.

The Bears came back on their next drive to take the lead for good. After a 26-yard Wade run into Antelopes territory, Ryan Williams hit Noah Hamlin on a 39-yard touchdown pass. A failed two point option pass by Wade made it 12-7 Clairton.

The lone score in the second quarter came when Clairton got the ball at their own 21 with just over two minutes left. Bears quarterback Ryan Williams completed four passes, including a 36-yard pass down the middle of the field to a wide open Ryan Mathews. Williams scored on the two point attempt to make it 28-7 going into halftime.

Clairton scored on their first possession of the second half on a 3 play, 70 yard drive that ended on another scoring pass from Williams, this time on a 34-yard catch and run by Wade. A failed two pointer made it 34-7.

The fourth quarter produced three touchdowns in a span of three minutes. The Antelopes cut the lead to 20 when Drwal hit a wide open Cole Jenkins down the middle for a 37-yard score to make it 34-14.

But the Bears turned defense into offense when on the first play after the fourth interception of the game by Wade, Williams connected with James Hines on a tremendous catch in the back of the end zone on a 28-yard score.

Then the capper came when Harrison Dreher picked off a Drwal pass and returned it the distance 35 yards for the final score.

Wade, the super sophomore, rushed for 128 yards and scored two touchdowns while also picking off four passes. He now has 2,256 yards on the season with 41 touchdowns. Williams had a huge game throwing the ball, connecting on 16 of 24 passes for 301 yards and five touchdowns.

Avonworth was led by Wasko’s 81 yards on the ground on 22 carries. It was a tough day for Drwal throwing the ball, hitting on only 8 of 28 passes.

The Antelopes, making their first championship game appearance since 1959, finish with a record of 11-2.

The Bears celebrate their 11th WPIAL football crown and seventh in nine years. Clairton improves to 13-0 and will face either Meyersdale or Berlin-Brothersvalley in the PIAA Class A Quarterfinals at Elizabeth Forward High School next Friday, November 28th.

CLAIRTON BEARS : 12 – 16 – 6 – 12 = 46
AVONWORTH ANTELOPES : 7 – 0 – 0 – 7 = 14

1st Qtr:

C – Lamont Wade 54-yd run (two point pass failed)   C 6 – A 0

A – Brandon Wasko 2-yd run (Cole Pappas kick)   A 7 – C 6

C – Noah Hamlin 39-yd pass from Ryan Williams (two point pass failed)   C 12 – A 7

2nd Qtr:

C – James Hines 26-yd pass from Williams (Williams run)   C 20 – A 7

C – Aaron Mathews 36-yd pass from Williams (Williams run)   C 28 – A 7

3rd Qtr:

C – Wade 34-yard pass from Williams (two point pass failed)   C 34 – A 7

4th Qtr:

A – Cole Jenkins 28-yd pass from Joshua Drwal (Pappas kick)   C 34 – A 14

C – James Hines 28-yd pass from Williams (two point pass failed)   C 40 – A 14

C – Harrison Dreher 35-yd interception return (two point run failed)   C 46 – A 14

Tags: Avonworth, Clairton