HUGE Comeback Nets Clairton Second Straight State Class A Football Crown

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, December 17, 2010 | 12:00 AM

The first fifteen minutes were lopsided, but not the way most people thought as the District 2 champion Taylor Riverside Vikings jumped out to a 24-0 lead. But the Clairton Bears were not denied as they turned on the offensive heat and shut down the Viking offense, scoring 36 consecutive points on the way to back to back PIAA Class A titles with a 36-30 victory at HersheyPark Stadium Friday afternoon.

Clairton did not pick up a first down until 8:50 remaining in the first half but were able to pull off the largest comeback in PIAA championnship history. Clairton allowed only 34 points in the first fifteen games, but allowed 30 in a three-plus hour game. The Bears end the season at 16-0 overall and a 31 game winning streak heading to next season.

The Bears trailed for only the second time all season after Nick Rossi staked the Vikings to the early lead on a 64 yard run as the Akron recruit was able to bound it to the near sideline and outraced the Clairton defense with 4:24 left in the opening quarter. Corey Talerico found Kyle Walsh wide open for the two-pointer to stake Riverside to an 8-0 lead. The Vikings added to the lead on the next possession as Talerico looked for Walsh down the sideline on a ball that Trenton Coles actually tipped into Walsh's hands for a 60 yard score. Rossi added the conversion run from the Wildcat and a 16-0 lead. That deficit was the most points allowed by the Bears in over a year.

The Vikings started the second quarter the same way as in the first, going 47 yards in seven plays with Talerico hooking up with Tommy Armillay for a 22 yard touchdown. Paul Lassiter scored on the two-pointer and the 24-0 advantage. It looked like the Bears were really down on the sidelines, Desmond Green said after the game that it was like having a piano dropped on your head.

Clairton finally got the offense going 65 yards for a score. The drive stayed alive on a botched halfback pass attempt by Tyler Boyd that he was able to turn into a thirty yard gain, set up by a crushing block by Bishop Neal. Desimon Green scored on two yard sneak, Boyd added the conversion run to cut the lead to 24-8.

Riverside looked like they were going to add to the lead, with two major penalties against the Bears, setting the Vikings up at the Clairton 40. But two penalties against the Vikings and a 26 yard sack of Talerico by Devante Gardlock forced the Vikings to punt from their own 13 on a fourth and fifty-seven. Talerico shanked the punt, giving Clairton the ball at the 37. As the Bears usually do, they took advantage of the situation as Boyd got behind the defense for a 37 yard touchdown pass from Green. The two-pointer failed but Clairton was only down ten with 2:43 remaining in the half.

Clairton held Riverside to a three and out, taking over at their own 47, the Bears used only five plays to get to the end zone, Capri Thompson came in at quarterback and tossed a jump ball that Joshua Page went to the apex and pulled down a 19 yard touchdown. Trenton Coles missed the extra point and trailed 24-20 at the half. The Bears racked up 155 yards of offense in the second quarter.

Clairton took the second half kickoff and took the lead in just two plays. Green hit Tyler Boyd on a bomb at the Riverside 40, he avoided two defenders and streaked to the end zone for a 83 yard touchdown. The pair connected on a wide receiver screen for the two pointer and a 28-20 lead. After a short kickoff, the Bears forced the Vikings to turn the ball over on downs. Clairton drove to the Riverside 11 but two penalties and a sack by Walsh brought the Bears back to the 31. Capri Thompson threw two passes to the end zone but was unable to connect with Trenton Coles in the back of the end zone and Green on a corner route of his fingertips.

Again the top ranked defense in the state held on a three and out and the Bears took only five plays to extend the lead, Trenton Coles going in from two yards out with 2:14 left in the third, Green hit Page on the two point conversion and a 36-24 advantage to end the period.

The District 2 champions had a big chance to cut the lead to one score as Talerico went for the bomb, but clanked off the hands of Armillay at the midfield stripe. A pass interference call against the Bears allowed the Vikings to move the sticks for the first time in six possessions but a holding call and a botched screen pass forced a punt with 9:02 left.

Riverside did cut it to a one score game, taking over with 2:30 remaining, going eighty yards in five plays as Talerico threw his third touchdown pass, a 35 yarder to Walsh with 1:28 remaining, the two point conversion failed and the onside kick attempt went out of bounds at midfield, giving Clairton the ball.

Clairton could not run out the clock as Riverside called two timeouts and Green went out of the bounds on a third down scramble, stopping the clock and forcing a punt. The Vikings took over at their own 23 with 45 seconds left and no timeouts. Deon Ellis picked off the Talerico pass to end the game.

Green said the team really came together, that they were never going to quit and go out that way. Head coach Tom Nola said this one was better, the way that his team came back from the deficit. Nola would not comment on rumors that were going around the press box prior to the game that he would resign, but sure sounded like a coach ready to come back for a 32nd consecutive win.

Clairton put up 325 yards of offense in the game after the negative first quarter. Green was 4 of 10 for 135 yards and two touchdowns, both to Tyler Boyd, who had 119 yards receiving. The Bears defense held the Vikings to just 33 yards rushing. Devante Gardlock made eight tackles to lead the Bears, including three for loss, he also had a sack and recovered a fumble. Green and Trenton Coles had interceptions, along with Ellis. Clairton ends with thirty picks on the season.

The loss for the Vikings seems eerily similar to their only other loss, a Week 9 21-20 setback to Lakeland, in which Riverside jumped out 20-0, but turned the ball over six times, the Vikings end up 14-2 on the season.

Riverside got 223 yards passing from Talerico on 17-36 with 3 touchdowns and interceptions. The senior quarterback broke the single season record at Riverside with 30 touchdown passes. Walsh had three catches for 103 yards. Skylar Lavage had seven catches for 55 yards. Lavage made nine tackles on defense, including four for loss. The teams combined for 27 penalties and 249 yards.

Score by Quarters:
Taylor Riverside : 16 – 8 – 0 – 6 = 30
Clairton : 0 – 20 – 16 – 0 = 36

Scoring:
First Quarter:
Riverside: Nick Rossi 64 run(Kyle Walsh pass from Corey Talerico) 4:26
Riverside: Walsh 60 pass from Talerico(Rossi run) 1:57

Second Quarter:
Riverside: Tommy Armillay 22 pass from Talerico(Paul Lassiter run) 9:46
Clairton: Desimon Green 2 run(Tyler Boyd run) 4:29
Clairton: Tyler Boyd 37 pass from Green(run failed) 2:43
Clairton: Joshua Page 19 pass from Capri Thompson(kick failed) :33

Third Quarter:
Clairton: T. Boyd 83 yard pass from Green(T. Boyd pass from Green) 10:30
Clairton: T. Coles 2 run(Page pass from Green) 2:14

Fourth Quarter:
Riverside: Walsh 35 pass from Talerico(pass failed) 1:28