Through the Years: Riverview celebrates 25th anniversary of WPIAL title

By: George Guido
Thursday, November 24, 2022 | 11:01 AM

Each week throughout the high school football season, the Valley News Dispatch will take a look at the players, coaches and events that shaped our scholastic legacy.

After coming up short two of the three previous seasons, Riverview finally got to wear the Class A crown with a 19-14 victory over Fort Cherry at Three Rivers Stadium. A 52-yard pass from Justin Dudczak to Chad Beynon proved to be the game-winner on Nov. 22, 1997.

75 years ago

• In the sixth annual Lions Club North-South All-Star game at Dreshar Stadium, the North posted a 13-7 victory. Apollo’s Walter Durandetto and Leechburg’s John Mikeska scored the North TDs while Springdale’s Ott Quarles tallied for the South.

60 years ago

• One of the state’s smallest schools, Verona, won the WPIAL Class B title with a 12-6 victory over Apollo at Ken High Memorial Stadium. Panthers quarterback Garry Lyle ran for one touchdown and passed to John Bouch for the other. Art Williamson’s 34-yard run accounted for the Apollo TD.

50 years ago

• In the most bizarre decision of a WPIAL playoff game, Monessen and Jeannette finished in a 14-14 tie. Since there was no overtime in that era, the team with the most offensive yardage advanced. Both teams milled around their benches until word came down from the press box that the Jayhawks won the yardage battle, 244-177.

• Freeport fell to Beaver, 20-14, in the Class 2A title game at Pitt Stadium, despite a pair of TD passes from Dan Leri to Dan Keener.

40 years ago

• Plum lost a Class 4A, Division II semifinal game to Ringgold, 18-13, at Mt. Lebanon Stadium. The Mustangs lost five fumbles to the Rams.

25 years ago

• Fox Chapel, despite outgaining Penn-Trafford in yardage, 320-90, lost a Class 4A semifinal game, 21-19. Chad Killian scored on a 1-yard run with 35 seconds left. Brian Robinson recovered an onside kick, but current Greensburg Central Catholic coach Marko Thomas batted down a Foxes pass with four seconds left to preserve the victory.

Tags: Beaver, Fort Cherry, Fox Chapel, Freeport, Jeannette, Leechburg, Monessen, Penn-Trafford, Plum, Ringgold, Riverview, Springdale