WPIAL Plays of the Week – Week Ten 2013

By: Bruce Markey
Tuesday, November 5, 2013 | 4:11 PM

The Highway to Heinz started out with a bang. Big plays, upsets, stats galore and performances for the ages. In all, it was an exciting Week Ten of WPIAL Football (and kudos to non-playoff Week 10 winners, especially Plum for breaking a WPIAL-long 25-game losing streak). Let's take a look back at Week Ten's best plays before hopping back on the road in the Quarterfinals. 

#1 Penn-Trafford 22, Penn Hills 16

Penn-Trafford has had a little flair for the dramatic lately. Two weeks ago, they took home the top play of Week Eight for a late touchdown and two-point conversion in an upset of Gateway. Today, the Warriors are back at the top spot thanks to another late score. This time, however, their season was on the line. After Penn Hills went up 16-14 with 1:38 left in the game, Penn-Trafford would  get great starting field position on the ensuing kickoff. Then, with 27 seconds left, Brett Laffoon would find Timmy Vecchio for a 23-yard score, giving the Warriors the First Round victory. Penn-Trafford will next meet Conference-rival McKeesport on Friday night.

Full Broadcast: http://www.msasports.net/broadcasts/2013-wpial-football-class-aaaa-first-round-penn-hills-at-penn-trafford

WHJB-FM 107.1's Don Conde and Jimmy Lee Santorella on the call.

#2 West Mifflin 47, Moon 42

In a game that saw two running backs combine for 663 yards and ten touchdowns, you would not think that the top play would be on the defensive side of the ball. With a tip of the cap to West Mifflin’s Jimmy Wheeler (359 yards, six touchdowns) and Moon’s Cole Blake (304 yards, 4 touchdowns), the top play belongs to the West Mifflin’s defense, which held Moon on a 4th and 15 from the Titans’ 36 yard line late in the game as the Tigers were driving for the win. West Mifflin will next face 5th-seeded Franklin Regional on Friday.

Full Broadcast: http://www.msasports.net/broadcasts/2013-wpial-football-class-aaa-first-round-moon-at-west-mifflin

MSA Sports’ Matt Vandriak and Gero Von Dahn on the call.

#3 Highlands 24, New Castle 19

There were a lot of questions around 7-th seeded Highlands after struggling late in the season. But the Golden Rams answered a lot of those questions with a superb defensive effort against on of the top offenses in the WPIAL. However, the top and clinching play was a 4th quarter 42-yard touchdown strike on 4th down from Blake Leri to Jordan Lineburg. The score gave  Highlands a 24-12 lead, which they would not surrender. Highlands will next meet #2 Thomas Jefferson on Friday night. 

Full Broadcast: http://www.msasports.net/broadcasts/2013-wpial-football-class-aaa-first-round-new-castle-at-highlands

WKST-AM 1200's Ken Hlebovy and Stan Roberts on the call.

#4 Seton-LaSalle 35, Washington 27

It was one of the more intriguing First Round matchups in the WPIAL Playoffs. Seton-LaSalle’s Tyler Perone was determined to win it. The Junior Quarterback threw four touchdowns and 340 yards in the win. The biggest strike was a late 3rd quarter, 59-yard pass to Danzel McKinley-Lewis that opened the Rebels’ lead to 35-14. With the win, Seton-LaSalle will move into the Quarterfinals and meet rival South Fayette on Friday night.

Full Broadcast: http://www.msasports.net/broadcasts/2013-wpial-football-class-aa-first-round-seton-lasalle-at-washington

WJPA-AM 1450's Bob Gregg on the call.

#5 Yough 57, Kittanning 42

The biggest upset of the First Round looked more like a WPIAL basketball score than a football score. #14 Yough and #3 Kittanning combined for a ridiculous 99 points and 1052 yards in a shootout for the ages. But it was the Cougars, led by Clayton Waldron, that would score last and hold on for the upset. Waldron finished with 144 rushing yards, 97 receiving yards and scored 4 touchdowns in the win. His biggest score was a 4th quarter scamper from 20 yards out that gave Yough the 57-42 final and put the nail in the coffin. Yough will now face their biggest test in the Quartefinals with a matchup against Beaver Falls on Friday.

Full Broadcast: http://www.msasports.net/broadcasts/2013-wpial-football-class-aa-first-round-yough-at-kittanning

WTYM-AM 1380 on the call.

Tags: Highlands, Kittanning, Washington, West Mifflin, Yough