North Catholic can't keep up, loses WPIAL title game
PITTSBURGH — The Trojans were mighty, but the group across from them was mightier.
The final chapter of North Catholic's previously-unblemished campaign was written at Heinz Field Saturday afternoon in the WPIAL Class 3A championship game against Central Valley. Aided by takeaways and explosive plays, the defending state-champion Warriors (13-0) lifted the trophy after a 52-15 triumph.
“This group of seniors, what they've accomplished in four years of playing high school football, I'm not so sure a lot of people can put that next to their name,” Central Valley coach Mark Lyons said. “25 (wins) in a row. Three WPIAL titles, two state appearances.
“You don't want to compare teams, but this team is up there. This team is special.”The teams sat tied at 7-7 in the first quarter and North (11-1) had the ball following Carson Laconi's recovery of a Central Valley fumble. The Trojans went three-and-out, though, and from there it went down hill.The Warriors waited only two plays before taking a lead which they wouldn't let go, with junior Jayvin Thompson catching a 69-yard touchdown pass from Antwon Johnson.
On top of that, four of North's last five series in the first half ended with turnovers. Central Valley made sure not to waste any of them. Thompson brought back the last two of his four first-half interceptions 65 and 62 yards, respectively.Star tailback Landon Alexander would have had a pair of runs of 50 yards or more in the second quarter, one of them would have gone for a score, had it not been for penalties. He also caught an 18-yard touchdown pass in the frame. He ran for 206 yards in the first 24 minutes alone.“We knew … that there was going to be a point where we were going to have to just withstand that blitz that Central Valley seems to have each week,” North Catholic coach Patrick O'Shea said. “We thought if we could get through that period — or not let that period develop — that would be our best chance.”
With Serafino DeSantis' 36-yard field goal splitting the uprights as time expired on the second quarter, the Warriors held a 38-point halftime lead.“When things started to unwind, as Central Valley does, they took advantage of everything,” O'Shea said. “You can't give them any extra opportunities and, unfortunately, we did. And we paid the price.”Junior Bret FitzSimmons added to the lead on the opening series of a mercy clock-shortened second half. Trojan sophomore Luke Baker punched the ball in from 13 yards out on the game's last play from scrimmage.North's only other score came on senior Liam Straub's 92-yard kick return in the first frame.“I hope everyone is proud of the season we put together,” O'Shea said. “We'll take some time to focus on that season and then hopefully prepare again to come back sometime.”N.Catholic 7 0 0 8 — 15Ctl. Valley 14 31 7 0— 52
CV — Antwon Johnson 1 run (Serafine Desantis kick), 4:20NC — Liam Straub 93 kick return (Ethan Marsico kick), 4:05CV — Jayvin Thompson 69 pass from Johnson (Desantis kick), :38
CV — Jack Bible 14 pass from Matt Merritt (Desantis kick), 7:25CV — Landon Alexander 50 run (Desantis kick), 9:10CV — Alexander 18 pass from Merritt (DeSantis kick), 5:57CV — Thompson 15 pass from Johnson (Desantis kick), 4:31CV — Desantis 36 field goal, :00
CV — Bret FitzSimmons 5 run (Desantis kick), 5:49
NC — Luke Baker 13 run (Jason Siket run), :23
Rushing: North Catholic, Danny Franko 1-56, Luke Baker 1-13, Jack Fennell 5-10, Jason Siket 4-8, Kyle Tipinski 1-(-4), Joey Prentice 6-(-7).Central Valley, Landon Alexander 18-217, Deniro Simpson 5-39, Steven Rutherford 1-35, Bret FitzSimmons 9-33, Kyle Schad 1-12, Matt Merritt 4-9, Mason Dixon 2-4, Jayvin Thompson 1-2, Don Lindsey 1-1, Antwon Johnson 1-1, Chris Bullock 2-(-1), Jackson Anderson 1-(-2), Marcus Lawson 1-(-2).Passing: North Catholic, Joey Prentice 7-25-91-4, Daniel Long 1-1-6-0. Central Valley, Antwon Johnson 7-10-155-0, Matt Merritt 3-4-43-0.Receiving: North Catholic, Kyle Tipinskli 4-32, Jack Fennell 2-17, Tyler Maziarz 1-44, Daniel Long 1-4. Central Valley, Jack Bible 4-70, Landon Alexander 4-44, Jayvin Thompson 2-84.Receiving: North Catholic, Kyle Tipinski 4-32, Jack Fennell 2-17, Tyler Maziarz 1-44, Daniel Long 1-4. Central Valley, Jack Bible 4-70, Landon Alexander 4-44, Jayvin Thompson 2-84.
