McCANDLESS TWP — What may be most terrifying isn’t the size of Aliquippa’s defensive line, which averages over 300 pounds per player.

The Quips’ linebackers who lurk behind them may be what caused North Catholic’s football team the most problems Friday night at J.C. Stone Field.

Being pursued relentlessly by Aliquippa’s linebacking corps left the Trojans with no place to hide. The Quips, who are the defending WPIAL and PIAA Class 4A champions, handed North Catholic a 26-0 loss where the Trojans finished with minus-20 yards of total offense.

Despite the struggles on the stat sheet, North Catholic linebacker/offensive lineman Shamus Straub wasn’t interested in wallowing in the result on the field.

“I think we can compete with teams that are as good as they are,” Straub said. “We didn’t back down. I like that about us. We have a good chance to go far in the playoffs and I’d like to play them again.”

Being able to have a better result if there is a rematch will involve finding a way to move the ball. North Catholic’s longest play from scrimmage was a 15-yard run by quarterback Jason Siket in the fourth quarter.

The Trojans didn’t get a first down until the Quips were hit with a roughing-the-passer penalty with 5 minutes, 34 seconds remaining in the game. Samir Ware led North Catholic in rushing with nine yards on seven carries.

“A lot like Central Valley last year at Heinz Field, their defensive line is really good and we were going to have to be patient,” Trojans coach Patrick O’Shea said. “Our strategy was to gain three yards here, four yards there, two yards there and play for first downs if we could. That was a challenge in itself.”

The Trojans’ best opportunity to stem Aliquippa’s momentum came in the second quarter. Quips punter Michael Shegog bobbled a snap and was forced to fall on it at his own 22-yard line. That gave North Catholic a strong opportunity to score with7:46 left in the first half.

But Aliquippa’s linebackers wouldn’t give an inch. On the next four plays, the Quips, despite being flagged for being offsides once, recorded three consecutive sacks of Siket.

Aliquippa interim coach Vashawn Patrick said the defense was able to be effective at making Siket feel uncomfortable. Patrick was filling in for Quips coach Mike Warfield, who was out due to an illness.

“Our line did our job,” Patrick said. “Our secondary did their job. We made their quarterback hold the ball longer than he should and our line got home.”

What happened next made the sequence especially tough for North Catholic (2-1). Tiqwai Hayes would score on a 60-yard that put Aliquippa ahead 14-0 at halftime.

“Our gameplan was if they were going to score, they were going to have to earn it,” O’Shea said. “We didn’t want to give away any cheap scores. I was proud of the kids in that sense they knew it was going to be a game that was going to be two or three yards a carry and they were going to have to fight for those yards.”

Aliquippa was held scoreless in the first quarter despite starting with the ball in Trojans’ territory three times. On the Quips’ first drive, Aliquippa moved the ball to the North Catholic 9-yard line. The Trojans would turn Aliquippa away when Straub sacked Quentin Goode on fourth-and-goal.

“We were doing us,” Straub said. “We were sending six guys at a time. We wanted to stop the run first and make them beat us with the pass. We were bringing pressure.”

Aliquippa (2-0) broke through on the first play of the second quarter. Donovan Walker, who finished with 86 receiving yards, got free down the sideline and hauled in a 34-yard touchdown pass from Goode.

After halftime, another three-and-out from North Catholic caused doom for the Trojans. Aliquippa would take over at the Trojans 36 and go on a 17-play drive that ended with Brandon Banks catching an 8-yard touchdown pass from Goode that stretched the lead to 20-0 with 4:39 left in the third quarter.

Cameron Lindsaey wrapped up the scoring for Aliquippa with a 19-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. O’Shea believes the Trojans learned a lesson they can learn from if they run into a similar team down the road.

“When you are up against that offensive line, you have to be unbelievably low leverage,” O’Shea said. “I thought Samus Straub played the best football game I’ve ever seen him play. He left everything out here. Tenth-grader Brady O’Hara to play at the level he did against a team like that was one of the biggest individual efforts I’ve seen defensive-end wise.”

Aliquippa 0 14 6 6-26

North Catholic 0 0 0 0-0

Second Quarter

A - Donovan Walker 34 pass from Quentin Goode (Malachi Shegog kick), 11:54

A - Tiqwai Hayes 60 run (Shegog kick), 3:21

Third Quarter

A - Brandon Banks 8 pass from Goode (kick blocked), 4:39

Fourth Quarter

A - Cameron Lindsaey 19 run (run failed), 5:52

Rushing: Aliquippa, Tiqwai Hayes 19-123, Cameron Lindsaey 5-38, Isaiah Martinez 3-15, Michael Shegog 1-(-11), Quintin Goode 3-(-14). North Catholic, Samir Ware 7-9, Jack Fennell 1-(-2), Chase Arrington 5-(-12), Jason Siket 7-(-26).

Passing: Aliquippa, Quintin Goode 11-25-151-1. North Catholic, Jason Siket 3-16-11-2.

Receiving: Aliquippa, Donovan Walker 5-86, Brandon Walker 2-33, Brandon Banks 3-29,Tiqwai Hayes 1-7. North Catholic, Gavin Kamody 1-4, Jack Fennell 1-3.