2011 PIAA Class A Championship at Hersheypark Stadium
Friday, December 16 at 1 p.m.
Pre-Game
For a high school football fan in Pennsylvania, you couldn't have written a better script if you tried.
The Clairton Bears are the defending two-time Class A State Champion. Tom Nola's group has won 46-consecutive games, a record they hold with Braddock as the longest such streak in WPIAL history. Clairton (15-0) is making their fourth straight appearance in the big game.
Southern Columbia (14-1), on the other hand, is making their record setting 13th appearance in the Finals. The Tigers advanced to nine championship contests in a row from 1998-2006. Southern Columbia, coached by Jim Roth, is seeking the school's 7th state title which would break their tie for the most amongst Pennsylvania programs with the Berwick Bulldogs of Class AAA.
For a local perspective, Southern Columbia was turned away in the Finals by Farrell in 1995 (6-0), as well as, in 1996 (14-12). The last time the Tigers advanced this far they came away victors in 2006 by upending West Middlesex, 56-14.
The Tigers are 4-6 against WPIAL foes in the title game. Southern played Rochester in four of five seasons in the 'big game' (2000-02, 2004).
Southern defeated District 6 champ Penns Manor last week, 37-6, while Clairton defeated Sharpsville by a 30-8 count.
Game Center
Clairton's opening possession elapsed just over six minutes; however, the drive stalled in Tiger territory on downs.
On the Bears second turn on offense, Capri Thompson found Terrish Webb for an 88-yard touchdown strike to give Clairton an 8-0 lead after the first frame.
Southern fought back on a Tyler Levan 5-yard scamper to close the gap to 8-6 midway through the second quarter. Exactly one-minute later, the Thompson to Webb connection garners another six points. This time the quarterback-wide receiver hook up gained 65-yards to give the Bears a 14-6 lead.
The Tigers once again answer Clairton's score with six-points of their own. Matt Moore capped a Southern nine-play drive with a short touchdown run to bring the jungle cats within two-points late in the second period.
The Bears' standout junior Tyler Boyd set up the next scoring opportunity as he ran 55-yards down to the 1-yard line. From there, Reuben Kelly dove in on the next play with under thirty seconds remaining. On the ensuing extra-point attempt Clairton's place kicker/speedy wide out Trenton Coles (verbally committed to Pittsburgh) left the game with a leg injury. The Bears went into the locker room with a 21-12 lead.
In the first 24-minutes, Boyd carried the ball 7 times for 71 yards. Capri Thompson connected on 4 of 6 passes for 165 yards and 2 scores.
Just when you thought the Bears were pulling away, Southern comes back with a much needed score at the tail end of the third quarter. Senior Brad Fegley found his classmate Matt Moore for a 5-yard touchdown catch to get the Tigers within two points (21-19).
In the third quarter, Clairton only possessed the football for three offensive plays from scrimmage.
For Southern, Fegley completed 5 of 12 for 66 yards and Tyler Levan ran for 64 yards on 19 carries through three quarters.
Only up by two midway through the fourth, the Bears' star running back Boyd ran 78-yards to pay dirt to give Clairton an eight point lead with 5:54 remaining.
On the ensuing drive, Matt Moore gained a first down and so much more for the Tigers on a 3rd and 10; however, Moore turned the ball over in the Bears' territory with just a bit over five minutes to play.
On the next play, Clairton coughed it back up as Southern recovered on the Bear thirty-six.
The Tigers could not move the football as the offensive line had issues slowing down the Clairton pass rush. Southern was backed up 18-yards from the original line of scrimmage on quarterback sacks and were forced to punt the ball back to the Bears under four minutes to play.
The speed and vision of Tyler Boyd put the game out of reach as he ran 68-yards to give Clairton a sixteen point lead with 2:21 left.
The Bears are crowned the PIAA Class A champion for the third consecutive year with their 35-19 win over Southern Columbia this afternoon. Clairton (16-0) concludes the season with the longest active win streak in the nation with their 47th victory, breaking their previous tie with Don Bosco Prep of New Jersey.
Scoring Chart
First Quarter
C - Terrish Webb, 88-yard TD catch from Capri Thompson (Trenton Coles catch), 3:55 (C 8-0)
Second Quarter
S - Tyler Levan, 5-yard TD run (run failed), 5:57 (C 8-6)
C - Terrish Webb, 65-yard TD catch from Capri Thompson (pass failed), 4:57 (C 14-6)
S - Matt Moore, 3-yard TD run (pass failed), 1:47 (C 14-12)
C - Reuben Kelly, 1-yard TD run (Trenton Coles kick), 0:29 (C 21-12)
Third Quarter
S - Matt Moore, 5-yard TD catch from Brad Fegley (Dylan Swank kick), 0:00 (C 21-19)
Fourth Quarter
C - Tyler Boyd, 78-yard TD run (pass failed), 5:54 (C 27-19)
C - Tyler Boyd, 68-yard TD run (Thompson pass good), 2:21 (C 35-19)
