GCC Wins WPIAL Championship!
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Aliquippa had won more WPIAL Championships in the last 25 years than any
other school in Class AA of the WPIAL. But their opponent on Friday, Greensburg Central
Catholic, didn’t receive the memo. The Centurions used an aggressive
rushing attack and a stout defensive effort to thrash the Quips, 33-7, en route
to their first WPIAL Championship in GCC’s 50th anniversary.
GCC started the scoring when senior running back David Miller ripped off a
79-yard touchdown run. Miller became the Centurions all-time leading scorer for
a single season after earning three touchdowns in the championship game. |
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His
other touchdown runs were of four yards and two yards, respectively. GCC scored
19 consecutive points in the second quarter due in large part to several Aliquippa turnovers. Quarterback Trent Hurley scored on a
great play fake at the goal line in the second quarter. He also hit wide-out
Evan Marshall, who made a one-handed catch on a 15-yard pass that gave GCC a
26-7 halftime lead. Miller led the charge throughout the game, gaining 203
yards on the ground, thus helping his team win the championship and improve to
11-2 on the year. GCC will play its first PIAA state football playoff game on
December 4th against the Bedford
Bisons.
Greensburg Central : 7 – 19 – 0 – 7 = 33
Aliquippa : 7 – 0 – 0 – 0 =
7
1st Quarter:
Aliq: Mikal Hall 6-yard run (John Lord kick), A 7-0
GCC: David Miller 79-yard run (Brian Gongaware kick), T 7-7
2nd Quarter:
GCC: Miller 4-yard run (Gongaware kick), GCC 14-7
GCC: Trent Hurley 2-yard run (kick failed), GCC 20-7
GCC: Evan Marshall 15-yard pass from Hurley (Hurley pass failed), GCC 26-7
3rd Quarter:
No Scoring
4th Quarter:
GCC: Miller 2-yard run (Gongaware kick), GCC 33-7
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WPIAL Class AA Playoff Semifinals - Nov. 20
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Greensburg Central Catholic used a powerful second half running game to hold off a Keystone Oaks comeback in a 24-19 victory Friday evening in the WPIAL Class AA Semi-Final game from Elizabeth Forward High School. Wide-out Evan Marshall caught two touchdown passes thrown by quarterback Trent Hurley.
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Hurley put forth a strong effort in the game, completing 9 of 19 passes for 158 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Hurley’s confusion of Keystone Oaks defense with a hard snap count at the end of the game forced Keystone Oaks to jump off sides, which resulted in the final nail in the coffin. Marshall finished with four receptions, 111 yards and two touchdowns. Keystone Oaks ends its season at 10-2, while Greensburg Central Catholic improves to 10-2 and will play Aliquippa next Friday afternoon at Heinz Field for the WPIAL Class AA Championship.
Running back Davide Miller rushed for 212 yards and a touchdown in victory.
Keystone Oaks took an early 7-0 lead as Jordan Maddox scored from 20-yards and the Golden Eagles had the early lead. Greensburg Central Catholic then scored 17 straight points on a Brian Gongaware 26-yard field-goal and two Trent Hurley to Evan Marshall touchdown passes of 44 and 47-yards as GCC led, 17-7 in the third quarter.
Keystone Oaks had two late scores on a 4-yard touchdown run by Matt McCann and a Matt Buckley to Lee Shearn 26-yard touchdown pass. Miller added a 34-yard touchdown with 5:42 remaining in the fourth quarter. Keystone Oaks was led by Buckley who completed 8 of 12 passes for 165 yards and a touchdown. Maddox finished the game with 101 yards rushing and a touchdown.
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Week 9 - Oct. 30th
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The town of Jeannette and the fans of its high school football team are in unfamiliar territory today after the Jayhawks lost to rival Greensburg Central Catholic last night 49-18 and thus will miss the post-season for the first time in 15 years.
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After a stunning upset of Jeannette last year, Greensburg Central Catholic rolled over the Jayhawks this season as Centurion’s senior running back David Miller ran for five touchdowns including a 65-yarder on the first play. Despite the young Jeannette team battling hard, they simply had no answer for the dominant Centurion’s run game.
Greensburg Central Catholic couldn’t have asked for a better start as Miller scored his 23rd touchdown of the season and Greensburg Central Catholic led 7-0 just 20 seconds into the football game.
After holding the Jayhawks offense, Greensburg Central Catholic got the ball back and in a drive that included two Jeannette penalties, the Centurions drove it 94 yards on eight plays, ending with a 21-yard touchdown run by Miller.
The Centurions would score again right before the first quarter expired as Jeannette Sophomore Quarterback Demetrius Cox was being pressured and threw the football into the hands of defensive lineman Pat Mahoney who returned it 32 yards for a touchdown and a 21-0 Centurions lead.
Jeannette would finally get on the board on back-to-back scores.
With 5:14 remaining in the first half, Cox made up for his mistake by sprinting for a 33-yard touchdown run to cap off a six play, 67-yard drive. Just three minutes later, Cox would strike again on a 17-yard scamper to cut the lead to 21-12 after two failed two-point conversion tries.
The turning point of the game may have come at the end of the first half as Greensburg Central Catholic took the ensuing kick-off and drove it 61 yards on seven plays with Miller scoring from three-yards away with only :17 seconds remaining in the second quarter to take a half-time lead of 28-12.
The second half would be dominated by Miller who got his fourth touchdown of the game with 7:13 left in the third quarter, a 51-yarder to give the Centurion’s a 35-12 lead.
Miller would punch in his fifth score just before the end of the third quarter as Greensburg Central Catholic’s offense drove 61 yards on five plays and was capped off by the five yard jaunt.
Following a 9-yard touchdown run by the Centurion’s Jon Turik, Jeannette got back on the board with just over six minutes remaining as sophomore quarterback Matt Shrum hit Shavonta Craft on a 31-yard touchdown pass and that set the final score of 49-18 after Jeannette’s third missed two-point conversion of the evening.
Miller ends the season with 27 total touchdowns after leading the W.P.I.A.L last season with 32.
“A lot of people didn’t realize that David was dealing with a couple of injuries at the beginning of the season”, head coach Muzzy Collosimo said about Miller’s sluggish start.
“He fits the mold of this football team and he’s a great kid to have back there”.
Greensburg Central Catholic finishes the season 7-2 and third place in the Double AA Interstate Conference heading into the playoffs. The Centurion’s will await Monday’s playoff selection show to find out who their opponent will be in round one.
Jeannette ends the year with a 5-4 record and will only graduate eleven seniors this year, meaning the former state champions have a young nucleus to build around for the future.
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Week 6 - Oct. 9th
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The Gateway Gators spoiled the Hempfield Spartans homecoming on Friday night, thrashing the home team, 55-0, to remain undefeated in 2009. In the loss, the Spartans fell to 1-5 overall.
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| The Spartans turned the ball over twice early in the game, which opened the door for Gateway’s offensive attack. Quarterback Rob Kalkstein rushed for a one-yard touchdown run that capped off an 11-play, 88 yard drive. On the first play of the second quarter, running back Orne Bey rushed for a 3-yard touchdown, followed by a 65-yard rushing touchdown by teammate Brendon Felder. In the final moments of the second quarter, Dondi Kirby Jr. scored a touchdown of his own. Gateway added three more touchdowns in the second half to further their onslaught. The mercy rule was put into effect at the end of the first half. Entering the game, Gateway ranked first in total offense for Class AAAA, while Hempfield ranked second. Gateway utilized its speed throughout the game to dominate offensively, while shutting down Hempfield’s prolific offense. |
| Week 4 - Sept. 25 |
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The Mt. Pleasant Vikings defeated the Greensburg Central Centurions, 36-35 in overtime Friday night, thus putting the Class AA Interstate Conference up for grabs. Last season, the Vikings were dominated by the more powerful Greensburg Central Catholic, but Friday night their fortune had changed.
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Second-year head coach Bo Ruffner has led his team to a 4-0 start this season, which ties with Jeannette atop the conference.
A game that saw back and forth action for over three hours of play ended the way it started: with a touchdown. Greensburg Central Catholic started the overtime session with a seven-yard run by tailback David Miller. But Mt. Pleasant fought back. Quarterback Derek Mellors connected with wide-out Tim Feree on a five-yard touchdown pass. Then Ruffner played all of his cards, sending the Vikings’ offense out for a two-point conversion attempt. Mellors connected with running back Jimmy Stefancic to win the game and retain an undefeated 2009 record. Greensburg Central Catholic, an early favorite to win the Class AA WPIAL Championship, has dropped two of its past three games, including a 6-0 loss to McGuffey on September 11th.
Mt. Pleasant set the tone early in the game when Mellors completed an 11-yard touchdown pass to running back Mike Rosebosky. Greensburg Central rebounded when Miller rushed for an 11-yard touchdown run. Central added to the lead when quarterback Trent Hurley threw a 20-yard strike to wide-out Evan Marshall. But the first quarter scoring wasn’t finished. One play after the Central touchdown, Mt. Pleasant’s Eric Wagner returned a 97 yard touchdown for a score. Miller added a second touchdown for Greensburg Central in the second quarter. Miller rushed for three touchdowns and completed one through the air, including two rushing TD’s in the fourth quarter of 50 and 7 yards, respectively. But Mt. Pleasant’s attack was relentless. The underdog visitors scored twice in the third quarter to keep the game close, including a five-yard touchdown by Rosebosky and a 37-yard touchdown by fullback Bryce Ansell.
The statistical breakdown highlights a number of advantages to Greensburg Central Catholic throughout the game. But the final score is the only stat that counts in the end. The Vikings ran a wing-T offense throughout the game, the same offensive scheme that McGuffey used to defeat the Centurions in Central’s first loss of the season.
Totals First Downs
Mt. Pleasant 14, GCC 24
Rushing
Mt. Pleasant 47-222, GCC 38-214
Passing
Mt. Pleasant 6-9 52 yards, GCC 12-23 210 yards
Total Yards
Mt. Pleasant 274, GCC 314
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| Week 2 - Sept. 11 |
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The Jeannette Jayhawks powered behind three Toddy Harris rushing touchdowns to defeat Brownsville, 35-7, in a Class AA Interstate Conference matchup.
The game was dubiously highlighted by a combined 24 penalties totaling 180 yards, as well as eight combined turnovers between the two teams.
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Even though penalties were costly, Jeannette remained focused. Harris rushed for 85 yards en route to the three touchdowns, treating the Jeannette faithful to a vaunted rushing attack that the Jayhawks have become accustomed to over the past several years.
Jayhawks starting quarterback Demetrius Cox needed to complete only five passes for 63 yards to pick up the victory. Quarterback Tom Paulone also saw action in the game.
Jeannette’s defense held the Brownsville offensive attack in check throughout the evening, prompting the more physical Jayhawks to their second straight conference victory to start the season. On Friday night, Class AA Interstate Conference rival Greensburg Central Catholic dropped a 6-0 decision to McGuffey, thus putting Jeannette in a perfect position at this point in the season.
ABC Trophies and Embroidery Player of the Game
Toddy Harris
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| Week 1 - Sept. 4 |
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The Hempfield Spartans had won its eight previous meetings with the Greensburg Salem Golden Lions heading into Friday night. At the end of the night, an all-too familiar script was written. The Spartans defeated the Golden Lions, 40-7, at Spartan Stadium.
Hempfield’s junior quarterback Dante Nania led the charge, finishing 14-20 for 280 yards and five touchdown passes, three of which to senior wide-out Ryan Hayden. |
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But Hempfield’s fate may have been different if a major penalty wasn’t called at the game’s outset. Greensburg Salem’s Dave Nowicki returned the opening kick for a 92 yard touchdown, but the effort was called back due of a holding penalty.
From the opening moments, the tide turned for the worse for Greensburg Salem.
Thomas began the scoring for Hempfield at 4:41 of the first quarter with a two-yard-run to cap off a 3 play, 13 yard drive. The drive began after a Greensburg Salem fumble deep in their own territory.
Just over two minutes later, the Spartans struck again with Nania’s first touchdown pass of the night, a 6-yarder to Hayden to give Hempfield a 14-0 lead.
In the second quarter, Hempfield’s wide receiver Garrett Trent got in the action with a 5-yard touchdown reception from Narnia with 7:54 remaining on an impressive nine play drive that gave Hempfield a 21-0 lead.
In the second half, Narnia went onto throw three more touchdown passes, two to Hayden and a 69-yard bomb to Steve Schmidt, as the Spartans built a 40-0 lead.
Hempfield proved its versatility throughout the game, showcasing a high number of quality running backs who also line up as wide receiver. The Spartans offensive and defensive lines dominated the Golden Lions at the line of scrimmage.
With only :48 seconds remaining in the game, Greensburg Salem’s Mike Nowicki intercepted a pass off of back up quarterback Dolan Facchine and returned it 95 yards for the Golden Lions only score to set the final at 40-0.
ABC Trophies and Embroidery Player of the Game
Hempfield
Quarterback Dante Nania—14/20, 280 yards—Four touchdown passes
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