Lions again team of the Century
Hunter Hayes (No. 8) from South Fayette picks up a chunk of yardage after bolting through an opening carved out by the offensive line during the Lions' Century Conference clash with Seton-LaSalle
Logan Sharp picks up extra yardage after hauling in a pass form Brett Brumbaugh. Sharp scored two touchdowns in the first half at South Fayette bolted to a 21-7 lead against Seton-La Salle in a key Century Conference clash between two unbeaten teams.
BRIDGEVILLE – Another season, another Century Conference championship for South Fayette.
This one might’ve been a little more difficult to accomplish, but South Fayette again flexed its muscle, pulling away from Seton-La Salle behind Brett Brumbaugh’s 315 yards to earn a 41-14 victory Friday night at Chartiers Valley High School.
The win clinches the Century Conference title for the Lions (8-0, 8-0), who entered Friday’s game tied with the Rebels (7-1, 7-1.) South Fayette can secure an undefeated regular season by defeating Quaker Valley next week.
“That’s always the first goal,” said Lions coach Joe Rossi about winning the Century Conference. “It’s always nice to win a championship. We want to finish it out right next week.”
Both teams were missing key offensive weapons. Seton-La Salle was without leading receiver Danzel McKinley-Lewis, owner of 10 touchdowns, while South Fayette’s big-play receiver Roman Denson missed the game.
The difference is the Lions have a number of other options for Brumbaugh to go to, as proven by Logan Sharp and Nick Ponikvar. Sharp made a number of outstanding catches and finished the contest with seven receptions for 127 yards and two of Brumbaugh’s three touchdowns. The third went to Ponikvar on a 49-yard catch and run when he outmuscled a defender near the goal line to break the plane.
Ponikvar finished with 93 yards on five catches.
Seton-La Salle missed its chance to pounce on South Fayette early. Brumbaugh threw three quick incompletions on the first drive of the game, and the Rebels, after a poor punt, drove to the South Fayette 10-yard line.
But a sack followed by a delay of game penalty backed up the Rebels, who then missed a 36-yard field goal.
“Tremendous by our defense,” said Rossi. “Big play by Logan Sharp put them in a tough situation.”
That was the opening South Fayette needed, though the emergence of Hunter Hayes in the passing game played a key role as well. Owner of seven receptions all season, Hayes caught a pair of swing passes from Brumbaugh, taking the first one for 37 yards on a third and 5 and the next for 20 yards to set up first and goal at the 5. On the next play, J.J. Walker pounded the ball in for a 5-yard touchdown and the game’s first points.
“That was his fourth progression,” said Rossi. “You don’t get a lot of kids in high school that go one, two, three, and then the fourth before panicking with a run. That’s what makes (Brumbaugh) good.”
South Fayette doubled the lead just before the first quarter expired, and the teams traded touchdowns in the final four minutes of the second. Seton-La Salle had another chance to put the pressure on the Lions by starting with the ball in the third quarter, but South Fayette’s defense stepped up to keep the momentum, sacking Tyler Perone three times and allowing only two first downs in the quarter.
Brumbaugh, who was 17 of 32 passing, rode that momentum to push the lead to 35-7 as South Fayette’s running game started to find space to run. Hayes, in addition to his 65 receiving yards, finished with 93 rushing yards on 20 carries and a pair of scores.
Rossi did not disclose the nature of Denson’s injury but said Denson should return for the playoffs.