Burgettstown upended by Union in 1st round
By Joe Smeltzer
For the Observer-Reporter
newsroom@observer-reporter.com
BURGETTSTOWN – Different year, different setting, same result.
Burgettstown made the playoffs for the second time in Greg Marshall’s two seasons as head coach.
But just like in Year 1, the Blue Devils got bounced from the playoffs in Round 1.
Last season, eventual WPIAL champion Bishop Canevin took care of Burgettstown, 49-6, at Canon-McMillan High School The game was at Burgettstown this year, but the seventh-seeded Blue Devils couldn’t send their fans home happy Friday night after a 32-7 loss to No. 10 Union in the Class A playoffs.
For Marshall, a poor start and other issues, such as five turnovers on offense, played a big part in the outcome.
“Union’s a good football team,” Marshall said. “They were physical with us, and they were able to control the line of scrimmage. We didn’t play our best, especially very early.”
Union (8-3) got started on its first possession. An 8-play, 60-yard scoring drive was capped by a 1-yard touchdown run by quarterback Braylon Thomas, who ended the night with 131 yards and two scores on 21 carries and completed 6 of 9 passes for 102 yards and a touchdown. The Scotties converted a two-point try to make it 8-0.
Thomas had six carries and 51 yards on that drive, highlighted by a 36-yard run that moved the ball to the Burgettstown 12.
Burgettstown (6-4) didn’t answer, going three-and-out on its first possession and punting. After that, the Scotties looked to add to their lead.
The Scotties drove to the Burgettstown 11, but the Blue Devils’ Zack Schrockman picked off a Thomas pass in the end zone to thwart the threat.
Burgettstown’s good feeling wouldn’t last long. Rudy Brown fumbled on the ensuing possession, and although the Blue Devils’ defense forced a punt on the next drive, Schrockman fumbled the return to set the Scotties up at the Burgettstown 9.
Union took advantage. Thomas ran it in on fourth-and-goal from the 1 for his second touchdown, and Union went up by two scores.
Burgettstown turned it over on downs on its last possession of the half and went into halftime down 14-0.
Union buried the game on its first possession of the second half, scoring its third touchdown on a drive that took 8:32. The drive ended on a fourth-down touchdown pass from Thomas to Mike Gunn.
Union’s lead ballooned to 32-0, and a late touchdown by Burgettstown didn’t affect the outcome.
Union advances to the quarterfinals against second-seeded Laurel.
It was the first playoff game Union played since 2017, and first-year coach Kim Niedbala- who worked with Marshall on Bob Palko’s staff at West Allegheny once upon a time- isn’t taking anything for granted.
“We hadn’t been in the playoffs for a while,” Niedbala said. “Like I tell the kids, though, it’s not easy to win. So we’ll take any win. I’m excited for the kids. They put a lot of time in.”
There were some positives to take away from Burgettstown’s season, highlighted by an upset win at OLSH on Oct. 8. Although Marshall acknowledged that the Union loss “stings,” he feels the program is in a better place than it was at the end of last season.
“I definitely think that the program took a step forward,” Marshall said. “Our guys are buying into the concepts that we’re putting in here. They’re buying into the process and the work ethic and being good teammates first and foremost. So I think the program is on the up and up.”
Marshall feels that first-round losses will cease if the program stays the course.
“As long as we keep following the path and we keep trusting in the process,” he said, “these seasons won’t end this early for us.”