Belle Vernon tops Shady Side to setup rematch with EF
High School Football
Chace Petrosky had three rushing touchdowns as No. 4 Belle Vernon cruised to a 35-8 win over No. 13 Shady Side Academy in the WPIAL Class 3A first round on Friday.
The Leopards (10-1) will get a rematch with No. 5 Elizabeth Forward next week in the quarterfinals. Belle Vernon beat Elizabeth Forward, 29-28, in comeback fashion for the Interstate Conference title in Week 10.
Petrosky scored on runs of 12, 8 and 26 yards and finished 89 yards rushing on 13 attempts.
The Bulldogs (5-6) struck first when Maddox Harvey scored on a 5-yard run and Javon Johnson hit B.J. Mallory on a two-point try to make it 8-0.
Belle Vernon proceeded to score 35 unanswered points.
Petrosky scored his first touchdown to cut the deficit to 8-7 and Jace Gedekoh gave the Bulldogs the lead for good by scoring on a 1-yard run.
David Bergstedt had a 2-yard touchdown run to close the scoring.
California 16, Northgate 7
Alan Dennis had 14 carries for 111 yards and a touchdown to help lead California to a 16-7 win over visiting Northgate in a WPIAL Class A first round playoff game.
The sixth-seeded Trojans advance to next week’s quarterfinals against No. 3 Clairton.
California trailed 7-0 at halftime but seized the lead with a 65-yard touchdown drive in the third quarter that featured a 33-yard run by Dennis who also finished the march with an 8-yard run.
Brandon Meier’s pass to Carter Frank for the two-point conversion put the Trojans ahead to stay, 8-7.
Colton Lowden’s interception on the Flames’ next possession gave California the ball at its own 46 late in the third quarter.
Meier completed a 28-yard pass to Chase Shemansky four plays later to the Northgate 14. The two hooked up again on the next play for a touchdown with 10:18 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Meier’s two-point conversion pass to Weston Monticelli gave the Trojans a two-score lead.
Monessen 6, Jeannette 0
Kayden Kolbeck caught a 45-yard touchdown pass from Kaier Payne late in the second quarter for the game’s lone score as Monessen (8-3) earned a 6-0 win at Jeannette (7-4) in a Class A first-round game.
The Greyhounds play No. 2 Shenango in the quarterfinals.
Western Beaver 44, Chartiers-Houston 22
Jeremiah Pratt ran for two touchdowns and Eddie Weslowski returned an interception 47 yards for a score during the pivotal third quarter as Western Beaver defeated Chartiers-Houston 44-22 in a Class 2A first-round playoff game.
Western Beaver (7-4) led 22-14 at halftime and broke the game open by outscoring Chartiers-Houston (4-7) 15-0 in the third quarter.
Teegen Bogden ran for two touchdowns (four and three yards) for the Bucs. Julius Livington caught a 27-yard TD pass from Elijah Hoy in the fourth quarter.
Aliquippa 52, Waynesburg 14
Avery Coleman returned a fumble 92 yards for a touchdown, Jeffrey Hicks ran back a punt 60 yards for another score and Aliquippa defeated Waynesburg 52-14 in a Class 3A first-round playoff game.
Aliquippa (7-3) led 10-0 after one quarter before breaking the game open with a 28-point second quarter.
With Aliquippa leading 10-0 early in the second quarter, Waynesburg (8-3) was inside the Quips’ 10-yard line when Raiders quarterback Teagen Crouse was sacked and fumbled. Coleman scooped up the football and returned it 92 yards for the game-changing score.
On the ensuing possession, Kymani Sumpter raced 75 yards for a touchdown that brought the Raiders back to within 17-7. Sumpter also had a 85-yard TD run in the second half.