MECHANICSBURG, Pa. — There were no misconceptions about how the two teams in the PIAA Class 6A championship game matched up on Saturday night, and all of those preconceived notions turned out to be true.
For the most part, everybody agreed that this North Allegheny team was a well-oiled machine and one of the best in school history. At the same time, everybody also realized the Tigers (13-2) were likely in well over their heads against defending PIAA champion St. Joseph’s Prep, one of the consensus top-10 teams in the country.
With the two powerhouse programs battling for the Class 6A throne at Cumberland Valley High School, the Hawks activated the mercy rule early in the second half before taking out their starters in the fourth quarter of a 45-23 win that wasn’t as close as the score would indicate. The win marks the eighth state title in the past 11 years for St. Joe’s (13-1), one of the premier football dynasties in the country whose only defeat came against vaunted IMG Academy in Florida, 17-14.
“When you have a player-led team and a group of seniors that have some unbelievable talent, and your best players are your hardest workers, it makes it easier on you as a coach,” said Hawks coach Tim Roken. “Each [title] has a little bit something different. … I believe in what we do. I don’t think a lot of people understand the sacrifices these guys make.”
St. Joe’s senior quarterback Samaj Jones delivered a breathtaking performance, completing 14-of-17 attempts for 233 yards and two touchdowns along with 124 yards rushing and three TDs on 12 carries. The Cincinnati recruit made all the right decisions and was sharp and accurate on all his throws, and when he decided to take off and run, North Allegheny simply had no answer for his next-level speed.
“He’s a physical downhill runner. The best one we’ve seen,” said Tigers coach Art Walker, who was coaching in his fifth state championship game. “You try to do your best to emulate that, but it’s tough. He’s a special guy.”
For North Allegheny senior Logan Kushner, one of the most memorable playoff runs by a WPIAL quarterback in recent years ended with another impressive stat line against a top-notch defense. He only completed 11-of-28 attempts through the air, but passing for 185 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 76 yards and a TD on 14 carries is no easy feat against St. Joe’s.
The two-time WPIAL champion continued to improve as the year went on, finishing his remarkable season with 1,821 yards passing and 24 TDs to go with 1,449 yards rushing and 22 TDs on the ground.
“What he’s done for three years for us is remarkable,” Walker said. “He’s definitely one of the best [quarterbacks] I’ve ever had since I’ve been a head coach.”
Senior running back-linebacker Tyree Alualu put his toughness on full display for North Allegheny, playing in obvious pain while battling through an injury sustained in a PIAA semifinal win over Harrisburg last week. He finished his standout season with 892 yards and 16 touchdowns on 112 carries, and you’d have a hard time finding a better inside linebacker in all of Western Pa.
Although his dazzling 52-yard touchdown grab came with the game out of reach in the fourth quarter, senior receiver Khiryn Boyd had a solid game for the Tigers, tallying five catches for 94 yards and a TD. For the year, Boyd tallied 32 receptions for 846 yards and 16 TDs. Senior Daniel Sellers scored North Allegheny’s other touchdown on a 1-yard run, adding one last highlight to the terrific edge rusher’s season.
After St. Joe’s marched down the field on its opening drive, it felt like the game could quickly get out of hand, and it sure did. North Allegheny actually had a good chance to limit the Hawks to a field goal attempt on third-and-18, but Jones rolled out to his right and effortlessly fired a bullet to West Virginia recruit Brandon Rehmann for 19 yards and a first down. Two plays later, Jones was in the end zone after a 1-yard run.
Things soon snowballed from there, as Jones broke loose for a 41-yard TD run on the following drive to make it 14-0 with 4:15 left in the first quarter. Isaiah West scored on a 32-yard run on the first play of the second quarter for a 21-0 lead, then a 41-yard field goal by Skyler Sholder made it 24-0 less than 15 minutes into the game.
One thing stood out above all else when it comes to the skill players for St. Joe’s — speed.
“It’s on both sides, and it’s in the backfield, with the quarterback and running back,” Walker said. “It’s definitely hard to cover everything at once. You can’t take it all away.”
North Allegheny got on the board late in the first half with a 5-yard TD run by Kushner, but the Hawks responded with an electric 80-yard TD reception by Cincinnati recruit Elijah Jones to quickly quiet the Tigers fans. Peter Notaro drilled a 41-yard field goal for North Allegheny to make it 31-10, but again, St. Joe’s swung back twice as hard. This time, Rehmann returned the kickoff for 80 yards then caught a 13-yard TD from Jones. That was effectively the final blow, and the Hawks led 37-10 at the half.
Jones connected with Elijah Jones for another touchdown early in the third quarter, and the ensuing 2-point conversion made it a 45-10 game and activated the mercy rule. The Tigers finally started to generate some offense in the fourth quarter, but the running clock made it impossible for North Allegheny to mount a serious comeback attempt.
After the game, Walker gathered his team on the field to impart some words of wisdom as only he can. Although the Tigers will be going home with a runner-up trophy for the first time in four state championship game appearances, this group of players and the seniors in particular elevated the program to the top of the WPIAL for the first time in a decade — and he wanted to make sure they knew just how proud he was.
“They’re good everywhere. It’s a tough one to prepare for,” Walker said. “We’re extremely proud of our guys that we made it. We’re disappointed that we didn’t win it. And we should be. When you set a standard to get here and win it, it doesn’t matter who you’re playing.
“We didn’t get it, but we’re still proud of our guys. It was a magical season for us.”
Steve is a sports writer at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at srotstein@unionprogress.com.
