South Fayette reaches title game
Katie Roupe/Observer-Reporter South Fayette's Grant Fetchet (22) celebrates with teammate Ben Berkovitz after winning against Beaver.
Katie Roupe/Observer-Reporter South Fayette's Justin Watson catches a long pass for a first down during the first half of the game against Beaver.
Katie Roupe/Observer-Reporter South Fayette's JJ Walker gets the first touchdown for South Fayette during the game against Beaver on Friday, November 15.
Katie Roupe/Observer-Reporter South Fayette's Brett Brumbaugh turns to the crowd to celebrate with them in the final minutes of the game against Beaver during the WPIAL semifinals.
McKEES ROCKS – After South Fayette lost to Washington High School in last year’s WPIAL Class AA semifinals, head coach Joe Rossi held up a sign to his team that read, “South Fayette vs. Aliquippa for the 2013 Class AA WPIAL title.”
The prediction came true Friday at Montour High School’s Birko Stadium as junior quarterback Brett Brumbaugh threw two touchdown passes, ran for another and finished with 248 yards passing as the Lions defeated Beaver Falls, 35-7, to get that matchup with the Quips at Heinz Field.
The Lions are poised to face the perennial powerhouse of Class AA Nov. 23 at 5 p.m.
“It’s bitter losing in the semis,” Rossi said. “You get to Heinz Field and that’s the pinnacle when you are a WPIAL player and a kid growing up. We are pretty excited to be back. It hurt last year.”
Brumbaugh, a junior quarterback, connected with receivers six times for more than 15-yard gains on the Lions’ first three drives, leading to two touchdown runs for running back J.J. Walker.
The win is South Fayette’s fourth straight in the WPIAL playoffs over Beaver Falls, after defeating the Tigers in last year’s quarterfinals, 35-7. The Lions have allowed a mere 60 points this season and did not allow a score last night until the second-team entered the game late in the fourth quarter.
With the Lions leading 14-0 at halftime, Brumbaugh led South Fayette (12-0) to two touchdowns on the first two drives of the second half; capped by throws to Conner Beck and Justin Watson for scores. South Fayette reached the WPIAL title game for the first time since 2010, when the Lions defeated Aliquippa, 19-6, behind the play of Brett’s brother, Christian.
“This senior group and our junior group, we played together a lot,” Brumbaugh said. “We knew that we could get back there if we worked hard enough. We just didn’t want (to feel) how our hearts felt, how we felt and how our seniors felt last year after the loss. We didn’t want that feeling again.”
On the Lions’ opening drive, Brumbaugh’s passes to Watson and Beck pushed the ball into Tigers’ territory. The drive was capped by a one-yard touchdown run by Walker, who scored two touchdowns during the semifinal matchup, including a one-yard run on the Lions’ second drive.
Brumbaugh hit Watson on a 20-yard pass and Beck for 21 yards to set up Walker’s run. Brumbaugh started slow, overthrowing receivers and forcing the ball into double-coverage, but he connected on five of his next eight throws to give the Lions the advantage.
“(Christian) talked to me all week, as well as my other brother (Luke),” Brumbaugh said. “He told me to be poised back there. That’s what I did.”
Watson finished with six catches for 125 yards, his second 100-yard receiving game in a row. His two second-half touchdowns last week helped lift the Lions over Seton-La Salle.
On South Fayette’s third drive, Brumbaugh’s throwing got the football to Beaver Falls’ 4-yard line with less than 10 minutes remaining in the second quarter. Two incompletions, a negative rush by Walker and an illegal procedure penalty on fourth down made the field goal difficult for junior kicker Brian Coyne. The kick was wide right.
“We were upset,” Rossi said. “We thought it should have been 28-0 early on and didn’t give them any room to breathe. We knew that if we got that first (second-half) touchdown, we knew they would start to doubt a little bit.”
The Tigers (9-3) responded with a critical stop on the next South Fayette possession, giving Beaver Falls incredible field position. Beaver Falls drove to the Lions’ 9-yard line, but a pass on fourth down was intercepted by South Fayette junior linebacker Ryan Schmider to keep the Tigers shutout.
The Lions will now look to prevent the Quips from earning a third consecutive WPIAL title. The title game gives Brett the chance to claim the school’s fourth WPIAL championship three years after being the Lions’ ballboy at Heinz Field. The last time Aliquippa lost to a WPIAL team was the 2010 loss against South Fayette.
“That’s where Double-A football goes through, Aliquippa,” Rossi said. “We had a great game with them and hopefully another great opportunity to meet with them. It will be a great matchup.”