Nov 21, 2014 3 min read

Quarterback Ben DiNucci threw for a touchdown, caught a touchdown pass and ran for a score to lead Pine-Richland to a 21-13 victory over defending champion Central Catholic in the WPIAL Class AAAA football title game Friday afternoon at Heinz Field.

Top-seeded Pine-Richland (13-0) broke a scoreless tie with a six-yard pass from DiNuccci to Michael Merhaut early in the third quarter. The score capped a 10-play, 76-yard drive.

The Rams made it 14-0 with a 12-yard pass from D’ondre Gastion to DiNucci on a reverse and pass.

Central Catholic (11-2) scored on a five-yard run by John Petrishen with 7:54 left in the third quarter, but a six-yard run by DiNucci with 1:11 remaining secured the victory for the Rams. The touchdown came after a failed fake punt by Central Catholic gave Pine-Richland the ball on the Vikings’ 12-yard line.

Central Catholic scored on the game’s final play on a 37-yard pass from Gunnar Frerotte to Graham Adomitis.

Clairton 46, Avonworth 14: Quarterback Ryan Williams completed 16 of 24 passes for 301 yards and five touchdowns as Clairton defeated Avonworth, 46-14, in the WPIAL Class A championship game.

It is the 11th WPIAL title for Clairton (13-0) and the sixth in seven years. The Bears lost in the semifinals last year.

Second-seed Clairton took control of this game early, forging a 34-7 lead by early in the third quarter.

Williams completed a 39-yard touchdown pass to Noah Hamlin in the first quarter that gave Clairton the lead for good at 12-7.

Williams connected with James Hines on a 26-yard TD pass and with Aaron Mathews for a 36-yard score to give the Bears a 28-7 lead at halftime.

On Clairton’s first possession of the second half, Lamont Wade took a swing pass from Williams and went 34 yards for a touchdown. Williams’ final touchdown covered 28 yards to Hines in the fourth quarter.

Wade had a stellar all-around game. He rushed for 128 yards that included a 54-yard touchdown that opened the scoring. He also intercepted four passes. The Bears intercepted fourth-seeded Avonworth (11-2) five times, including one that Harrison Dreher returned 35 yards for the final score of the game.

Brandon Wasko capped a long Avonworth drive in the first quarter with a two-yard run that gave the Antelopes an early 7-6 lead. Avonworth also scored on a 28-yard pass in the fourth quarter,

Clairton will play either Meyersdale or Berlin-Brothersvalley in the PIAA quarterfinals Friday at Elizabeth Forward.

Central Valley 35, West Allegheny 28: Central Valley jumped out to a 21-0 first-half lead and then got a touchdown pass from John George to B.J. Powell with 19 seconds remaining in the game to defeat West Allegheny, 35-28, in the WPIAL Class AAA championship game.

Pitt recruit Jordan Whitehead scored two of his three touchdowns in the first half, as Central Valley (13-0) took what appeared to be a commanding lead.

But West Allegheny (11-2), whose only two losses this season came to Central Valley, tied the game at 21-21 on a 6-yard run by Chayse Dillon, before Whitehead’s third score, a 55-yard reception late in the third quarter.

But Terence Stephens scored on a 2-yard run for the Indians with 2:28 remaining before Central Valley marched the length of the field in the game’s closing moments to earn the victory.