Nov 4, 2016 2 min read

WEST MIFFLIN – Taking advantage of three big plays in the first half, West Mifflin won an ugly 19-0 Class 4-A quarterfinal playoff game over Belle Vernon Friday night.

It was the second straight time West Mifflin beat Belle Vernon. The Titans won, 26-9, two weeks ago.

“They scored six right off of the bat and put six more on (the board) and we couldn’t really answer,” Belle Vernon head coach Matt Humbert said. “This is really like déjà vu if you compare the games. They had two big splash plays against us last time and three splash plays tonight. It is almost eerily a repeat of what we saw two weeks ago.”

Darnell Carey took the opening kickoff 98 yards to give West Mifflin (9-2) a 6-0 lead 19 seconds into the game, and the senior was just getting started.

With 5:34 to play in the first half, Gary Galiyas hit Carey with a 47-yard touchdown pass and Ty Beck’s extra point made the score, 13-0.

In the second quarter, the duo connected on another 47-yard pass, this time down to the one-yard line, and three plays later, Galiyas went in to make it 19-0 with 9:22 to play in the half.

West Mifflin outgained Belle Vernon 229-40 in total yards.

Neither team was able to score in the second half though Belle Vernon crossed midfield twice.

Senior quarterback Mike Fine was intercepted on both drives. Fine finished 9 of 23 for 53 yards and five interceptions while he rushed 14 times for 11 yards.

“The irony is that it is hard for us to turn the ball over so many times but still need to perform in the passing game to get yourself back in it,” Humbert said. “But I feel for Mike because he was under duress and pressure 24/7. We were overpowered up front and knew that that D-line was good.”

For the contest, West Mifflin gained 333 yards to BVA’s 91. Derrick Thomas and Fine recovered fumbles for BVA (7-3).

“Sometimes it really is the saddest part,” Humbert said about talking to his seniors.

“It really is about more than just football. We didn’t have a huge senior class and it wasn’t the outcome that we wanted.”