Nov 1, 2019 3 min read

BELLE VERNON – Heading into the season, Belle Vernon head football coach Matt Humbert said one of his team’s goals was to get back to the WPIAL Class 4A semifinals.

Following a 49-6 win over New Castle at James Weir Stadium, the semifinals are exactly where the Leopards (9-1) are headed.

“We wanted to get back to the semifinals,” Humbert said. “New Castle controlled the ball early, but once we got the tempo going, we were able to play our game.”

The Red Hurricanes (6-5) scored first as it took advantage of a Larry Callaway fumble. New Castle took over at the BV 48 and Demetrius McKnight scored on a nine-yard run with 6:42 to go in the first quarter for a 6-0 lead.

The Leopards answered after a turnover. Cole Weightman recovered a McKnight fumble early in the second quarter and five plays later, Hunter Ruokonen scored on a 39-yard touchdown pass from Jared Hartman. Ruokonen caught a pass in the flat and broke two tackles before bouncing off of a defender on his way to the end zone.

“I just tried to make a play,” Ruokonen said. “Jared hit me with a pass and I was able to score.”

The extra point by Cam Guess gave the Leps a 7-6 lead with 10:21 to go in the second.

Maintaining the one-point lead, BV scored twice in the last three minutes of the half to take firm control.

Dane Anden scored on a 15-yard run with 2:47 to go and then Nolan Labuda caught a 45-yard scoring strike from Hartman. On the catch, Labuda tipped the ball to himself.

The Leopards kept it going in the third quarter as they scored three more touchdowns to enact the Mercy Rule.

Callaway scored from two yards, Hartman found Ruokonen for another touchdown pass, this time from 32 yards and then Ruokonen returned an interception 93 yards for his third score.

Hartman, a three-year starter at quarterback, broke two school records on one play. When he connected with Ruokonen for the 32-yard score in the third, Hartman set the school standard for passing yards in a season and for touchdown passes for a career.

“Having receivers like Nolan Labuda and Hunter Ruokonen catching the ball, they did the work,” said Hartman, who broke Josh Cramer’s school record for career touchdown passes. “And the offensive line deserves credit for blocking for me.”

Devin Whitlock scored from one yard in the fourth to close out the scoring.

The third-seeded Leopards face second-seeded South Fayette (10-1), the team who knocked them out in the semifinals a year ago.

“We want revenge,” Ruokonen said.

Callaway (147) and Anden (110) each went over 100 yards rushing for Belle Vernon while McKnight 174 yards on the ground for New Castle.