Defending champ TJ pulls away from Belle Vernon
Thomas Jefferson scored 21 unanaswered points in the second half and defeated visiting Belle Vernon 42-21 Friday night in a Class 4A Big Eight Conference showdown between previously undefeated teams.
In a rematch of last year’s WPIAL championship game, Thomas Jefferson (3-0, 3-0) pulled away from a 21-21 halftime tie. Jake Pugh scored the go-ahead touchdown in the third quarter on a one-yard run, then connected with Preston Zandier on a 21-yard scoring pass.
Pugh capped the scoring with a one-yard TD plunge in the fourth quarter.
Pugh ran for three touchdowns and passed for three more. He had a 34-yard TD toss to Ian Hansen in the first quarter and a 12-yarder to Ross Miller in the second quarter that gave TJ a 21-14 lead.
Pugh completed 13 of 20 passes for 188 yards.
Belle Vernon tallied two first-quarter TDs on a one-yard run by Devin Whitlock and a 60-yard pass from Whitlock to Quintin Martin.
Whitlock passed for a nine-yard TD to Tanner Steeber that tied the score at 21-21 in the second quarter.
Whitlock rushed for 128 yards on 19 carries.