Aliquippa dominates Belle Vernon in 4A final
Aliquippa’s Tiqwai Hays scores a touchdown against Belle Vernon’s Really Wiant in the second quarter of Saturday’s game.
{span}Belle Vernon helmets dot Heinz field for warm ups for Saturday’s Class 4A final.{/span}
Belle Vernon waits to come onto Heinz Field to warm up before the WPIAL Class AAAA football championship game against Aliquippa.
{span}Belle Vernon’s Steve Macheska (58) consoles Quinton Martin (25) after a bad play against Aliquippa SAturday at Heinz Field.{/span}
Belle Vernon's Quinton Martin (25) gets by Aliquippa's Donovan Walker (21) and Brandon Banks (9) for a nice gain in Saturday's game,
{span}Holly Tonini/For the Observer-Reporter{/span}
{span}Belle Vernon lost its only game of the football season in the WPIAL Class 4A finals but they made sure to sing the alma mater and thank family, friends and classmates at the conclusion of the game against Aliquippa at Heinz Field.{/span}
PITTSBURGH – Belle Vernon came up short of winning its second WPIAL football title Saturday as it fell to Aliquippa in the Class 4A championship game, 28-13.
“Hats off to Aliquippa,” said Bellle Vernon coach Matt Humbert. “I am proud of those kids in the locker room.
“This is my loss and not their loss. This is on me.”
Aliquippa coach Mike Warfield spoke about the significance of the Quips winning the 4A title, their 18th career championship.
“It is huge for these kids with them having a one-two punch,” he said of Bellle Vernon’s Devin Whitlock and Quinton Martin. “A lot of people didn’t expect us to win. We told the kids early that preparation was going to win the game and we knew it was going to be a challenge.”
The Quips controlled most of the game and the first half was the difference as they took a 21-0 lead into intermission by dominating play.
In the decisive first half, the Quips (11-1) gained 245 yards on 38 plays and had 12 first downs while Bellle Vernon (10-1) was limited to 40 yards and just one first down on 14 plays.
Aliquippa held the ball for 15:12 in the first half while Bellle Vernon had possession for 8:48.
“It was tough because they had long possession drives,” Humbert said. “They wanted to eat up the ball and keep our offense off the field.
“When we got it, we weren’t effective. They stymied us at the line of scrimmage, and we didn’t hit splash plays until late. They pressured us on the edge and up the middle.”
For the game, Aliquippa held the ball for 30:39 while Bellle Vernon had it for 17:21.
“They grinded the clock and we went three-and-out (three times in the first half),” Humbert said of the two offenses. “They put it to us, and we accept that. We didn’t make the plays we needed to.”
The Quips didn’t waste time in getting on the board as they took the opening kickoff and went 63 yards on eight plays, culminating with a Tiqwhi Hayes one-yard touchdown with 8:42 to go in the first quarter.
The score held into the second quarter when Aliquippa doubled its lead to 14-0 on a 13-yard score by Hayes.
Down two scores, Martin took the ensuing kickoff and returned it 76 yards to the Aliquippa 10, but the drive stalled and a 22-yard field goal attempt by Bellle Vernon’s Tyler Kovatch from the right hash mark went wide right.
With the Leopards hoping to get to halftime within striking distance, the Quips had different plans and they extended their lead to 21-0 when Quentin Goode hit Donovan Walker with a 38-yard Hail Mary on the last play of the half.
“The last one before the half, it is a hard one to swallow,” Humbert said. “We think if we are down 14 at the half, we can regroup and battle back.”
Neither team scored in the third quarter, and while the Leopards made things interesting in the fourth quarter, it was not enough.
Whitlock scored from five yards out with 10:37 to play to make the score 21-7, but Aliquippa’s Cyair Clark returned the subsequent kickoff for an 86-yard touchdown and the Quips lead was 28-7 with 10:24 to play.
Whitlock scored form six yards out with 6:09 to go, but the extra point was no good and neither team scored again as the Quips ran out the clock to win their 18th WPIAL football championship.
Bellle Vernon limited Aliquippa to 47 yards in the second half, but the Quips still outgained the Leps kin the game, 292 to 240.
Aliquippa ran 62 plays to Bellle Vernon’s 40.
Hayes finished with 133 yards rushing on 26 carries while Jon Tracy added 91 yards on 22 carries.
Whitlock gained 69 yards on 13 carries and connected on five of 15 passes for 99 yards while Martin was held to 28 yards on 10 carries.
The Leopards had three turnovers, a pair of Whitlock interceptions and a lost fumble by Martin.
While it was too soon for his players reflect on the season, Humbert spoke about the team.
“They had a tremendous season, and nothing should be taken away form this season,” he said. “We just didn’t get the one we have planned for and prepped for for two years.
“That’s life sometimes. You don’t always get what you want in life, and it is an adverse situation the kids can learn from.
“In the future, when as a husband or a father or at their place of employment, they will be battle tested. They have nothing to hang their heads about.”