Dec 9, 2022 4 min read

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Indelible moments and opportunities, like state championships for high school sports teams, are few and far between for most programs and athletes.

Saturday afternoon, the Belle Vernon football team (11-2) will try to achieve one of those moments, the first PIAA championship in school history, when they take on Neumann-Goretti (10-3) for the Class 3 championship at Chapman Field, located at Cumberland Valley High School in Mechanicsburg.

Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.

It has been a hectic week for Belle Vernon coach Matt Humbert, who is also the athletic director and a teacher in the district.

Despite having a lot more on his plate this week than normal, Humbert said the team is treating this game like any other.

“Things have gone well, there has been no deviation (from our regular routine) and things have been status quo with how we have been preparing,” he said. “It is exciting to be playing in this game. A lot of hard work has gone into it.

“Things have been very rudimentary and systematic but feels the same as any other game, and the kids are set day to day.”

The Leopards are riding a 10-game winning streak and have not given up a point in the second half Sept. 16 against Penn-Trafford.

With this being the first time Belle Vernon has played in a PIAA title game, is Humbert worried that his team will get caught up in the moment?

“I don’t worry about that. Think about this: our seniors, they have played at Heinz Field (now Acriscure Stadium) three times,” he said. “We have played conference championship games, last year against McKeesport and this year against EF, where there was a lot of hype around the EF game. We have played Penn-Trafford two straight years and had so many big playoff games in front of big crowds.

“The thing is, this program has been exposed to big-time games and big-time venues.”

Neumann-Goretti, the District 12 champion, presents a massive challenge as the Saints have four potential Division I recruits.

Junior Deshon Dodson, a 6-5 lineman, has 15 D-I offers while classmate Khari Reid, a cornerback, has 10.

Middle linebacker Sam Reed just received an offer from Syracuse and starting tailback Shawn Battle, a Boston College commit, has been selected to play in the Army All-American game in January.

One thing Belle Vernon has going for them is Battle was ejected from the Saints’ 20-17 win over top-ranked Wyomissing last Saturday and will not play against the Leopards.

Regardless, Humbert knows the team has talent.

“They are a good football team and are very athletic,” he said. “They have some athletes at wide receiver and in the secondary. They are big and physical on both sides of the ball.

“Their defense is aggressive and their quarterback is 6-5 and throws the ball, can make lateral passes and throws solid out routes.”

Though the Saints have multiple Division I recruits, the highest-rated recruit in the game is across the sideline in Belle ‘s Quinton Martin.

The junior five-star All-American has rushed for 1,208 yards, is averaging 9.6 yards per carry, has 26 receptions for 403 yards and scored 29 total touchdowns, including nine in the Belle Vernon’s three WPIAL playoff wins.

Martin’s statistics would have been off the charts had he, and many other Leopards starters, played the second half of most of BVA’s Interstate Conference games. Humbert knows the team will need a big game out of “Q,” as Martin is referred to by his friends.

“Q will have to be the torch bearer for us,” Humbert said. “We also have to eliminate some of the mistakes we made last week.”

Martin will be the focus of the Saints defense. It was other Leopards who stepped up in a 21-17 PIAA semifinal win over Central Martinsburg as junior quarterback Braden Laux rushed for 136 yards and two touchdowns and senior defensive back Chase Ruokonen intercepted a pass and recovered a fumble.

“Other guys made plays last week and we pulled out the win,” Humbert said about Central’s attempt to shut down Martin. “However, we made some mistakes with penalties and bobbled snaps, so hopefully this week (the Saints) have them and we don’t.

“Our guys are so methodical in their approach, this doesn’t bother them. We have such a good group of kids that have a very slow heartbeat. Playing for a state title doesn’t worry me.”