Leopards go for gold: Belle Vernon faces Avonworth in WPIAL 3A final at Acrisure Stadium
Ed Thompson/For the Observer-Reporter
Wide receiver Chase Ruokonen (17) and Belle Vernon will try to clear one more hurdle when the Leopards play Avonworth today in the WPIAL Class 3A championship game at Acrisure Stadium.
Jim Downey | For the Observer-Reporter
Belle Vernon’s Quinton Martin rushed for 1,274 yards, caught 29 passes and scored 30 touchdowns in leading the Leopards to WPIAL and PIAA Class 3A championships.
Belle Vernon’s football team has been close for the last five years.
The top-seeded Leopards are hoping to reach the WPIAL summit for the first time under coach Matt Humbert today when they take on second-seeded Avonworth in the Class 3A championship game at Acrisure Stadium.
Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m.
This is the sixth consecutive season Belle Vernon (9-2) has reached the WPIAL semifinals and the third time it has played for the title. The Leopards fell to Thomas Jefferson in 2019 and Aliquippa last year, both while in Class 4A.
The Antelopes (11-1) lost in last year’s Class 3A semifinals at North Catholic, 7-0.
Both teams are similar when it comes to statistical scoring. The Leopards are averaging 39.1 points per game while the Antelopes are at 34.1. Belle Vernon surrenders 8.2 points per game while Avonworth allows only 9.3.
Both teams have a 1,000-yard rusher, NCAA Division-I recruit Quinton Martin for the Leopards and Luke Hilyard for the Antelopes.
Braden Laux, a 6-5, 215-pound junior, is a two-way threat who shared time as Belle Vernon’s quarterback early in the year before eventually taking over as the starter.
Avonworth quarterback Nate Harper completed 101 of 165 passes for 1,333 yards during the regular season.
“They are a very solid team with not many discrepancies,” Humbert said of the Antelopes. “They are complete on both offense and defense. They’re very complementary with what they do. Their linebackers and defensive ends are very good.
“Offensively, they’re very multiple. They run and pass from a multitude of different formations. They can also throw the ball deep with their very tall receivers (6-4 Peyton Faulkner and 6-8 Austin Johncour).”
The Leopards are more familiar with Acrisure Stadium and its grass field having played the Quips there in 2021 as well as the Jaguars three years ago.
“I don’t know if it gives us an advantage but the logistics are not new,” Humbert said. “They kids have been there and know what to expect with the game-day process.”
Both teams are riding long winning steaks.
Avonworth, the Western Hills Conference champion, has won 10 in a row following a 37-22 loss at Class 4A power Central Valley. In the playoffs, the Antelopes topped visiting Beaver, 28-7, in the quarterfinals and Shady Side Academy, 35-0 at Fox Chapel, in the semifinals.
Belle Vernon, the Interstate Conference champion, has followed losses at Class 4A McKeesport (14-6) and at home to Class 5A Penn-Trafford (14-13) with eight consecutive victories. The Leopards romped over visiting East Allegheny, 55-7, in the quarterfinals and Freeport, 42-0 at Gateway, in the semifinals.
Humbert breaks down the game in simple terms.
“At the end of the day it’s all about execution,” he said. “Both teams will have game plans implemented and the team that executes it better will be victorious.”
The winner of today’s game will advance into next week’s PIAA semifinals against either District 10 champion Grove City (9-3) or District 6 champion Central (11-2) on either Friday or Saturday with the time and site to be determined.