Defending champ Belle Vernon returning to title game
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IRWIN – Defending PIAA and WPIAL champion Belle Vernon keeps on rolling.
Quinton Martin ran for a touchdown and caught a scoring pass, Kole Doppelheuer rushed for two TDs and Belle Vernon ran its winning streak to seven with a 49-8 thumping of East Allegheny in the WPIAL Class 3A football semifinals Friday night at Norwin High School.
The win sends Belle Vernon (10-1) back to Acrisure Stadium for the WPIAL championship game Friday afternoon against Avonworth.
The Leopards wasted no time taking control against East Allegheny (9-3), scoring a pair of touchdowns in each of the first two quarters for a 27-0 halftime lead.
Martin capped an 80-yard drive with a four-yard TD run on the game’s first possession.
On its initial possession, East Allegheny turned the ball over on downs at the Belle Vernon 12-yard line. The Leopards then drove 88 yards for a 13-0 lead. The drive was capped by Doppelheuer’s 16-yard jaunt.
Quarterback Braden Laux made it 20-0 with a two-yard scoring plunge in the second quarter.
After an East Allegheny failed fake punt, Belle Vernon went 45 yards to make it 27-0. On the first play, Jake Gedekoh ran 43 yards to the EA two-yard line. After the Leopards were pushed back to the 12, Gedekoh went around end for a touchdown.
Belle Vernon enacted the Mercy Rule early in the third quarter, when Martin caught a 15-yard TD pass from Laux. Martin ran in the two-point conversion that made it 35-0.
Doppleheuer scored his second TD on a 13-yard run late in the third quarter. Doppelheuer also had two kickoff returns for touchdowns negated because of penalties.
East Allegheny’s lone TD came early in the fourth quarter on a 44-yard pass from Michael Cahill to Brennen Rutledge.
The Leps’ Deaubre Lightfoot closed the scoring with a 17-yard TD run with 2:14 remaining.