Warriors battle Quips tooth-and-nail but fall, 27-7
Jonathan Guth | 缅北禁地
Elizabeth Forward quarterback Evan Lewis scrambles during Friday鈥檚 game against Aliquippa in the quarterfinals of the WPIAL Class AAA playoffs at Ambridge Area High School. The Warriors put up a fight, but fell to the No. 2-ranked Quips, 27-7.
Elizabeth Forward's Nicholas Hunnell rushes during Friday's game against Aliquippa in the quarterfinals of the WPIAL Class AAA playoffs at Ambridge Area High School.
Aliquippa's Vaughn Morris passes on the run against Elizabeth Forward during Friday's WPIAL Class AAA quarterfinal playoff game at Ambridge Area High School.
Elizabeth Forward's Chase Whatton races down the field en route to a 37-yard reception in the first quarter of Friday's WPIAL Class AAA quarterfinal against Aliquippa at Ambridge Area High School.
Elizabeth Forward's Chase Whatton is pushed by an Aliquippa lineman while attempting to tackle the Quips' Vernon Redd during Friday's WPIAL Class AAA quarterfinal playoff game at Ambridge Area High School.
Elizabeth Forward quarterback Evan Lewis fakes to running back Nicholas Hunnell during Friday's game against Aliquippa in the quarterfinals of the WPIAL Class AAA playoffs at Ambridge Area High School.
Elizabeth Forward's Evan Lewis passes while being pressured by Aliquippa's Michael Dawkins during Friday's WPIAL Class AAA quarterfinal playoff game at Ambridge Area High School.
AMBRIDGE 鈥� Elizabeth Forward head coach Mike Collodi knew that not too many outside of the Warrior community predicted his team would be able to stay with mighty Aliquippa, especially a Quips team that had a bad taste in their mouth following a mercy rule loss to Central Valley in Week 9.
Elizabeth Forward battled Aliquippa tooth-and-nail for the first half, but big plays and turnovers proved to be the difference in the Warriors鈥� 27-7 setback on Friday in the quarterfinals of the WPIAL Class AAA playoffs at Ambridge Area High School.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 even think the score is indicative of how the game was,鈥� Collodi said. 鈥淲hen you make mistakes against a good team, it costs you. We came in, we wanted to create turnovers, and I don鈥檛 even know if we got a turnover off them. We had a lot of energy and the kids were ready to play. They played with a little bit of a chip on their shoulder.
鈥淲e no longer hope to win games, we expect to win games, and we expected to win tonight. We may have been the only people who did, but we did, and that is where Elizabeth Forward football is at right now.鈥�
Elizabeth Forward finishes its season at 7-3 and qualified for the playoffs for the third straight year. EF has had four straight winning seasons under Collodi, who is in his fifth year.
鈥淚鈥檓 so proud of these guys,鈥� Collodi said. 鈥淭heir effort tonight was great. I can鈥檛 say enough about our effort and our physicality. This senior class is the first in Elizabeth Forward history to have four straight winning seasons. A couple of breaks here and there, we would be 9-0, and we wouldn鈥檛 have to play Aliquippa in the playoffs. You can see the emotions on these kids鈥� faces, and we are one big family.鈥�
The Quips (10-1) play South Park (5-5) in the semifinals at a site and time to be determined. Aliquippa beat the Eagles, 29-0, on Oct. 11.
The Warriors outgained the Quips, 124-117, in the first half, and held a 7-6 lead with 43 seconds remaining in the first quarter when Chase Whatton scored on an eight-yard run and Andrew Smith added the extra point.
Elizabeth Forward had an opportunity to extend its advantage at 9:07 of the second quarter when DaVontay Brownfield blocked a punt and the Warriors took over at the Aliquippa 32.
The Quips鈥� defense rose to the occasion and stopped Elizabeth Forward on downs, but the Warriors made a stand on the ensuing drive when Whatton make a tackle on fourth-and-one at the EF 46 with 4:38 left before halftime.
鈥淚 knew going into the game Aliquippa had the No. 1 defense in AAA, and we have the No. 2,鈥� Collodi said. 鈥淚t was two great defensive teams, and it is hard to get points against a team that only averaged six points a game. We haven鈥檛 seen speed like that all year. It is second to none, and they鈥檙e big. They鈥檝e got three 300-pounders.鈥�
Aliquippa stopped the drive and set up what turned out to be the game-winning score when Vernon Redd returned an interception 50 yards to the Warriors鈥� three and scored on a three-yard run for a 14-7 lead after Antonio Quinn ran in the two-point conversion at 2:58 of the second quarter.
鈥淲e couldn鈥檛 let up big plays, but we let some up,鈥� Collodi said.
The Quips took a seven-point advantage at halftime, and scored on their opening possession of the second half when quarterback Vaughn Morris ran into the end zone from seven yards out and Daniel Elmore added the PAT for a 21-7 lead. The drive was set up by Dewayne Revis鈥� 38-yard kickoff return to the EF 44.
Aliquippa forced the Warriors into a three-and-out, and Morris threw a 63-yard touchdown pass to Penn State recruit Zuriah Fisher for a 27-7 advantage at 5:11 of the third quarter. The Quips鈥� defense limited EF to 22 yards in the second half.
Elizabeth Forward鈥檚 Evan Lewis, who also started at quarterback, had an interception on defense.
Lewis, who was making just his second start of the season after Nico Mrvos had gotten the nod the first eight games, was 11 of 22 for 117 yards. Mrvos was moved to wide receiver, and caught five passes for 36 yards. Whatton pulled in four passes for 57 yards, including a 37 yarder in the first quarter on EF鈥檚 opening drive. Teammate Nicholas Hunnell rushed for 31 yards on seven carries.
鈥淲e love Nico (Mrvos) at receiver,鈥� Collodi said. 鈥淗e had over 100 yards receiving last week, and he had some big catches tonight, so we decided to make the switch, and it worked well for us.鈥�
Aliquippa opened the scoring at 2:07 of the first quarter on Quinn鈥檚 10-yard run for a 6-0 lead. Quinn gained 85 yards on 13 carries. Teammate Isaiah Towler gained 55 yards on eight attempts.
WPIAL Class AAA Playoffs
Quarterfinals
at Ambridge Area High School
Elizabeth Forward聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 7聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 0聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 0聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 0聽鈥斅犅� 7
Aliquippa聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 6聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 8聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 13聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 0聽鈥� 27
First Quarter
A: Antonio Quinn 10 run (pass failed), 2:07
EF: Chase Whatton 8 run (Andrew Smith kick), :43
Second Quarter
A: Vernon Redd 3 run (Antonio Quinn run), 2:58
Third Quarter
A: Vaughn Morris 7 run (Daniel Elmore kick), 8:27
A: Zuriah Fisher 63 pass from Vaughn Morris (kick failed), 5:11
Records: Aliquippa (10-1), Elizabeth Forward (7-3).