Leopards run over Chartiers Valley, 49-21
ROSTRAVER TWP. 鈥� Belle Vernon ran for 346 yards and exploded for 35 second-half points for a 49-21 WPIAL Class AAAA quarterfinal playoff win over visiting Chartiers Valley Friday night.
鈥淲e came out, needed to be physical and it was a good football game,鈥� said Belle Vernon coach Matt Humbert. 鈥淐V came out and was physical.
鈥淭his was a clich茅 game when we knew the line was going to have to be a catalyst.鈥�
Junior quarterback Devin Whitlock (21 carries for 161 yards) and freshman Quinton Martin (16 carries for 142 yards) combined for 303 yards on the ground and each scored three touchdowns to carry the Leopards offensively.
鈥淭he line was big tonight, dominated and opened holes for Quinton and me,鈥� said Whitlock. 鈥淨uinton played well and will continue to get better.鈥�
Humbert praised his talented back.
鈥淨uinton has a ton of upside and he just has to get his sea legs,鈥� Humbert said. 鈥淭his was the first time he got to be the premier back, but he has a couple of things that he can clean up and fix, but again he is 14-years old.鈥�
Whitlock opened the scoring on the last play of the first quarter when he plunged into the end zone from one yard out. Tyler Kovatch鈥檚 extra point gave the Leopards (6-1) a 7-0 lead going into the second quarter.
The Colts (5-2) tied the score with 9:09 to go in the second quarter when Anthony Mackey hit Abe Ibrahim on a 39-yard scoring strike.
Whitlock gave Belle Vernon a 14-7 lead with 5:50 to go in the half on a 31-yard touchdown run, and the Leopards maintained the lead into the third quarter when they exploded for 21 points.
Martin scored a pair of touchdowns in the quarter, on runs of 32 and 36 yards, and Whitlock added his third of the game, on a 26-yard run, to give Belle Vernon a 35-7 lead heading into the final quarter.
Jackson Jewell scored on a 12-yard run in the fourth quarter and Martin closed the scoring with a 15-yard touchdown late in the game.
Even with the win, Humbert was not happy that his defense gave up 14 points in the fourth quarter.
鈥淲e scrimmaged them, had a feel for what they like to do but they run a good scheme,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat is a tricky offense they run, but those 14 points, we shot ourselves in the foot.鈥�
Belle Vernon鈥檚 offense finished with 368 yards on 53 plays, while Chartiers Valley totaled 317 on 58 plays.
The fourth-seeded Leopards now venture to the legendary 鈥淧it鈥� in Aliquippa to take on the top-seeded Quips in the semifinals Friday. Aliquippa rolled to a 31-0 victory over Hampton
鈥淭hey are a tough team, and they write books about that field,鈥� said Humbert. 鈥淏ut, we will be ready.鈥�