One win short: Belle Vernon falls to Aliquippa in 4A football final, 28-13
Holly Tonini
Aliquippa鈥檚 Tiqwai Hays dives into the end zone to score a touchdown despite the efforts of Belle Vernon鈥檚 Really Wiant in the second quarter during Saturday鈥檚 WPIAL Class 4A championship game at Heinz Field.
Holly Tonini
Belle Vernon鈥檚 Devin Whitlock (1) eludes Aliquippa鈥檚 Jon Sparrow to score a touchdown during the fourth quarter of Saturday鈥檚 WPIAL Class 4A championship game at Heinz Field.
Holly Tonini
Belle Vernon鈥檚 Steve Macheska (58) consoles Quinton Martin (25) during the Leopards鈥� 28-13 loss to Aliquippa in Saturday鈥檚 WPIAL Class 4A championship game at Heinz Field.
Belle Vernon's offensive line, including Tommy Kovatch (68) and Jack Bryer (58), go up against a wall of Aliquippa defenders, including Omar Banks (55), Jonathan King (82) and Isaiah Martinez (3),聽during Saturday's WPIAL Class 4A championship game at Heinz Field.
Holly Tonini
Belle Vernon鈥檚 Evan Pohlot makes a reception against Aliquippa鈥檚 Cyair Clark during Saturday鈥檚 WPIAL Class 4A championship game at Heinz Field.
PITTSBURGH 鈥� Belle Vernon Area came up short of its second WPIAL football crown Saturday as it fell to Aliquippa in the Class 4A championship game, 28-13.
鈥淗ats off to Aliquippa,鈥� said Leopards coach Matt Humbert. 鈥淚 am proud of those kids in the locker room.
鈥淭his is my loss and not their loss. This is on me.鈥�
Aliquippa coach Mike Warfield spoke about the significance of the Quips winning the 4-A title, their 18th championship.
鈥淚t is huge for these kids with them having a one-two punch,鈥� he said of BVA鈥檚 Devin Whitlock and Quinton Martin. 鈥淎 lot of people didn鈥檛 expect us to win, we told the kids early that preparation was going to win the game and we knew it was going to be a challenge.鈥�
The Quips controlled most of the game and the first half was the difference as they took a 21-0 lead into intermission by dominating play.
In the decisive first half, the Quips (11-1) gained 245 yards on 38 plays and had 12 first downs while Belle Vernon (10-1) was limited to 40 yards and just one first down on 14 plays.
Aliquippa held the ball for 15:12 in the first half while BVA had possession for 8:48.
鈥淚t was tough because they had long possession drives,鈥� Humbert said. 鈥淭hey wanted to eat up the ball and keep our offense off the field.
鈥淲hen we got it, we weren鈥檛 effective. They stymied us at the line of scrimmage, and we didn鈥檛 hit splash plays until late. They pressured us on the edge and up the middle.鈥�
For the game, Aliquippa held the ball for 30:39 while BVA had it for 17:21.
鈥淭hey grinded the clock and we went three-and-out (three times in the first half),鈥� Humbert said of the two offenses. 鈥淭hey put it to us, and we accept that. We didn鈥檛 make the plays we needed to.鈥�
The Quips didn鈥檛 waste time in getting on the board as they took the opening kickoff and went 63 yards on eight plays, culminating with a Tiqwai Hayes one-yard touchdown with 8:42 to go in the first quarter.
The score held into the second quarter when Aliquippa doubled its lead to 14-0 on a 13-yard score by Hayes.
Down two scores, Martin took the ensuing kickoff and returned it 76 yards to the Aliquippa 10, but the drive stalled and a 22-yard field goal attempt by Belle Vernon鈥檚 Tyler Kovatch from the right hash mark went wide right.
With the Leopards hoping to get to halftime within striking distance, the Quips had different plans and they extended their lead to 21-0 when Quentin Goode hit Donovan Walker with a 38-yard Hail Mary on the last play of the half.
鈥淭he last one before the half, it is a hard one to swallow,鈥� Humbert said. 鈥淲e think if we are down 14 at the half, we can regroup and battle back.鈥�
Neither team scored in the third quarter, and while the Leopards made things interesting in the fourth quarter, it was not enough.
Whitlock scored from five yards out with 10:37 to play to make the score 21-7, but Aliquippa鈥檚 Cyair Clark returned the subsequent kickoff for an 86-yard touchdown and the Quips鈥� lead was 28-7 with 10:24 to play.
Whitlock scored form six yards out with 6:09 to go, but the extra point was no good and neither team scored again as the Quips ran out the clock.
The Leopards limited Aliquippa to 47 yards in the second half, but the Quips still outgained the Leps in the game, 292 to 240.
Aliquippa ran 62 plays to Belle Vernon鈥檚 40.
Hayes finished with 133 yards rushing on 26 carries while Jon Tracy added 91 yards on 22 carries.
Whitlock gained 69 yards on 13 carries and connected on five of 15 passes for 99 yards while Martin was held to 28 yards on 10 carries.
The Leopards had three turnovers on a pair of Whitlock interceptions and a lost fumble by Martin.
While it was too soon for his players to reflect on the season, Humbert spoke about the team.
鈥淭hey had a tremendous season, and nothing should be taken away form this season,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e just didn鈥檛 get the one we have planned for and prepped for, for two years.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 life sometimes. You don鈥檛 always get what you want in life, and it is an adverse situation the kids can learn from.
鈥淚n the future, when as a husband or a father are at their place of employment, they will be battle tested. They have nothing to hang their heads about.鈥�