It didn't sit too well with Clairton when it lost to Laurel during the first week of the high school football season.

Deontae Howard can vouch for that.

The Bears' senior star running back also will be the first to explain how that Sept. 4 defeat not only devastated Clairton but also stuck with the team the rest of the season.

"It was tough because at the beginning of the year, we were ranked the No. 1 team in the state and the top [Class A] team in the WPIAL," Howard said. "Everything was being given to us and we beat ourselves that first game.

"We weren't in the right mindset during that first game. It was a game we carried with us all season. From that game on, we've played like a totally different team."

Behind Howard, Clairton got its revenge against the Spartans last week with an impressive 33-0 shutout in the Class A semifinals. Howard led all rushers with 148 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 18 carries. He scored on runs of 1 and 67 yards.

"He told us he wanted the ball and that he would win the game, and that's exactly what he did for us," said Clairton coach Tom Nola, whose Bears will meet undefeated Rochester (12-0) in the WPIAL title game Friday at Heinz Field. "He says he wants the ball every game and that's great to hear from a player.

"He has tremendous speed and has gotten a lot stronger."

A 5-foot-8, 165-pound senior, Howard has rushed for 1,757 yards and 30 touchdowns this season. He ran for 203 yards and two touchdowns during the Bears' quarterfinal win against Avonworth.

"He's very athletic and has great speed," Nola said. "He just needs his space. If the line can screen for him and get him a little space, he's going to burst through that hole and he's gone. He's fast and that makes it even harder for the secondary to catch him.

"The thing with Deontae is if we give him the ball five times in a row, teams might stop him four times. It's that one time he breaks free is when he gets us the yards we need."

Howard, however, believes he's simply doing his job.

"I have to give all the credit to my offensive line and to my quarterback for handing me the ball," Howard said. "But ever since my freshman year, I wanted to the be the starting running back. I knew I had to wait my turn and I promised that when I got my chance, I would do everything in my power to help my team the best way I can. I believe I'm doing that this season."

As a junior, Howard gathered 1,746 yards and 25 touchdowns as Clairton won the WPIAL championship and went 15-1, losing to Steelton-Highspire, 35-16, in the state championship game.

"He had a good year last year, but he was hampered with an ankle injury," Nola said. "The fact that he's been healthy has made a difference. He's gotten stronger. He's always had the speed, but his strength has also been a difference."

Howard also believes his team's overall attitude has had a lot to do with Clairton's success. Since the opening-week loss to Laurel, the Bears (11-1) have posted seven shutouts and outscored 11 opponents, 538-23.

"Our attitude is much better since the beginning of the season," Howard said. "I think we came in a little cocky and arrogant and we weren't playing as well because we weren't playing humble and with the right attitude. That frame of mind can make a lot of difference."

Howard admits the Bears entered this season with a little chip on their shoulder.

Last year, Clairton captured a WPIAL championship with a win over Monaca and advanced to the PIAA Class A title match. Steelton-Highspire, though, took home the state crown and the Bears left Hersheypark Stadium suffering a 35-16 loss.

"It was the first time a Clairton team got that far," Howard said. "[The end result] was hurtful. It was the worst feeling, but we knew we wanted to get back [to the state championship game], so we would have to do whatever it took this season."

As Clairton goes for a WPIAL repeat, Howard believes the Bears should stick to a simple game plan.

"We need to continue to stick together," Howard said. "We're really starting to play more like a family. We need to keep that closeness to continue to be successful."

• WPIAL Class A championship: Clairton (11-1) vs. Rochester (12-0), 10:30 a.m.

• Where: Heinz Field.

• TV: FSN Pittsburgh.

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