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Clairton High sets record in becoming PIAA football champs
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Clairton's Dakota Halcomb kisses the trophy after defeating Southern Columbia. -
Clairton's Dakota Halcomb bites a large Hershey's bar after defeating Southern Columbia at Hersheypark Stadium. -
Clairton's Tyler Boyd runs for a touchdown.
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HERSHEY, Pa. -- The Clairton High School football team set a record for the longest winning streak in WPIAL history, winning its third consecutive PIAA championship in the process.
Clairton defeated Southern Columbia, 35-19, in the PIAA Class A title game at Hersheypark Stadium this afternoon.
It was the 47th win in a row for Clairton. The Bears broke the WPIAL record of 46 wins, set by Braddock in the 1950s. Clairton also became the first WPIAL team to win three consecutive PIAA titles.
Clairton led at halftime, 21-12, thanks to three big plays.
Terrish Webb got behind the Southern Columbia defense and turned a pass from Capri Thompson into an 88-yard touchdown pass.
After Southern Columbia's Tyler Levan scored on a 5-yard run with 5:57 left in the half, Webb and Thompson struck again one minute later. Webb turned a 20-yard pass into a 65-yard touchdown play. The two-point conversion pass failed and Clairton led, 14-6, with 4:57 left in the half.
Southern Columbia came back and made it 14-12, driving 80 yards in nine plays for a score. Matt Moore capped the drive with a 3-yard touchdown run with 1:47 left in the half. The two-point conversion pass failed.
After the ensuing kickoff, Clairton took over at its own 36. A few plays later, the Bears struck with another big play. Clairton tried a double pass with quarterback Capri Thompson throwing backward to Tyler Boyd, who was going to throw downfield. But Boyd couldn't find a receiver, so Boyd took off running. He gained 55 yards before going out of bounds at the 1-yard line.
Reuben Kelley scored a touchdown on the next play and Trenton Coles kicked the extra point to make it 21-12 left in the half.
Southern Columbia scored on the final play of the third quarter on a 5-yard touchdown pass from Brad Fegley to Matt Moore. The extra-point kick brought Southern Columbia, 21-19.
Boyd scored on runs of 78 and 68 yards in the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach.
First Published December 16, 2011 12:00 am
