Tigers Win Second State Title Since 1990

FROM DEAN BEERS

HERSHEY – LaSalle College High School was making its second trip to the PIAA State Football Championships in as many years this Saturday evening. They won State Gold last year, defeating State College 24-7.

North Allegheny was making its second trip. The last time was in 1990, when they defeated Ridley, 21-14. Their head coach, Art Walker Jr., is making a return trip. His former team, Pittsburgh Central Catholic, won a State Title in 2004 over Neshaminy.

He would coach his team to another golden football trophy as his team would win the P.I.A.A. Class 4A Championship 21-0 over LaSalle College.

The Explorers chance for a repeat wouldn’t start off so well. Junior running back Tim Wade would fumble a pass from junior quarterback Matt Magarity. The Tigers’ linebacker Kevin Cope would recover the ball at the LaSalle 40-yard line.

It would take North Allegheny 10 plays to score the first touchdown of the game. Senior quarterback Michael Buchert (13 rushes, 51 yards) would run 4 yards and a 7-0 Tiger lead.

Midway through the second quarter, LaSalle would try to answer back, driving to the Tiger 15-yard line.

But Tiger linebacker Seth Marx would intercept a Magarity pass at the North Allegheny 3-yard line. Marx would return the ball to the North Allegheny 15-line. But the Tigers could do nothing with their possession.

On the Tigers’ next possession, they would score just before halftime. They would drive 6-plays, and 71 yards as senior running back Matt Steinbeck (20 rushes, 120 yards) would scamper 27-yards to the endzone. His team would extend their lead 14-0.

The Explorers would try to cut the lead in half, but a second interception of Magarity, this time by Steinbeck would end those hopes. Steinback would return the ball 46 yards to the Explorer 23-yard line.

This would set up the Tigers’ third and final touchdown of the game. After an intentional grounding penalty on Buchert, Tigers’ wide receiver Brendan Coniker would complete a 30-yard pass to fellow wide receiver Dan Slivka, setting his team up at the Explorer 1-yard line.

From there, Buchert would put his team up 21-0 on his second touchdown of the game, a 1-yard touchdown run with 7:36 left in the third quarter.

After a series of an exchange of punts, LaSalle would make a try to put points on the board, driving to the Tiger 27-yard line.

But, Tiger linebacker Dan Slivka would intercept a Magarity pass at the North Allegheny 10-yard line. Slivka would return the ball to his own 35-yard line, with 5:32 to go in the game, pretty much ending LaSalle’s hopes of being a back-to-back state champion.

Magarity would finish the game completing 12 out of 26 passes, for 115 yards with three interceptions. LaSalle had a total of five turnovers in the game.

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