This time last year, Montour and Aliquippa put on one of the most memorable battles in recent memory, with the Spartans coming out on top following a go-ahead touchdown and 2-point conversion in the final minute to beat the Quips for the first time in 38 years.
Things were a little different this time around, with Montour playing in enemy territory at Aliquippa’s vaunted Heinz Field — affectionately known as The Pit — while getting shut out in the first half with a first-year starter under center in sophomore Brandon Bennett.
The second half, though, told a much different story.
By the time this one was over, Bennett had racked up 220 total yards and three TDs, leading the Spartans (6-3, 3-1) to a crucial 34-20 comeback victory over the Class 4A No. 3 Quips to break open a four-way tie at the top of the always-loaded Parkway Conference standings.
“I give all the credit to the O-line. They came out strong,” Bennett said. “First time ever playing here, it was a great experience, nice atmosphere. Their crowd was definitely crazy. But our sideline, our players, and our student section, they held it down for us.”
This is the third year in a row Montour has had a different player starting at quarterback, with former PUP all-star Jake Wolfe starring for the Spartans in 2023 before Trey Hopper took the reins in 2024. Now, it’s Bennett’s time to shine — and based on the looks of Friday’s performance, his future is only going to get brighter from here.
“He seized that moment,” said Montour coach Lou Cerro.
As for the Quips, starting quarterback Marques Council was ruled out for the season earlier in the week due to a knee injury, forcing standout wide receiver Qa’lil Goode to make the permanent shift to quarterback. Goode appeared to have a 50-yard touchdown run that would have given Aliquippa a 14-0 lead late in the first half, but it was called back due to a holding penalty.
“Don’t feel sorry for us,” said Quips coach Mike Warfield. “Their quarterback played a really good game. He’s a little bit more slippery than I thought.”
Forced to shift to a run-heavy approach, Aliquippa still controlled the line of scrimmage and leaned on its defense to dominate the tempo of the game early on. The Quips marched right down the field on their opening drive, with Cleaster Longmire punching in a 1-yard TD run to open the scoring after a 42-yard run by J.J. Work on Aliquippa’s first play from scrimmage.
Neither team would muster any offense for the remainder of the half, though, as the Quips took a 7-0 lead into the break.
After coming out of the locker rooms to start the second half, Bennett gathered the rest of his teammates while taking the field and made sure they were ready to make up for their lackluster effort in the first half.
Boy, did they ever.
Following an Aliquippa punt, it only took two plays for Bennett to find Zander Stern wide open up the seam for a game-tying 35-yard TD pass midway through the third quarter. Moments later, Dylan Rogers blocked and recovered a punt in the end zone to give the Spartans their first lead of the game, 13-7.
“The blocked punt turned the game around. I was not expecting that,” Cerro said. “We knew after halftime, we had some chances there. We just couldn’t put it all together. We challenged our team to do that, and they did. You beat Aliquippa on their home field, it’s a big win for the program.”
The Quips started the final quarter with a go-ahead 3-yard TD run by Akiva Woods, but that was only the beginning of this wild back-and-forth fourth. Montour responded with another TD pass from Bennett to Stern on a seam route, this one from 58 yards out, to take a 19-14 lead. Then, Raymond Miller returned the ensuing kickoff for an 80-yard TD to put
Aliquippa back on top, 20-19.
That would be the Quips’ final tally in this one, though, as Bennett’s 23-yard TD run gave the Spartans a 27-20 lead they would never relinquish, followed by a 37-yard TD run by Caden Halajcio for the final nail in the coffin.
Now, Aliquippa must win at Ambridge next week in the regular-season finale just to clinch a playoff berth — imagine that? — while Montour will play at West Allegheny for a chance to claim at least a share of the Parkway Conference crown.
“Last year was probably one of the games of the year in [Class] 4A against Aliquippa, and then we went out the next week and we played like crap,” Cerro said. “We can’t do that. We have to be a consistent football team against a very good football team in West A.”
Steve is a sports writer at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at srotstein@unionprogress.com.
