PUP WPIAL Playoffs Week 2 Rewind (Class 2A/1A): Sensational sophomore Brandon Murphy helps No. 2 Clairton stave off upset bid by No. 10 Jeannette

As Jeannette kicker McAlister Steele’s 41-yard field goal sailed through the uprights, Clairton coach Wayne Wade said he could feel his team take notice.

The Bears, facing the Jayhawks in the first quarter of a WPIAL Class 1A quarterfinal playoff game Friday night, had not conceded a point since Aug. 22 when Imani Christian scored 19 in a Week 0 loss to one of Class 3A’s WPIAL title contenders.

Clairton’s dominance to that moment included nine consecutive shutout victories in which the Bears had outscored their competition by 519 points to earn the second seed in the Class 1A postseason.

“Everybody kind of looked around and felt some type of way that we had given up some points,” Wade said.

Then, eventually, something else began to take over.

Clairton would go on to concede 17 uncharacteristic second-quarter points before turning to its power running game in the second half to stave off an upset bid by No. 10 seed Jeannette and emerge with a 38-33 victory at Franklin Regional High School.

“We showed our championship pedigree tonight to come out with the win,” Wade said. “Jeannette fought hard. Hats off to Jeannette.”

Deon Lovelace-Pompey carried the football 12 times for 92 yards and two first-half touchdowns to lead the Bears (11-1) rushing attack, while standout sophomore Brandon Murphy put his stamp on the game by adding the game-winning 1-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter before later recording an interception to put an end to the Jayhawks’ (8-4) final hope of scoring on the WPIAL’s most dominant defense.

“It’s definitely a lesson for us that we’ve got to come to play each week,” Wade said. “Nobody is going to lay down, and I don’t know if our guys were looking past this team. You’re talking about high school kids, and, even in college and the pros, you have that sometimes.

“We beat this team 57-0 last time,” he added. “The game was pretty much over at halftime. That was some of the reason I’m thinking that we were flat. That’s a mental thing. Hopefully we learn from it and put it behind us.”

Jeannette quarterback Kymon’e Brown completed 13 of 29 passes for 232 yards and three touchdowns while also rushing for 116 yards and a score on 11 carries.

Brown completed eight passes for 146 yards and two touchdowns to Jayce Powell.

After Clairton took a 14-3 lead out of the first quarter, Powell then made a touchdown reception of 68 yards before Steele chipped in a 19-yard field goal. When Brown crossed the end zone for the second time of the game, this time on a 24-yard reception, Jeannette suddenly found itself leading 20-14 in the second quarter.

“They started striking back with big plays, which we usually don’t give up, but, again, we showed our grit,” Wade said.

Rheyjon Williams would give the Bears the lead, 22-20, before halftime when he returned the ensuing kickoff 70 yards for a touchdown. Bears quarterback Jeff Thompson III then lengthened his team’s lead to 30-20 in the third quarter with a 2-yard touchdown run.

“We played against a good football team that came out and scrapped,” Wade said. “For us, everything that could’ve went wrong did. It was just a little flat. I don’t know if we were looking past this team, but we showed our grit and buckled down in the second half and did enough to win.”

And that’s due, in large part to Murphy.

Although Brown rushed for a 63-yard touchdown in the third quarter and connected with Noah Sunder for a 32-yard scoring strike in the fourth quarter, it was as close as Jeannette would get.

Wade said Murphy’s play on both sides of the football to score the game-winning touchdown and create the final turnover late in the fourth quarter was exceptional.

“Brandon Murphy is special,” Wade said. “He reminds me of those guys we had with those teams that had the streak. He’s just one of those ballplayers that just makes plays all day long on both sides of the ball. If a team wants to go at him, more power to you.”

If Clairton wants a chance to earn its fifth WPIAL championship under Wade, it will need to get past a familiar foe in No. 3 seed Bishop Canevin.

The teams will square off next Friday in the semifinals for the second straight season.

“We’ll wake up on Monday, ready to go, ready to prepare for Canevin and make it happen,” Wade said. “Hopefully we can get back to our dominance.”

More Class 1A quarterfinals

Top-seeded Fort Cherry rushed for 392 yards and five touchdowns to earn a 36-9 quarterfinal victory over No. 9 Neshannock Friday night at Gypsy Glenn Stadium in Beaver. Eli Salvini rushed for 206 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries, while quarterback Matt Sieg contributed 27 carries for 131 yards and two scores of his own. Christian Yanosko also chipped in 25 yards and a touchdown for the Rangers (12-0) against the Lancers (8-4).
Myontae Mott carried the football nine times for 161 yards and two touchdowns, as third-seeded Bishop Canevin overwhelmed No. 11 Frazier to the tune of a 50-7 quarterfinal victory at Canon-McMillan. Quarterback Damar Olds threw for 108 yards and a touchdown for the Crusaders (9-3), while also rushing for 47 yards and a score. Derek Diamond rushed for a team-high 122 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries for Frazier (7-5).
Kolton Carlson rushed for 116 yards and two touchdowns, while Jack Miles added 77 yards and two scores on the ground to lead No. 4 Laurel to a 40-21 win over No. 12 Chartiers-Houston at West Allegheny. Jacob McBride and Luca Santini each also rushed for touchdowns for Laurel (11-1), while Chartiers-Houston (8-4) quarterback Aaron Walsh threw for 177 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions, while also rushing for a team-high 54 yards.

Class 2A quarterfinals

Blaise Naraskivitch started things off with a 20-yard first-quarter interception return for a touchdown and No. 5 Washington never looked back as it streaked past No. 4 South Allegheny, 31-7, in a quarterfinal contest Friday night at Charleroi. The Prexies (10-2) also received a 23-yard interception return and 13-yard run for scores from Tristan Reed, while Jamarie Walker scored on a 2-yard run against the Gladiators (10-2). Jahvon Woods rushed for 121 yards on 11 carries for Washington.
Top-seeded Seton LaSalle scored 35 points during a dominant second quarter before emerging with a 42-7 victory over No. 8 Mohawk Friday night at Dormont Stadium. Sophomore running back Kymarr Freeman carried the football 17 times for 152 yards and two touchdowns for the Rebels (10-1), who also got 148 yards and two scores through the air from quarterback Kia Jones. Seton LaSalle’s Aaron Lorittis caught two passes for 109 yards and two touchdowns against Mohawk (6-6).
Wyatt Sparbanie rushed for 124 yards and three touchdowns, while quarterback Amari Marshall contributed 103 yards and two scores on the ground and 100 yards through the air to lead second-seeded Western Beaver to a 41-14 win over No. 7 Apollo Ridge. Braedyn Mayo also scored a touchdown for Western Beaver (10-1), while quarterback Alexander Clawson threw for 170 yards for Apollo-Ridge (8-4).
Da’Ron Barksdale carried the football 30 times for 213 yards and scored five of No. 3 Steel Valley’s six touchdowns, as the Ironmen earned a 42-6 victory over sixth-seeded Ellwood City Friday night at Campbell Field in Munhall. Steel Valley (8-3) quarterback Tyce Barren threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Jayden Franklin, while Ellwood City (7-5) got its lone score on a 3-yard run by Guilian Frisk.