Pittsburgh Central Catholic's Stout Defense Limits North Allegheny in Clash of Powerhouses
Pittsburgh Central Catholic (5-1) and North Allegheny (5-1) are two of the most respected and storied football programs in the entire WPIAL, and they happen to both be in Class-6A which guarantees one matchup per season.
In fact, on top of the annual regular season showdown, the two teams have met each other in the WPIAL Championship each of the past three years and four out of the last five seasons.
While those championships still hold weight, all of that went out of the door when the Vikings traveled to Wexford to take on the Tigers in the series’ newest rendition on Friday night.
North Allegheny started the game with the ball but nearly gave up a pick-six when Pittsburgh Central Catholic linebacker Colsen Gatten (Duke commit) jumped in front of a Brady Brinkley pass, but it bounced off of his hands and fell to the ground.
While Gatten failed to haul in the potential interception, it helped the Vikings’ defense force a quick punt on the game’s opening drive.
Each team traded punts through a majority of the first quarter as neither offense could get much going until a short punt from the Tigers gave the Vikings the ball in plus territory.
On the first play of the drive, Vikings’ running back Chrys Black Jr. busted through the line and got all the way down to the Tigers’ 15-yard line before he was finally wrestled to the ground.
Black’s long run set up the game’s first touchdown just a few plays later when fellow running back Roman Thompson (Penn State target) punched it into the end zone from about five yards out with just two seconds left in the opening quarter.
Following Thompson’s touchdown, the defenses settled back into the swing of the game and forced punt after punt.
That continued until a short Vikings’ punt gave the Tigers great starting field position past midfield. The advantageous start to the drive led to a 28-yard field goal from Ethan Maravich with 3:36 left in the half.
Pittsburgh Central Catholic took a 7-3 lead into the locker rooms at halftime.
The Vikings came out of the locker room and used a long kickoff return that set the offense up past midfield to extend their lead.
Following the second half kickoff, Vikings’ quarterback Owen Herrick found wide receiver Aiden Nasiadka for a long catch-and-run down to the Tigers’ 11-yard line.
Nasiadka’s long play set Thompson up for his second touchdown of the night, which he rushed in on the very next play.
The Vikings again extended its lead later in the third quarter when sophomore running back Jayden Alexander found his way through the middle of the trenches before hitting the jets for a 53-yard touchdown.
While the Tigers would add a 25-yard field goal from Maravich in the fourth quarter, the Vikings’ defense held strong throughout and allowed them to leave enemy territory with the win and bragging rights.
Despite the result of Friday’s contest, a date in the WPIAL Championship just 50 days from now, is likely on the horizon for Pittsburgh Central Catholic and North Allegheny.
