| Date/Time: |
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| Location: |
Canon-McMillan
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| Score: |
39-18
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| Winner: |
McKeesport |
McKeesport rolls past Mt. Lebanon
By: JoAnne Klimovich Harrop
Penalties briefly halted the McKeesport offense Friday. Mt. Lebanon had no such luck.
McKeesport scored at will with a triple-option offense, didn't punt until midway through the third quarter and accumulated 456 yards of offense in a 39-18 victory in the WPIAL Class AAAA semifinals at Canon-McMillan Memorial Stadium.
No. 6 McKeesport (10-2) will play Woodland Hills, which defeated Central Catholic in the other semifinal, in the WPIAL Class AAAA championship game next Saturday at Heinz Field. The title game will be a repeat of the 1999 game, which Woodland Hills won.
"We did the same things we always do," said McKeesport coach George Smith, whose team had five penalties for 44 yards. "I have good players who are fast and who run the option well. There are times, I don't even know who has the ball."
That's because McKeesport quarterback Dan Kopolovich has it nearly perfected. He and the Tigers took the opening drive and went 73 yards on seven plays, capped by a 27-yard run by Travis McBride with 7:57 to play in the first quarter. McBride finished with 154 yards on 13 carries and two touchdowns. He has rushed for 1,407 yards and 23 touchdowns this season for a McKeesport offense which came into the game leading Quad-A in scoring.
But the Tigers have played well on defense, too, especially in recent games.
"Good defense is what gets a team to Heinz Field, " Smith said. "We stopped them when we had to. The only thing I was upset about was our return coverage."
McKeesport allowed No. 7 Mt. Lebanon (8-4) several long kick returns, but the Blue Devils could not capitalize on the good field position. McKeesport did a good job keeping the ball for long periods. When McBride scored a second touchdown on a 19-yard run at the 3:57 mark of the first quarter, the Tigers had the ball for a good part of the quarter. McKeesport did miss an extra-point attempt and a two-point conversion after both McBride scores.
Smith said McBride can find a way to score and is usually Kopolovich's first option.
"Learning the option takes a lot of practice, but I am fortunate to have so many good player around me who make it easier," said Kopolovich, who rushed for 106 yards on 12 carries. "They make me look good. My line also gives me time to throw."
Mt. Lebanon quarterback Nick Till was rushed out of the pocket on several occasions. He was able to complete nine of 15 passes for 119 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdowns. Till came into the game having thrown for 965 yards and seven touchdowns. The Blue Devils scored their only first-half points on a 25-yard field goal by Steve Stombaugh with 11:57 to go in the second quarter.
Kopolovich answered with a touchdown when he scored on a 1-yard run for a third McKeesport touchdown. McKeesport got a pair of scores on runs of 25- and 4 yards from fullback Anthony Leonard.
The situation didn't get much better in the second half for Mt. Lebanon.
Mt. Lebanon fumbled the kickoff and had to begin a drive from its 7-yard line. Mt. Lebanon intended to punt but did a fake punt and got the ball to the 50-yard line. But Leonard batted down a Nick Till pass with eight minutes to play in the third quarter.
McKeesport didn't punt until the 5:26 mark of the third quarter.
The Mercy Rule went into effect at the 30-second mark left in the third period. Mt. Lebanon got a touchdown on a 26-yard pass from Till that was tipped but fell into the hands of Dave Kleifgen with 10:44 left in the game. The clock continued to run. Kopolovich and most of the starters didn't play the final eight minutes of the fourth quarter.
Mt. Lebanon added another score on a touchdown when Till completed an 11-yard pass to Derek Jancisin.
"Their offense is very good," Mt. Lebanon coach Chris Haering said. "They have so many talented players. No matter what offense they run, they would be good at it. (Kopolovich) is an excellent athlete.
"I am proud of my guys. They stuck together through some tough times this season and continued to believe." |
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