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NORTH ALLEGHENY VARSITY FOOTBALL

File Photo by Al Durick, Portraits Plus Studio

FIVE TIGERS NAMED TO ALL-QUAD NORTH TEAM

Five Tigers made the Quad-North All-Conference first team as named by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.  Senior Chris Rogers was selected to the Associated Press All-State second team defense.

On offense, senior center J.T. Mylan, senior tight end Chris Rogers, and junior halfback Andrew McMillen were chosen as first team selections.  On defense, junior nose guard Wade Wolowiec and senior linebacker Josh Zunic were first team picks.

The all conference selections are listed below:

CLASS AAAA QUAD NORTH

OFFENSE

DEFENSE

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*WPIAL CLASS AAAA PLAYOFFS*

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McMILLEN LEADS TIGERS OVER NORWIN, 35-0, IN SEASON FINALE

by Don Vandergrift

To listen to a replay of the game, click here!

Junior halfback Andrew McMillen rushed for over 200 yards, scored a pair of touchdowns, and went over 1,000 yards rushing for the season as he led the Tigers to a 35-0 victory over Norwin at Newman Stadium on Friday night.  Senior running back Josh Zunic scored twice and junior QB Andrew Krewatch raced 36 yards for another touchdown as the Tigers finished their season with a 3-7 record.

After the teams exchanged punts following the opening kickoff, Norwin took over at their 23.  Sophomore quarterback T.J. Salopek ran for 12 yards and a first down on a keeper to the Norwin 25.  Junior tailback Zach Miller ran three successive plays and picked up a first down at the 49.  The NA defense stiffened and junior free safety Craig Howarth broke up a third down pass, and the Knights were forced to punt.  After senior Mike Petrasek returned the punt to the NA 13, the Tigers went on an 87-yard drive to take the lead.  After McMillan got 18 and a first down at the 33, a personal foul penalty against Norwin moved the ball to the NA 48.  On second down, Krewatch found senior WR Chris Huber for 14 yards and another first down to the Knights’ 38.  After McMillen lost a yard, senior running back Dan Bartos picked up five to the 34.  McMillen then broke through the right side and outran the Norwin defenders for the first score of the game.  After a motion call on the extra point, senior PK Lee House’s extra point attempt was wide left, but the Tigers had a 6-0 lead with 1:04 left in the quarter.  After the kickoff was returned to the 25, Norwin gained two yards on two plays.  On third down, McMillen broke through to sack Salopek as the first quarter ended with NA on top, 6-0.

On the first play of the second quarter, Norwin punter Rick Stevey punted the ball out of bounds at the Norwin 36, a kick of only 11 yards.  NA made the Knights pay as Krewatch, after a great fake to McMillen, kept the ball and ran around the left side for 36 yards.  After another motion call against the Tigers on the extra point, senior running back Josh Zunic ran in the two-point conversion from eight yards out to give NA a 14-0 advantage.  After the kickoff, Salopek was sacked twice, forcing the Knights to punt again.  The punt was fumbled by the Tigers, and Norwin recovered at the NA 34.  After Miller got five yards to the 29, Zunic broke through to sack Salopek for a loss of 8.  On fourth down, Salopek’s pass fell incomplete as the NA defense held.

The Tigers began a 63-yard scoring drive, exclusively on the ground, as the NA offensive line began to control the game.  Zunic got ten and a first down, and Bartos followed with gains of 4 and 16 as NA moved to the Norwin 32.  It was Zunic for six, Bartos for three more, and Krewatch for three and a first down at the 20.  Zunic then took over, gaining seven and three, before blasting into the end zone from ten yards out.  House added the point, and NA had a 21-0 lead with 3:46 left in the half.  After the kickoff was returned to the Norwin 37, the Knights gained only two yards in three plays and had to punt again.  Starting at the NA 24, the Tigers started another long drive.  Krewatch hit senior TE Chris Rogers for seventeen yards and a first down at the 41.  Krewatch then found Bartos out of the backfield for 12 more and a first down at the Norwin 47.  After a short pass to sophomore Billy Knight picked up four, Bartos ran for five and fourteen to give NA a first down at the Norwin 24.  Zunic broke through and ran to the Knights’ 9, and the Tigers had a first and goal.  After an incomplete pass, Zunic ran over the right side into the end zone, but the Tigers were called on a motion penalty, nullifying the score.  It marked the third time this season that Zunic had a touchdown called back.  Two incomplete passes ended the scoring threat and Norwin took over at the 13.  Three plays lost five yards as the half ended.  The teams went to the intermission with NA holding the 21-0 advantage.

After the second half kickoff, McMillen picked up a pair of first downs on runs of 12 and eleven yards before the drive stalled forcing Krewatch to punt.  After the punt went into the end zone, the Knights started at their own 20.  After senior running back Justin Parry was stopped for no gain, Zunic sacked Salopek at the 16 for a loss of 4.  On third down, Rogers and Zunic broke through to sack Salopek again for a loss of seven at the Norwin 9.  Stevey was forced to punt from the end zone and bounced the ball out of bounds at the NA 43.  A Tiger fumble gave the ball back to the Knights at the Norwin 49, but the Tiger defense stopped Norwin on three plays.  Stevey’s punt was fair caught by Krewatch at the NA 20.  After Bartos got four and Zunic five more, Krewatch’s quarterback sneak picked up a first down at the 32.  McMillen picked up eighteen and another first down at midfield.  On the next play, McMillen broke through the right side again and rambled 50 yards for his second TD of the game.  House converted and the Tiger lead went to 28-0 with 2:01 remaining on the third quarter clock.  After the kickoff was returned to the Norwin 39, the Knights went three and out and were ready to punt when the quarter ended.

As the fourth quarter began, Norwin coach Tim McCabe sent out sophomore Jon Salmon to punt.  The kick went out of bounds at the NA 38.  Once again the Tigers began a long scoring drive, exclusively on the ground.  After Bartos picked up nine, McMillen went to work, gaining 18 and five yards on successive plays to move the ball to the Norwin 30.  Zunic got 11, Bartos 8, McMillen one, and Krewatch a first and goal at the Knights’ seven.  After Zunic gained four to the three-yard line, the Tiger senior picked up the final three and a score.  House again converted and the Tiger lead went to 35-0, invoking the mercy rule with 7:59 left in the game.  After the kickoff, the NA defense held again, forcing another Norwin punt. The Tigers took over at the NA 36, with McMillen needing yardage to reach the 1,000-yard mark.  Four straight carries by the Tiger junior gained 33 yards, enough to reach the goal.  In the process, the Tigers moved the ball to the Norwin 22 yard line.  After a time out, Coach Jim Rankin sent his second-team offense on the field to finish out the game.  The Tigers could not pick up a first down, and the game ended with Norwin at their 23. 

It was a positive ending for a frustrating season for the Tigers.  Injuries, mistakes, and penalties hurt the NA chances throughout the year, but on Friday night, the Tigers were able to put it all together for a season ending win.  The Tigers dominated the game throughout the evening, with the powerful ground attack responsible for posting the biggest offensive output of the season.  With the exception of an early drive that netted two first downs, the Tiger defense stifled the Knights, registering seven sacks in the process.  For his outstanding achievement, the North Allegheny Sports Network selected Andrew McMillen as the Player of the Game.

The Tigers ended the season with a record of 3-7, but the big win in the season finale should act as a good springboard into the 2004 season.  Coach Rankin has a number of quality players returning for next season as the Tigers will try to rebound back into the playoffs.  Thanks to all our Tiger fans for supporting the broadcasts on the North Allegheny Sports Network!  See you next year!

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY – 35  NORWIN – 0

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

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QUAD NORTH FINAL STANDINGS

* - Clinched playoff spot

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE
Rankings as of 11/3/03

CLASS AAAA

PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Rankings as of 10/26/03

CLASS AAAA

NSN SPORTS
Rankings as of 11/4/03

CLASS AAAA - PLAYOFF TEAMS

NSN PIAA RANKINGS - CLASS AAAA
as of 11/3/03

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WPIAL FOOTBALL - 2003

The Tigers will compete again in Class AAAA, along with 27 other teams.  Championship play will begin in the tenth week (Oct. 31-Nov. 1) with entry of four teams in each section as determined by the WPIAL tie breaker system and culminate with the four classification championships at Heinz Field on Saturday (tentatively) November 22, 2003.  The WPIAL tie breaker system will be used to determine section championship, play off entry, play off placement and home field assignment where applicable.  If teams tie in section record for the section championship, they will be declared co-champions and both will receive a section plaque.  Non-section games will not be considered in the tie breaker system.

The WPIAL tie breaker system will use the following criteria in the order listed:

1.  Section record
2.  Head to head competition
3.  Gardner Point System
4.  Point differential (10pts. + or -)
5.  Coin flip

In the event of a multiple tie (more than two teams) for playoff position, head to head will be the first determinant.  If head to head does not break the tie, the tiebreaker will be Gardner points.  If Gardner points fail to break the tie, the plus or minus point differential will be used.  Failure to break the tie by these methods will result in a coin flip.  In any instance where it may apply, the system will revert back to head to head to break a tie.  The WPIAL tie breaker system will be employed until the appropriate number of qualifiers is achieved.

Note:

Games interrupted must be continued from the point of interruption and completed.

National Federation tiebreaker rules must be applied to all games tied at the end of regulation.

WPIAL FOOTBALL ALIGNMENT

QUAD A - 28 TEAMS (470 and above)

Any questions or comments should be directed to Athletic Director Bob Bozzuto at:  bbozzuto@northallegheny.org