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NORTH ALLEGHENY VARSITY FOOTBALL

File Photo Courtesy of Larry McMillen

HOWARTH, APEL NAMED TO PG-NORTH FABULOUS 22

Seniors Craig Howarth and Joe Apel were selected to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Fabulous 22 football all-stars.  Howarth had a team high 100 tackles, 51 solo and two blocked punts on the defensive side of the ball.  On offense, Howarth was the Tigers' leading rusher with 704 yards on 100 carries and scored 10 TDs.  Apel was an outstanding blocker on offense and had three sacks as a starter on defense.

CONGRATULATIONS TO CRAIG AND JOE!!!!

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE
P-G NORTH FABULOUS 22

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TIGERS PLACE THREE ON ALL-CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM

Three Tigers were selected to the Class AAAA Quad North All-Conference First Team as announced by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.  Senior Joe Apel was named to the first team offense at guard while seniors Ryan Rylands at defensive line and Craig Howarth at linebacker were chosen for the defensive squad.

CONGRATULATIONS TO JOE, RYAN AND CRAIG!!!

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE
CLASS AAAA QUAD NORTH
ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM

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WPIAL PLAYOFFS - QUAD A

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McKEESPORT ENDS TIGER SEASON WITH 48-0 VICTORY OVER NA

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

By Don Vandergrift

The McKeesport Tigers scored on their first seven possessions to hand the Tigers of NA a 48-0 defeat in the first round of the WPIAL playoffs at McKeesport on Friday night.  McKeesport took advantage of four NA fumbles and an interception to take a 35-0 lead at halftime.  The Tigers could never get started against a tough McKeesport defense as they bowed out of the playoffs.

McKeesport gave an indication of things to come when they scored on a four-play 63-yard drive after taking the opening kickoff.  Junior Warren Waite picked up fifteen yards to the NA 45, junior fullback Anthony Leonard added 14 more to the 26, and junior Travis McBride took it the rest of the way.  Senior kicker Keith Hasselhoff kicked the point and McKeesport was off and running with a 7-0 lead just 2:02 into the game.  After junior Bill Knight returned the kickoff thirteen yards to the NA 17, the Tigers were held to two yards in three plays.  Senior punter Mike Nypaver was knocked down after getting the punt off, the 15-yard roughing the kicker penalty moved the ball to the NA 34.  After senior HB Josh Cipkala-Gaffin gained three, sophomore Marek Lapinski gained 12 and a first down at the NA 49.  After two plays lost two yards, a screen pass from senior QB Andrew Krewatch to senior halfback Craig Howarth gained nineteen and another first down at the McKeesport 34.  Howarth then gained three and Lipinski seven more in two carries as NA moved the sticks again with a first down at the McKeesport 24.  The Tiger drive bogged down at this point.  A motion penalty cost NA five yards and another screen pass to Howarth was stopped for no gain.  A pass to senior John Woodruff gained twelve to the McKeesport 17.  It would be the closest NA came to the McKeesport goal in the game.  After Lipinski was tackled at the line of scrimmage, the Tigers were faced with a fourth and three.   After an NA time out, the Tigers were called for another motion penalty.  On fourth and long, Krewatch’s pass was broken up at the McKeesport ten.  As the quarter ran out, McKeesport picked up a first down on a pass from junior QB Dan Kopolovich to wide receiver Jermale Cromerdie at the McKeesport 32.

Early in the second quarter, McKeesport struck again.  A run by Waite picked up a first down at the NA 48, and on the next play, Kopolovich found senior SE Trey Allen open on a 48-yard scoring strike.  The conversion failed when the snap was fumbled, but McKeesport had a 13-0 advantage just 1:13 into the second quarter.  From this point on, the Tigers had big problems.  After senior Steve Guzzetti returned the kickoff 23 yards to the 30, Howarth gained nine and Lapinski got an NA first down at the NA 45.  After the Tigers fumbled and recovered after a loss of one, Krewatch’s pass was tipped and intercepted by defensive lineman Larry Green.  The 6-4, 296 pound senior rambled to the NA 33 before he was dragged down.  After two plays gained two yards, McBride took an option pitch around the left side and went into the end zone untouched.  McKeesport went for two, and McBride ran the right end for the conversion to give McKeesport a 21-0 lead.  After senior Kyle Allis returned the kickoff to the 21, NA fumbled the ball and Matt McClellan returned the ball to the NA 21. Sophomore RB Marek Lipinski was injured on the play and did not return.  On first down, senior fullback Steve Kondrosky took it the distance and the rout was on.  Hasselhoff’s kick made it 28-0 with 7:13 remaining in the half.  After the ensuing kickoff, Cipkala-Gaffin gained nine on first down, and a face mask penalty gave NA a first down at their own 41.  Another false start penalty and two running plays left the Tigers with a 3^rd and long.  Krewatch was then sacked for a five-yard loss, and Nypaver punted to the McKeesport 36 with 2:53 remaining.  After Waite gained ten to the 46, McBride got loose for another 14 to the NA 40.  A pass to Cromerdie moved the ball to the Tiger 29, and McBride picked up another first down at the NA 17.  Kopolovich dropped back and hit junior TE Anthony Becorte in the end zone for another McKeesport touchdown.  Hasselhoff converted and McKeesport held a 35-0 advantage with just 1:29 remaining.  After sophomore Jeff Kroll returned the kickoff to the 30, McKeesport was hit with a personal foul to advance the ball to the NA 45.   Three plays lost a yard as time ran out.  McKeesport went to the intermission with a commanding 35-0 lead.

The second half began with the mercy rule in effect.  The clock was stopped only on scoring plays, time outs, and injuries.  After the kickoff went across the goal line, NA took over at its own 20.  After Howarth picked up a yard, sophomore Tim Lotz gained nine and first down at the 30.  Lotz then picked up 13 more and another first down at the Tiger 43.  After Howarth got eight on first down, the Tigers fumbled and McKeesport recovered at the NA 38.  Six plays later and McKeesport was on the board again, this time on a 16-yard run by McBride, his third score of the game.  Hasselhoff’s kick made it a 42-0 McKeesport lead at the 5:08 mark of the third quarter.  After the ensuing kickoff was returned by Kroll to the NA 29, Krewatch hit Knight on a third down pass good for 27 yards and a first down to the McKeesport 45.  Lotz picked up eleven yards in two plays and NA had another first down at the McKeesport 32.  On first down, the Tigers fumbled again with McKeesport finally falling on the ball at the 50.  On the first play, Kopolovich faked to his fullback, rolled to the left and cut back down the middle to go 50 yards untouched as the McKeesport lead went to 48-0.  Coach George Smith decided enough was enough as Kopolovich took a knee on the extra point attempt.  The quarter ended with NA in a second and three at their own 23.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, Howarth broke through off the right side and gained 29 yards and a first down at the McKeesport 45.  Cipkala-Gaffin got 7 on first down, and Howarth gained seven more and a first down at the McKeesport 31.  Two running plays and an incomplete pass gained little yardage.  On fourth and ten, Krewatch hit Knight over the middle, but the junior receiver was stopped short of a first down and McKeesport took over at their own 23.  Both coaches inserted bench players at this time and neither team threatened as time ran out.  McKeesport will move on to the quarterfinals against Upper St. Clair with an impressive 48-0 victory.

For the NA Tigers, it was a night of frustration.  Six fumbles, four lost, and an interception made for a long night for the Tigers.  A few bright spots, however, were the running of Lapinski, who gained 59 yards before being injured, and Howarth, who continued his consistent play, gaining 61 yards on 13 carries.  Krewatch completed 7 of 13 passes.  For his work in the game and throughout the season, the North Allegheny Sports Network selected Marek Lipinski as the Player of the Game. 

The Tigers were never in the game.  Coach Rankin summed it up in a few short words.  “We were never able to stop them!”  McBride gained 105 yards on only nine carries while Kopolovich completed four of five passes for 88 yards and two touchdowns.  McKeesport outgained NA, 353-195, in a long night for NA and Tiger fans.  Even the weather was miserable with rain falling for much of the game.

The loss gave the Tigers a final overall record of 4-6.  Coach Jim Rankin has been thinking about retirement from teaching and will make a final decision later in the year.  If he retires, we wish him good luck in the future.  The North Allegheny Sports Network would like to thank all of our loyal listeners on the internet.  Don’t forget that we are still broadcasting other NA teams in the playoffs and plan to have a complete schedule of winter sports broadcasts.

GAME SUMMARY
McKEESPORT – 48  NORTH ALLEGHENY – 0

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

GAME STATISTICS
Courtesy of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

WPIAL QUAD A FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

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QUAD NORTH STANDINGS
FINAL STANDINGS

* - qualified for WPIAL playoffs

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PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
CLASS AAA
as of 10/24/04

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE
CLASS AAAA
as of 10/25/04

MSA SPORTS
CLASS AAAA
as of 10/26/04

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WPIAL FOOTBALL - 2004

The Tigers will compete again in Class AAAA along with 22 other teams.  Championship play will begin in the tenth week (Oct. 29-30) with a sixteen team bracket in each classification as detailed below and determined by the WPIAL tie breaker system.  The tournament will culminate with the four classification championships at Heinz Field (tentatively) on Saturday, November 20, 204.  The WPIAL tiebreaker system will be used to determine section championship, play off entry, bracket 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 tiebreaker system.  In AAAA football, Sections 1 and 2 will qualify six (6) teams to the post season and AAAA Section 3 will qualify four (4) teams.

The WPIAL football tiebreaker 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 (10 pts. + 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 where it may apply, the system will revert back to head to head to break a tie.  The WPIAL tiebreaker system will be employed until the appropriate number of qualifiers is achieved.

Note:

WPIAL assigned 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 - 23 teams (534 and above)

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