Central Catholic pulls away from Pine-Richland in heavyweight bout
Tagged under: District 7, Gameday Hub, News, pfn
Stone Manges | September 12, 2026
The Pittsburgh Central Catholic Vikings defeated the Pine-Richland Rams 48-24 in a battle between the top two teams in 5 and 6A in the WPIAL on September 11th, 2026.
In the first half, both offensive units had their explosiveness on display. The Rams got on the board first with a field goal from Landon Brown on their first offensive drive, but the Vikings answered quickly. Chrys Black Jr. punched it in the endzone for his first of three touchdowns to put Central Catholic on top 7-3. Pine-Richland responded accordingly though, thanks to their four-star receiver Khalil Taylor. Taylor hauled in a sixty-yard touchdown from Aaron Strader and gave the Rams the lead 10-7.
The back and forth theme continued throughout the rest of the first half. Both teams failed to score on their next two drives, but the Vikings answered early in the second quarter.
Viking quarterback Owen Herrick connected with Zach Gleason out of the break and gave Central Catholic the lead 14-10 two minutes into the new frame. Both defensive units began to take control as the second quarter went on. Four consecutive punts were laced into the Hazelwood sky before we got another score.
Following a Manny Regus fumble recovery for Central Catholic, the Vikings took the ball down the field and found the endzone thanks to Roman Thompson to extend the lead. Thompson’s score was the first of three in just over two and a half minutes of game time. Taylor took the kickoff back ninety-nine yard for a Ram touchdown to make it a one score game, but the Vikings regained their two score advantage after a series of quick throws from Herrick. Connor Melnik snagged a pass fifty-four seconds later and put Central Catholic up 27-17 with under ninety seconds to play in the first half.
With the way the offenses had traded blows late in the half it looked like Pine-Richland was going to score right before the quarters end, but the Vikings had other plans. With two seconds left in the second quarter, and the ball spotted on their own one yard line, Central Catholic denied the Rams of a late score and took their ten point lead into the locker room.
Out of the break, the Rams had some work to do. After two punts, Strader kept it himself and ran it eighty-seven yard to the house to make it a three point game, 27-24, with about 4 minutes gone in the quarter. Central Catholic slammed the door on the Rams the rest of the game though, and began to pull away from here on out.
Thompson took a wildcat snap to the endzone from inside the Ram ten-yard line to again make it a two score game. The Vikings got another score, this time on special teams as Black made a house call with under two to play in the third. Black added on another score midway through the fourth quarter to secure a Central Catholic victory, 48-24, in a giant week three clash.
The Vikings (3-0) hosts Norwin next Friday, and the Rams (2-1) travel to Mt. Lebanon looking to get back in the win column.
