Central Catholic Rolls Past North Allegheny

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Shane Lux | September 23, 2023

Wexford – The hype for the Central Catholic – North Allegheny game ended up much better than the game itself.

See the highlight video below for interviews with Vikings head coach Ryan Lehmeier and Cole Sullivan.

In one of the most hyped-up games across the Keystone State, Pittsburgh Central Catholic showed why it’s ranked 2nd in 6A on PaFootballNews.com. 

The Vikings, a team with abundant Division 1 talent, scored 35 of the game’s final 42 points and rolled to a 50-22 victory at North Allegheny’s Newman Stadium. 

With a crowd of around 10,000 spectators, the atmosphere was phenomenal, and early on, the game looked to be as well.

North Allegheny forced a three-and-out to begin the game and took the early lead when Tyree Alualu scored on a 3-yard run at the 7:03 mark, capping a 43-yard drive.

It also marked the first time Central Catholic had trailed in a game this season.

The deficit, however, would only last for a short time as Elijah Faulkner scored on a 30-yard run less than two minutes later.

A pair of Big Ten linebackers then helped usher the Vikings to lead late in the first stanza as Michigan-bound Cole Sullivan’s strip-sack of Tigers quarterback Logan Kushner and fumble recovery by Penn State commit Anthony Speca who returned the ball to the North Allegheny 13-yard line.

Three plays later, Faulkner scored on a 2-yard run. Elijah Faulkner rushed for a game-high 229 yards on 32 carries.

The Tigers tied the game at 15 with 7:21 to play in the first half when Kushner scored on a 26-yard scramble.

Central Catholic took control late in the first half, scoring two touchdowns in the final 3:30 on drives of 74 and 63 yards. 

Vikings quarterback Payton Wehner threw a pair of touchdown passes to Sullivan, covering 13 and ten yards as Central Catholic grabbed at 29-15 heading into the locker room. 

The Tigers then mishandled a punt, leading to Faulkner’s third touchdown of the night from a yard out with 4:10 to play in the third quarter. 

Early in the fourth quarter, Faulkner scored his fourth touchdown from five yards out. 

North Allegheny would score for the only time in the second half on Kushner’s 1-yard run at 8:15 to play – on their ensuing drive, Amari Shields raced 62 yards to cap the scoring for the Vikings. 

The Tigers will look to bounce back next Friday night when they host Pine-Richland.

Central Catholic will look to keep things rolling when Canon-McMillan comes to Oakland. 

Game Highlights:

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