
Hittin’ The Road With Travelin’ Matt – Playoffs (Spartans, Wildcats, Jaguars & Vikings)
Tagged under: District 10, District 7, District 9, pfn, Playoffs
Matt Herring | November 20, 2024
Each week Travelin’ Matt traverses Pennsylvania attending the hottest high school football games
and best match ups in the Commonwealth. Follow his exploits each week
as he documents his journey from Week 0 to the Pennsylvania State Football Finals!
Thursday, November 14
4A HM Southern Lehigh (10-2) vs. 4A Bethlehem Catholic (6-6)
Friday, November 15
2A #8 Farrell (7-5) vs. 2A #2 Central Clarion (12-0)
Saturday, November 16
4A #2 Thomas Jefferson (12-0) vs. 4A #7 McKeesport (8-4)
6A #5 Pittsburgh Central Catholic (9-2) vs. 6A #7 North Allegheny (10-1)
ROUNDTRIP – 692 MILES
Thursday, November 14
Some weeks you’re the hammer and some weeks you’re the nail. For the past few weeks I’ve been on a roll attending numerous highly-competitive and down-to-the-last-second games. This week not so much…I was the nail.
Thursday I got my week started with the 4A District 11 championship contest featuring Southern Lehigh and Bethlehem Catholic. In this ultra-competitive district these two teams may have not been the most likely to participate in the medal game but both certainly earned their place having battled through several close games along the way.
Southern Lehigh would prevail as District champs largely on the back of their stalwart running back Sean Steckert who ran for three touchdowns and added another on a TD reception. Shout out to Southern Lehigh QB Colton Sams as well who broke the school single-season passing yards record on this night.
Check out some highlights from Southern Lehigh vs. Bethlehem Catholic…
61 yard TD by @ssteckert4@Becahi_Football – 0@SolehiSpartans – 14
2nd qtr 9:48@PaFootballNews @NittanyPete@CCHastings1863 @BPtashinski@LSVSports #playoffs #districtxi #highschoolfootballUpdates Sponsored by @SLUHNSportsMed pic.twitter.com/gxJdD8eeOv
— Ryan Scipio (@ScipScip) November 15, 2024
Big shot from @coltonsams5 to @Luke_Kawczenski breaks the @SolehiSpartans single season passing yards record for the Spartans @PaFootballNews @ScipScip pic.twitter.com/EBmnz3aekt
— CC Hastings (@CCHastings1863) November 15, 2024
8 yard TD from @coltonsams5 to @ssteckert4@Becahi_Football – 0@SolehiSpartans – 21
2nd qtr 0:21@PaFootballNews @NittanyPete@CCHastings1863 @BPtashinski@LSVSports #playoffs #districtxi #highschoolfootballUpdates Sponsored by @SLUHNSportsMed pic.twitter.com/vPiEyBYckb
— Ryan Scipio (@ScipScip) November 15, 2024
View the photo gallery from Southern Lehigh vs. Bethlehem Catholic…
Southern Lehigh Beats Bethlehem Catholic 28-7 – DXI Championship (Photo +Video Gallery) https://t.co/jgwFFHiu8j@SolehiSpartans @ssteckert4 @coltonsams5 @a_olesh8 @LucasSutyak @Luke_Kawczenski @Becahi_Football @Coach_Ward23 @Caydenfootball @cartervassa @JeziahGregory @ScipScip
— Pennsylvania Football News (@PaFootballNews) November 15, 2024
Friday, November 15
For my Friday night contest, I ventured to the nether reaches of Western PA to District 10 Farrell where the high school version of the Steelers hosted District 9 Central Clarion in a state playoff tilt. My first visit to Farrell was impressive as the school had recently refurbished the stadium complete with a massive video board, sound system, turn playing surface and bleachers. High marks to the Farrell school district for investing in a tremendous sports facility!
As for the game, it was all Central Clarion led by their do-it-all QB/DB Jase Ferguson. Wow, can this kid play football and he was all over the field accounting for two rushing touchdowns, two passing touchdowns and an interception on defense as well. Central Clarion did a number on host Farrell in a 41-6 thumping of the Steelers.
Check out some highlights from Farrell vs. Central Clarion…
TD saving defense by #4 Jesse Siwiecki, an unreal athletic play by @jase_ferguson1 ruled incomplete and an INT by Ferguson preserves a 14-6 advantage for @CentralClarion over @farrellfootball heading to the break HALFTIME @PaFootballNews pic.twitter.com/FNOXpd0yFC
— CC Hastings (@CCHastings1863) November 16, 2024
Dandy 66 yard dart from @jase_ferguson1 to Jesse Siwiecki puts @CentralClarion up 21-6 over @farrellfootball 3Q 11:09 @PaFootballNews pic.twitter.com/2VRtVEAHw4
— CC Hastings (@CCHastings1863) November 16, 2024
QB @jase_ferguson1 hits a 16 yard TD pass to Ethan Rex and it’s all @CentralClarion 28-6 over @farrellfootball 3Q 9:41 @PaFootballNews pic.twitter.com/hj2YWbsTvo
— CC Hastings (@CCHastings1863) November 16, 2024
Another Ethan Rex TD and @CentralClarion puts the mercy rule on @farrellfootball leading 41-6 4Q 11:00 @PaFootballNews pic.twitter.com/prTV00rUFq
— CC Hastings (@CCHastings1863) November 16, 2024
Saturday, November 16
Saturday I made my way south from Farrell to Norwin High School outside Pittsburgh for the District 7 WPIAL finals in both the 4A and 6A classifications.
The 4A matchup pitted undefeated Thomas Jefferson (12-0) vs. McKeesport in a regular season rematch that saw the two teams go to overtime before TJ got the victory. The second stanza in this rivalry was much more one-sided this time around as Thomas Jefferson raced out to an early advantage over McKeesport and didn’t look back in a 28-7 win to capture the 4A WPIAL crown.
Check out some highlights from Thomas Jefferson vs. McKeesport…
Seam pass from @KoskoLuke to @kooper_kamberis gets @TJHSJaguars moving and they cash in on a 3 yard @Tyler_Eber30 TD dash for a 7-0 advantage over @McKTigersFB 2Q 4:21 @PaFootballNews @PFN_Luxy pic.twitter.com/f4Ll4HICfV
— CC Hastings (@CCHastings1863) November 16, 2024
Brayden White 53 yd TD from Luke Kosko, Thomas Jefferson 14 McKeesport 0, 1:15 2nd, @KoskoLuke @AJWPIAL @Mia_WilliamsPT @AnnabelleA_PT @CCHastings1863 pic.twitter.com/Yd0x8WuKND
— Shane Lux (@PFN_Luxy) November 16, 2024
Eber 1 yd run, Thomas Jefferson 28 McKeesport 0, 9:04 4th, @AJWPIAL @CCHastings1863 @AnnabelleA_PT @Mia_WilliamsPT pic.twitter.com/527Cyg6oE2
— Shane Lux (@PFN_Luxy) November 16, 2024
4A WPIAL Champs @TJHSJaguars @PaFootballNews @PFN_Luxy pic.twitter.com/pGbpKK3dgK
— CC Hastings (@CCHastings1863) November 16, 2024
Watch a post-game interview with TJ TD maker Brayden White …
Post-game interview with Thomas Jefferson’s @brayden2white after TJ cliched their 10th WPIAL title with a 28-7 win over McKeesport@TJHSJaguars @PaFootballNews @AJWPIAL @AnnabelleA_PT @PFN_Luxy @KAR120C6 @Sykotyk @CCHastings1863 pic.twitter.com/Q6g8ggc6wT
— Mia Williams (@Mia_WilliamsPT) November 16, 2024
Check out the photo gallery from Thomas Jefferson vs. McKeesport…
WPIAL CHAMPIONSHIP SATURDAY PHOTOS: TJ V MCKEESPORT https://t.co/YY74x9VSBK@kosko_luke @tjhsjaguars @mcktigersf@wpial7 @brayden2white @tyler_eber30 @kooper_kamberis @turkshep @justinschmidt4 @57zanesable @bradyeastm15569 @kemonjones9 @aboyd2611 @cortezstinson0 @lil_crom
— Pennsylvania Football News (@PaFootballNews) November 17, 2024
The second game of the WPIAL doubleheader was a big school 6A contest featuring Pittsburgh Central Catholic vs. North Allegheny. It had been several years since powerhouse PCC had picked up the WPIAL hardware and the Vikings were looking for a repeat of their regular season matchup where they defeated NA 27-14.
PCC left nothing to be decided as they put 28 points up in the first quarter and didn’t look back en route to a convincing 45-14 mercy rule victory to win their first WPIAL District title since 2020.
Check out some highlights from Pittsburgh Central Catholic vs. North Allegheny…
QB @JyWalls15 calls his own number from 3 yards out for the TD and it’s 14-0 @PCC_FOOTBALL over @nafootball_tfl 1Q 6:49 @PaFootballNews @PFN_Luxy pic.twitter.com/1Wrng3qvBD
— CC Hastings (@CCHastings1863) November 16, 2024
QB @JyWalls15 hits a 47 yard strike to @MaceoWatkinsJr1 and three plays later @PCC_FOOTBALL gets the 13 yard TD pass to @Xxavier_Thomas for a 21-0 advantage over @nafootball_tfl 1Q 3:34 @PaFootballNews @PFN_Luxy pic.twitter.com/PJQ34SBnqe
— CC Hastings (@CCHastings1863) November 16, 2024
What an opening quarter for @PCC_FOOTBALL as @JyWalls15 hits @MaceoWatkinsJr1 for another TD through the air. 28-0 Vikings lead @nafootball_tfl 1Q 0:39 @PaFootballNews @PFN_Luxy pic.twitter.com/od2gaXaZeI
— CC Hastings (@CCHastings1863) November 16, 2024
Watch a post-game interview with PCC star Bradley Gompers…
Post game interview with Pittsburgh Central Catholic’s @GompersBradley after a 45-14 win over North Allegheny to claim the 6A WPIAL title@PCC_FOOTBALL @CoachLehmeier @PaFootballNews @AJWPIAL @PFNBackyard @AnnabelleA_PT @KAR120C6 @Sykotyk @CCHastings1863 pic.twitter.com/Q2QT5VWNPk
— Mia Williams (@Mia_WilliamsPT) November 17, 2024
Here’s a photo gallery from Pittsburgh Central Catholic vs. North Allegheny…
WPIAL CHAMPIONSHIP SATURDAY PHOTOS: PCC V NORTH ALLEGHENY https://t.co/erApSFrr6s @nafootball_tfl @pcc_football @coachlehmeier @jacksonfailla @dylanbrokos @nickhumphries @connerfrank @kylelangdon_8 @jwalsh1515 @lukerohan22 @jywalls15 @blatt_ashton @maceowatkinsjr1
— Pennsylvania Football News (@PaFootballNews) November 17, 2024
A full weekend of PA high school football games and nearly 700 miles driven I wrapped up my 13th week and headed home to plan for next week’s schedule of contests. This week I watched my 40th, 41st, 42nd and 43rd games of the season and I’m looking forward to another round of playoffs next week.
Follow along next week as Travelin’ Matt takes you on another PA High School Football journey.
2024 SEASON RECAP – 6353 TOTAL MILES (43 GAMES)
Week 0
Garnet Valley – 34 Coatesville – 19
Imani Christian Academy – 45 West Catholic – 6
Bishop Guilfoyle – 21 Bald Eagle Area – 0
Week 1
Manheim Township – 28 Central York – 10
Twin Valley – 40 Selinsgrove – 10
Harrisburg – 35 Bishop McDevitt – 33 (1 OT)
Troy – 8 Dover (DE) – 3
Week 2
East Stroudsburg South – 38 Whitehall – 7
Lampeter-Strasburg – 35 Cocalico – 14
Harrisburg – 7 State College – 6
Bethlehem-Liberty – 31 Stroudsburg – 14
Week 3
Bethlehem-Freedom – 38 Nazareth – 10
Scranton Prep – 28 Delaware Valley – 25
Week 4
Schuylkill Haven – 72 Minersville – 52
Central Bucks South – 22 Central Bucks West – 17
Pope John Paul II – 24 Phoenixville – 13
Bethlehem Catholic – 27 Allentown Central Catholic – 0
Week 5
Towanda – 40 Canton – 14
Danville – 34 Southern Columbia – 8
Week 6
Bethlehem-Freedom – 24 Bethlehem Catholic – 3
Central Bucks South – 14 North Penn – 6
Neshaminy – 38 Pennridge – 3
LaSalle – 35 St. Joe’s Prep – 34 (4 OT)
Week 7
North Schuylkill – 38 Blue Mountain – 14
Wyomissing – 34 Twin Valley – 24
Cumberland Valley – 24 Harrisburg – 21
Nazareth – 36 Bethlehem Catholic – 7
Week 8
North Allegheny – 28 Pine-Richland 21
Owen J. Roberts – 27 Spring-Ford – 25
St. Joe’s Prep – 48 Roman Catholic – 20
Week 9
Western Wayne – 42 Dunmore – 7
Shamokin – 21 Mount Carmel – 0
Lampeter-Strasburg – 20 Wyomissing – 7
Week 10
Lehighton – 29 Blue Mountain – 28
Downingtown West – 28 Coatesville – 21
Executive Education – 26 Minersville – 6
Week 11
Southern Lehigh – 41 Pottsville – 34
Thomas Jefferson – 38 Aliquippa – 21
Schuylkill Haven – 53 Executive Education – 14
Week 12
Southern Lehigh – 28 Bethlehem Catholic – 7
Central Clarion – 41 Farrell – 6
Thomas Jefferson – 28 McKeesport – 7
Pittsburgh Central Catholic – 45 North Allegheny – 14
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