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Hittin’ The Road With Travelin’ Matt – Playoffs (Spartans, Wildcats, Jaguars & Vikings)

Tagged under: District 10, District 7, District 9, pfn, Playoffs

| 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…

 

 

 

 

View the photo gallery from Southern Lehigh vs. Bethlehem Catholic…

 

 

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…

 

 

 

 

 

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…

 

 

 

 

 

Watch a post-game interview with TJ TD maker Brayden White …

 

 

Check out the photo gallery from Thomas Jefferson vs. McKeesport…

 

 

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…

 

 

 

 

Watch a post-game interview with PCC star Bradley Gompers…

 

 

Here’s a photo gallery from Pittsburgh Central Catholic vs. North Allegheny…

 

 

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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