Steel Valley falls to Seton LaSalle in 2A WPIAL Championship
Tagged under: District 7, Gameday Hub, News, pfn, Playoffs
Annabelle Aquino | November 22, 2025
After a scoreless first half in the WPIAL Class 2A Championship game, Steel Valley came out of the locker room energized, racking up 14 points in the first minute of the action-packed third quarter.
Their 14-0 lead slowly fell apart as No.1 Seton LaSalle (12-1) fought back and scored the game-winning touchdown with 30 seconds left, ultimately ending in a 21-14 loss for No. 3 Steel Valley (9-4).
Tyrell Breland took an 84-yard kickoff return for a touchdown as the first score of the game. Jayvon Roberts picked up a fumble from Seton LaSalle’s next possession, allowing Da’ron Barksdale to score a few plays later.
Steel Valley scores first off a 86-yard kickoff return by @Tyrell5B to start the third quarter.
Seton LaSalle: 0
Steel Valley: 7@PaFootballNews @PFNBackyard @SteelValleySD pic.twitter.com/Q1b4F6VKHn— Annabelle Aquino (@AnnabelleA_PT) November 22, 2025
“We just had to realize that they could feel us now. The whole game we went back and forth, back and forth, and when we made it to the endzone, we knew we had the ability to score,” Barksdale said.
The Ironmen relied heavily on the Pitt commit Barksdale, who leads Class 2A in rushing yards. He recorded 121 rushing yards and also led the team in receiving yards.
“They need someone on our team who can lead, and I was able to lead everybody by example. I can’t ask for more than a team that trusts me,” Barksdale said.
Despite making it to the 1-yard line on two separate occasions in the first half, the Ironmen were unable to score in the beginning.
Things looked up for Steel Valley midway through the second quarter, when senior quarterback Tyson Barron launched a 39-yard pass to Barksdale in Seton LaSalle territory. At one yard away from the endzone, an illegal formation penalty and a lockdown Seton LaSalle defense set them back. Without a kicker, Steel Valley went for it on fourth down but were unsuccessful.
After Torian Barnett caught a toe-tap on the 1-yard line, the Ironmen were set up just outside the endzone again. But the Rebels halted Barksdale’s push, resulting in a scoreless first half.
Coach Ray Braszo’s locker room speech must have sparked a fire inside of Steel Valley.
On Seton LaSalle’s third quarter opening kickoff, Steel Valley’s Tyrell Breland caught the ball and ran 84 yards for an Ironmen touchdown. When the Rebels attempted to gather their offense the next drive, it was Steel Valley Jayvon Roberts who recovered a fumble.
Three plays later, Barksdale ran 21 yards for another touchdown.
Touchdown by Steel Valley’s @DaronBarksdale after @JayvonRoberts21 picked up the fumble to put the Ironman on offense.
Steel Valley: 14
Seton LaSalle: 0
11:16 left in Q3@PaFootballNews @PFNBackyard pic.twitter.com/9GqflnBoNy— Annabelle Aquino (@AnnabelleA_PT) November 22, 2025
Steel Valley’s defense continued to hold Seton LaSalle until just over eight minutes left in the third quarter. Will Martin picked off Barron’s pass and scored the touchdown just a few plays later. Martin scored again with just over four minutes left in the third quarter, unable to be stopped by Steel Valley’s defense.
Tied 14-14, Steel Valley could not gain any traction and was forced to return to defense. The Rebels made one final push, and Martin ended in the endzone. Steel Valley was unable to rebound in the final 30 seconds and lost 21-14.
“I felt like we were unstoppable,” Barksdale said of the 14-0 lead. “Then they ran down the field to score, and we never should have given up.”
Steel Valley ended their season 9-4.
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