Greatest Plays of the State Tournament

[RoverNation05]

Tulla’s post on the other thread had me post this one.

-The Marvin Harrison Jr. toe tap touchdown to beat PCC in the 2019 6A semis

-The Andy Elsing blocked punt against ECP in the 1999 4A final

-The Dave Camburn punt return against Bethlehem Catholic in the 1999 6A semis

-Eric Kasperowicz TD pass to Chris Feola on 4th and 28 to beat CB West in the 1993 4A finals

-Michael Bennett’a 37 yard field goal in the snow for LaSalle to beat Easton in the 2009 4A quarters

-Brandon Short stopping Arlen Harris at the goal line in the 1994 4A finals

-Anthony Gonzalez’s one handed OT interception to win the 2008 4A championship

-Mark Tate’s 29 yard TD with 31 seconds left to put ECP into the state final in a 1991 semis win over Connellsville

-Corey Potters 40 yard TD run on 3rd and 6 with 3:24 left to play to force overtime for CB West against Central Dauphin in the 1997 4A semis

-The Tim Dance kick return TD in regulation and the Justin Lustig toe drag catch on fourth down in overtime both to tie ECP’s 4A quarterfinal with Altoona in 2000.

-Dan Kopolovich’s fourth quarter throwback screen on 4th down from the 25 to Travis McBride in the 2005 4A semifinal to beat Bishop McDevitt 14-13 and send McKeesport on to win a state title

-All four of Dan Persa’s touchdowns in Liberty’s 45-38 4OT win over Pennsbury in the 2006 4A semis

-Taylor Everett picking up a punt while State College waited around to down it with no time on the clock and taking it 60 yards for a TD and give Upper St. Clair the lead in their 2006 4A quarterfinal win.

-Zayd Issah’s 23 yard hitch route and diving catch with under ten seconds left to set up Central Dauphin’s game winning field goal in the win over North Allegheny in the 2011 4A semi.

-Spike Johnson’s 40 yard TD pass with barely a minute left to beat Berwick in the 1990 3A final and propel Bethlehem Catholic to a state title.

-Brendan Nosovitch’s tight end screen for a touchdown with two minutes left to beat Bishop McDevitt 29-28 for the 2010 3A state title.

-Jon Ritchie carrying three Upper St Clair defenders the final 15 yards of a 44 yard TD to ice the 1992 state championship for Cumberland Valley

-Austin Scott’s 61 yard TD run of the opening play of the 2002 4A final against Woodland Hills where he outraced Ryan Mundy to the end zone


I’ll add as I find more, I don’t have the same fluency with smaller divisions, and feel free to do the same.

 

[newport]

One I might add is the tipped at the line screen pass that was intercepted by Ryan Geiger to seal the win for LaSalle over North Penn in 2010 to advance to the state title game. In one of the more legendary and talked about HS football games in Pa, it was an interception by a DLinemen during a game that saw haymaker after haymaker by each team on offense for basically 47 minutes. Also, if that ball isnt tipped and picked, the North Penn rb had a wall of linemen and nothing but green in front of him. I think most that saw that game would agree the play was set up perfectly by Beck and was almost assuredly going to result in the go ahead/game winning touchdown by the Knights with less than 2 minutes to go

 

[newport]

But what a list Rover. You could make an argument for just about all of them being the top all time moment of the top all time moments. Man there has been some unreal football played in Pa over the years. That list has ALOT of HS stars making the biggest play of those games at the biggest times. Stepping up when the team absolutely needs them too. Some pretty cool stuff and memories

 

[RoverNation05]

One I might add is the tipped at the line screen pass that was intercepted by Ryan Geiger to seal the win for LaSalle over North Penn in 2010 to advance to the state title game. In one of the more legendary and talked about HS football games in Pa, it was an interception by a DLinemen during a game that saw haymaker after haymaker by each team on offense for basically 47 minutes. Also, if that ball isnt tipped and picked, the North Penn rb had a wall of linemen and nothing but green in front of him. I think most that saw that game would agree the play was set up perfectly by Beck and was almost assuredly going to result in the go ahead/game winning touchdown by the Knights with less than 2 minutes to go

Yep, that’s definitely one for the list. The Magarrity’s throw to Sean Coleman to give LaSalle lead for good is up there. As I was going through my old write ups, I was struck by how many big late game interceptions there are. That game is obviously on another list, best non-final playoff games.

 

[tulla]

Yep, that’s definitely one for the list. The Magarrity’s throw to Sean Coleman to give LaSalle lead for good is up there. As I was going through my old write ups, I was struck by how many big late game interceptions there are. That game is obviously on another list, best non-final playoff games.

How about the trick play near the beginning of the second half of the SJP-PR game in 2014 which wound up with Swift, then a sophomore, running through three or four P-R defenders to score? There was also the Swift TD run through a few PCC guys in the first half of the 2016 6A championship. Of course, neither had the drama of the Harrison catch. (Sorry for focusing only on SJP.)

 

[BradlyPitt]

this Tyler Boyd play in the 2011 single A championship

 

[newport]

I was among the overflow crowd that day at Plymouth Whitemarsh. I honest dont think I blinked once in the time between the opening kick and the final whistle because I was afraid I was gonna miss something. Not before or since have I been in an environment like that at a HS football games and I've been to alot over the years. Best game at any level I have seen live

 

[newport]

I got one that probably isnt gonna show up on a ton of highlight films but was still a monumental play in game between 2 heavyweights.

2013 Eastern Final between the favorite Neshaminy Redskins vs St Joe Prep at NEHS. A very tight and incredibly physical game featured a little bit of everything for 3+ quarters. But in the 4th, Neshaminy was driving. And then a few things happened...

The strip, recovery and 95 yard return for the backbreaking touchdown gets ALL the credit in that game. But it was a play or 2 before that was the REAL play of the game in my eyes.

Dandre Pollard was an all world RB for Nesh. Little speedster who was piling up the yards all year. He rushed for 125 against Prep that day, which actually was his season low that year. Once he got the corner or found daylight, it was an automatic house call.

But not that day. Pollard got around end and looked like he could walk into the endzone. Out of nowhere, John Reid made one of the biggest open field tackles I have ever seen. Almost feel like Nesh, and much of the crowd, was stunned by what they saw. Reid tracked him down and made a TD saving tackle. A play or later, Preps D scores the TD to put the nail in the coffin.

One of the great, underrated big game plays of all time

 

[bucksftball]

Tulla’s post on the other thread had me post this one.

-The Marvin Harrison Jr. toe tap touchdown to beat PCC in the 2019 6A semis

-The Andy Elsing blocked punt against ECP in the 1999 4A final

-The Dave Camburn punt return against Bethlehem Catholic in the 1999 6A semis

-Eric Kasperowicz TD pass to Chris Feola on 4th and 28 to beat CB West in the 1993 4A finals

-Michael Bennett’a 37 yard field goal in the snow for LaSalle to beat Easton in the 2009 4A quarters

-Brandon Short stopping Arlen Harris at the goal line in the 1994 4A finals

-Anthony Gonzalez’s one handed OT interception to win the 2008 4A championship

-Mark Tate’s 29 yard TD with 31 seconds left to put ECP into the state final in a 1991 semis win over Connellsville

-Corey Potters 40 yard TD run on 3rd and 6 with 3:24 left to play to force overtime for CB West against Central Dauphin in the 1997 4A semis

-The Tim Dance kick return TD in regulation and the Justin Lustig toe drag catch on fourth down in overtime both to tie ECP’s 4A quarterfinal with Altoona in 2000.

-Dan Kopolovich’s fourth quarter throwback screen on 4th down from the 25 to Travis McBride in the 2005 4A semifinal to beat Bishop McDevitt 14-13 and send McKeesport on to win a state title

-All four of Dan Persa’s touchdowns in Liberty’s 45-38 4OT win over Pennsbury in the 2006 4A semis

-Taylor Everett picking up a punt while State College waited around to down it with no time on the clock and taking it 60 yards for a TD and give Upper St. Clair the lead in their 2006 4A quarterfinal win.

-Zayd Issah’s 23 yard hitch route and diving catch with under ten seconds left to set up Central Dauphin’s game winning field goal in the win over North Allegheny in the 2011 4A semi.

-Spike Johnson’s 40 yard TD pass with barely a minute left to beat Berwick in the 1990 3A final and propel Bethlehem Catholic to a state title.

-Brendan Nosovitch’s tight end screen for a touchdown with two minutes left to beat Bishop McDevitt 29-28 for the 2010 3A state title.

-Jon Ritchie carrying three Upper St Clair defenders the final 15 yards of a 44 yard TD to ice the 1992 state championship for Cumberland Valley

-Austin Scott’s 61 yard TD run of the opening play of the 2002 4A final against Woodland Hills where he outraced Ryan Mundy to the end zone


I’ll add as I find more, I don’t have the same fluency with smaller divisions, and feel free to do the same.

The punt block stands out not only for it winning a state championship game, but also because the documentary crew catches Coach Pettine coaching him up in practice, talking aiming point, etc...it was like something out of a scripted film, and gave the documentary its storybook ending.

 

[CAMoleskinner]

Newport -

You are correct. Pollard was heading into the endzone when Reid got him. If he gets in we don't suffer the strip and return (what a back breaker). i maintain that play cost the 'Skins a ring that season..

Pollard ended the year with around 2,922 yards for the year but a kid out west edged him out with a few more for the season. Still, Pollard was the 4A Player of The Year (whatever group was awarding that honor that year).

 

[LenEshmont]

2008 AA State Championship between Wilmington and West Catholic. Wilmington up 35-34 in 2 OT and WC decides to go for 2 and the win. WC QB Curtis Drake gets tackled just short of the goal line giving Wilmington the state title.

@ ~4:00

 

[tulla]

Newport -

You are correct. Pollard was heading into the endzone when Reid got him. If he gets in we don't suffer the strip and return (what a back breaker). i maintain that play cost the 'Skins a ring that season..

Pollard ended the year with around 2,922 yards for the year but a kid out west edged him out with a few more for the season. Still, Pollard was the 4A Player of The Year (whatever group was awarding that honor that year).

Here's a link to the video of highlights of that SJP-Neshaminy game:

Reid's tackle of Pollard is at about 2:50. Later in the video you can see a long pass Reid caught and an interception he made. This was his junior year. In the city championship game the next year, he suffered a bad knee injury and I know he had further injuries at PSU. I have a feeling the combined injuries had an effect, though he was very good at PSU (second team all Big Ten?) and played a few years in the NFL.

Near the end of the SJP-Neshaminy video (around five minutes) you can see Justin Montague make an unreal catch in the endzone. Montague graduates from medical school next year.

 

[CAMoleskinner]

Owwwwwwwww ... that still hurts.

 

[newport]

I believe #1 for Prep is current Eagle WR Olamide Zaccheaus

 

[newport]

I also misremembered the tackle a little bit as well. It happened late in the 3rd quarter, not the 4th. It was still a giant play by Reid that helped result in a defensive td a few plays later. That was also one of the more physical HS games I remember being at

 

[CAMoleskinner]

Interesting note in that game is the 'Skins had no QB. So Schmidt had modified the offense so that the snaps were all direct to Denny Lord (FB) and Pollard (Lord was also the starting middle LB). Those runs (on the tape by both of them) were out of that set up. And Lord actually threw a few passes. He also had a tendency to hold the ball in one meaty hand (when he was running) and leave it hanging out there (I think St. Joe's saw that and were looking for a strip opportunity).

 

[tulla]

Interesting note in that game is the 'Skins had no QB. So Schmidt had modified the offense so that the snaps were all direct to Denny Lord (FB) and Pollard (Lord was also the starting middle LB). Those runs (on the tape by both of them) were out of that set up. And Lord actually threw a few passes. He also had a tendency to hold the ball in one meaty hand (when he was running) and leave it hanging out there (I think St. Joe's saw that and were looking for a strip opportunity).

Under the YouTube video there's a comment about what a favorite SJP was or should have been because they had four future NFL players (Swift, Runyon, Zacchaeus, and Reid), but none of them were seniors that year and SWIFT was a freshman.

Also, the perspective of 2023 is very different from how things looked in 2013. That was the first year SJP made it to the State playoffs after LaSalle represented the PCL from 2008 to 2012. Earlier in 2013 SJP was blown out by Don Bosco (42-0), lost close games to Ryan and Malvern, had won both games to LaSalle by narrow margins and beat Frankford in the city championship 10-7. So it hardly seemed that SJP, playing with an injured QB (Chris Martin) should be a big favorite, or maybe just a favorite, against Neshaminy. And from what I remembered very few thought they had a chance against PCC the next week.

 

[newport]

If you go and google that game, just about all the pre game articles and articles written after the game, state that Neshaminy was the "favorite". Because of the regular season losses Prep had suffered that year, the Skins were ahead of them in every possible poll across the area and the state.

While that was probably considered a mild upset at the time, what Prep did the following week to a PCC team that scored almost 700 points and pitched 7 shutouts defensively that year was the real stunner

 

[tulla]

If you go and google that game, just about all the pre game articles and articles written after the game, state that Neshaminy was the "favorite". Because of the regular season losses Prep had suffered that year, the Skins were ahead of them in every possible poll across the area and the state.

While that was probably considered a mild upset at the time, what Prep did the following week to a PCC team that scored almost 700 points and pitched 7 shutouts defensively that year was the real stunner

PCC was up 10-7 at the half against the Prep. Final score: 35-10.