Happy Final Four weekend everybody - a round that I think is almost always the best weekend of football in the state (which is probably because that's apparently as far as Easton can get). This is the round that consistently produces the most classics (way more than the finals, in my opinion) and here are what I think are the best or most notable Eastern/Western Finals we've had in the largest class, with the hopes that we add one or two this weekend.
Pittsburgh Central Catholic 19 Brashear 14
Mike Campolo capped a 68 yard touchdown drive with four minutes left with a nine yard touchdown to erase a 14-12 Brashear lead. PCC went on to win the inaugural state 4A title the following week.
1988: Cedar Cliff 24 Neshaminy 0
The Cedar Cliff defense held Neshaminy and quarterback James Franklin to -21 yards of total offense and no first downs in one of the greatest defensive efforts in state tournament history.
1990: Ridley 14 Wilson West Lawn 12
State player of the year Dennis Decker led Ridley on a game winning drive in the final minutes of the fourth quarter, hitting all state wideout Devon Preston for a TD with 53 seconds left to give the Green Raiders their only state finals berth.
1993: CB West 6 Easton 3
CB West forced an Easton fumble in the final minutes of the first half, then scored a wild touchdown where they were stopped short of the goalline with ten seconds left, and rather than try and kick a field goal, they hustled to the line of scrimmage and ran a QB sneak into the end zone as time expired in the first half, then held on for victory.
1993: North Hills 15 Erie Central 7
After a gadget play to go up 15-7 in the second quarter, North Hills hung on for dear life to advance to their only state final. North Hills fumbled inside their own 30 with four minutes to go, but Eric Kasperowicz made a solo stop on fourth and goal from the 3 when all state running back Eric Quinn could not quite get to the edge on an option play for the potential tying score.
1994: McKeesport 7 Erie Central 6
McKeesport threw one of their only touchdown passes of the season when Bill Isbir hit Jermaine Cromaderie for a 31 yard touchdown. Erie Central answered with a punt return for a touchdown, but the extra point snap went over the holder’s head and McKeesport held on for a 7-6 victory. Brandon Short sealed the game with a red zone strip of the Erie Central running back in the final five minutes of the game.
1997: CB West 27 Central Dauphin 24 (OT)
George Chaump vs. Mike Pettine was every bit the classic the coaching match up suggested. Central Dauphin raced out to a 21-6 halftime lead behind star quarterback Ryan Belicic. CB West trailed 21-14 when they took over with 5:35 to play, and drove for the tying TD with quarterback Corey Potter ripping off a 40 yard TD run. Then after a CD field goal, Potter scored from seven yards out to put the Bucks into their third state title game.
1998: New Castle 27 Erie Cathedral Prep 25
The biggest Cinderella in big school history won with a gutsy, 8 minute drive in the fourth quarter with a Joe Cowart shovel pass to John Rosati on third and nine for a 22 yard TD with 4:36 left. The Red Hurricanes survived a pair of punt return TDs by Bob Sanders and Ed Hinkel, plus a Sanders 78 yard TD run that seemingly put the game away for Erie Cathedral Prep before the final New Castle march.
1999: CB West 26 Bethlehem Catholic 14
This game still holds the record for the biggest attendance at a state playoff game, with 16,000 people crammed into Lehigh’s Goodman Stadium to see the two-time defending champion Bucks survive a war in Mike Pettine’s final year. Bethlehem Catholic took a 14-7 lead into halftime, and famously had a pair of huge fourth down stops of Dustin Picciotti, but Dave Camburn etched himself into CB West lore by returning a punt 77 yards for a game winning touchdown in the final three minutes to launch the Bucks into their third straight state championship.
1999: Erie Cathedral Prep 27 Woodland Hills 23
On the other side of the 1999 bracket, Woodland Hills scored with 4:21 left to take a 23-20 lead over the heavily favored Ramblers, but the quick strike ECP offense hit Ed Hinkel for a 41 yard pass, then a 17 yard touchdown with 1:27 to go. Woodland Hills drove into the red zone in the final minute, but had a desperation fourth down pass knocked down in the end zone.
2001: Neshaminy 24 Cumberland Valley 19
Cumberland Valley held the ball for nearly the entire first half, taking a 13-0 lead on touchdown drives that combined for 33 plays and 171 yards. But Jamarr Brittingham scored two third quarter touchdowns, Neshaminy blocked a punt for a TD, and then after the Eagles scored on a trick play to retake the lead, Keith Ennis returned the kickoff 72 yards to set up Brittingham’s third touchdown of the game to punch a finals ticket for the Redskins.
2004: Neshaminy 21 Easton 14
Neshaminy broke a 14-14 tie with 35 seconds left when Andrew Flogel hit Georg Coleman for a 24 yard touchdown, but the Red Rovers hit a 68 yard pass play all the way to the Neshaminy 11 and weren’t put away until the potential game tying touchdown hit John Suozzo between the numbers in the end zone before falling to the ground, then the Redskins picked off a the last play of the game at the goal line. Neshaminy survived five turnovers and three missed field goals, but used 168 yards from Coleman and a wild hook and lateral touchdown just before halftime to make their second final in four years.
2004: PIttsburgh Central Catholic 44 Bishop McDevitt 0
Just a stunning defensive effort, Pittsburgh Central Catholic held LeSean McCoy to 39 yards on 26 carries after Shady 1,715 yards in the five games leading up to the semifinal. McDevitt finished with just 79 yards of offense as PCC took a 38-0 halftime lead and stamped themselves as one of the great defenses in state history.
2005: Liberty 14 North Penn 12
Andrew Lee blocked an extra point and Mike McClarin stopped the potential game tying two point try in the fourth quarter as Liberty held on for a classic win in the cold against North Penn. Dan Persa threw for 160 yards and a pair of touchdowns to send the Hurricanes to their first of three state finals.
2005: McKeesport 14 Bishop McDevitt 13
McDevitt faced heartbreak from the WPIAL for the second year in a row, as Dan Kopolovich hit Travis McBride for a 23 yard touchdown on fourth down to take a 14-13 lead late in the fourth quarter. McDevitt missed an extra point in the second quarter that proved the difference in the game. McKeesport ran 71 plays and held the ball for 34 minutes in the game, and Kopolovich ran for 170 yards in addition to the winning score while the Tigers held McDevitt to 173 yards of offense, 102 of which came on the Crusaders two touchdowns.
2006: Liberty 45 Pennsbury 38 (4OT)
The Dan Persa show if there ever was one. The state player of the year ran for 161 yards, threw for 160 yards, accounted for five touchdowns (three rushing, two passing) and made ten tackles in what was at the time the longest game in PIAA playoff history. Pennsbury tied the game at 21 with 1:36 left in regulation, then traded touchdown/field goal/touchdown in the first three overtimes before Liberty scored on an option play to Ahkeem Smith in the fourth OT and the defense finally got a stop to end the game.
2007: Pittsburgh Central Catholic 14 Harrisburg 6
PIttsburgh Central Catholic set a dubious record of 79 yards of total offense for a state playoff winner as the Vikings outlasted George Chaump’s Harrisburg squad for a state finals berth. PCC scored on a 21 yard TD pass after a blocked punt in the first half to take a 7-6 lead, and despite having negative yards of offense in the second half, scored the only points with a scoop and score touchdown after a dropped option pitch on the PCC side of the field. The win set up the Vikings second title in four years.
2008: Bethel Park 38 WIlson West Lawn 35 (3OT)
Erik Olsen threw for 288 yards and five touchdowns and the Cinderella Blackhawks kicked a field goal in overtime to advance to an improbable state final. After trading touchdowns in teh first two overtimes, Wilson was held out of the end zone for three downs, then tried to fake a field goal, but threw an interception. Bethel Park immediately lined up for a field goal to win and missed, but a running into the kicker penalty gave them new life, and they knocked through the ensuing attempt for the win and deny Doug Dahms his best shot at a state title.
2010: LaSalle 38 North Penn 35h
Seven lead changes, 900 yards of offense, and two electric “game winning” drives in the final minutes makes this one of the best PIAA games ever, regardless of round, and the most popular game on this board. North Penn took a 35-31 lead on a 15 play touchdown drive in the fourth quarter, which LaSalle answered with a 65 yard touchdown drive of their own, with Matt McGarrity hitting Sean Coleman for a 30 yard touchdown to take a 38-35 lead. North Penn drove out to midfield, but a tipped pass interception ended the game and put LaSalle into their second straight state final.
2011: Central Dauphin 23 North Allegheny 20
The only postseason loss for North Allegheny from 2010-2012, Central Dauphin broke a 20-20 tie by getting the ball back with 1:39 to play, using a tough third and long conversion by Drew Scales, who broke two tackles to get to the sticks and extend the drive, then Zayd Issah made his only catch of the day a big one, with a 23 yard grab on third down to set Central Dauphin up at the two, and the Rams knocked through a field goal for the win.
2011: North Penn 21 LaSalle 14
Ralphie Reeves scored three touchdowns for North Penn and Steve Gozur picked off a pass with 40 seconds left to exact some revenge for the Knights and get a playoff win in the classic early 2010s series between LaSalle and North Penn.
2016: St. Joseph’s Prep 35 North Penn 25
North Penn took a 17-14 lead into the fourth quarter before the D’Andre Swift show really took over. Swift scored two touchdowns to erase the North Penn lead, but the Knights scored quickly with a forty yard TD pass, to cut the lead to 28-25, then took the ball back with a fourth down stop at their 40 with a chance to take the lead. But a fumble deep in SJP territory doomed the Knights, and Swift ripped off his fourth TD run of the night to put the game away. Swift finished with 272 yards and four scores to lead Prep to their third championship game in four years and started their current streak of five straight state finals.
2017: St. Joseph's Prep 53 Coatesville 49
St. Joseph’s Prep overcame an 18 point second half deficit to extend their 27 game winning streak. Prep drove for a touchdown on their first drive of the third quarter, then got a 72 yard interception return to set up a touchdown to cut the lead to 28-25. Coatesville briefly retook control with a TD, but Prep scored four straight touchdowns to seemingly ice the game at 53-35. A pair of Coatesville TDs in the final four minutes pulled the Red Raiders within 3, but Prep recovered the final onside kick and Marquez McCray picked up a tough first down to run the clock out and hold on for the win. McCray ran for four touchdowns and threw a pair of touchdowns in the win, while Ricky Ortega threw for 423 yards and six touchdowns, 269 of which went to Dapree Bryant.
2018: Harrisburg 27 Coatesville 24
Harrisburg avenged a 37-6 regular season loss to Harrisburg by swarming the potent Coatesville offense, sacking Ricky Ortega seven times and holding Aaron Young to a season low 69 yards in the win. Kane Everson threw for 104 yards, ran for 71, and accounted for two scores and Jahmir Plant ran for 128 and a pair of touchdowns in the huge upset.
2019: St. Joseph’s Prep 31 Pittsburgh Central Catholic 24 (OT)
With no Kyle McCord, St. Joseph’s Prep withstood the best shot from Pittsburgh Central Catholic. The Vikings broke a 17-17 tie when Sharod Lindsey won a jump ball and raced in for a 51 yard touchdown with 2:46 left. But SJP marched 82 yards down the field, with Marvin Harrison Jr. somehow getting both feet inbounds in the back of the end zone with 25 seconds left to send the game to overtime. In OT, Mookie Cooper ran for a seven yard touchdown to get Prep on the board, then Keenan Nelson ended the game with a diving interception at the goal line. Cooper filled in for McCord, moving from receiver to do so, and threw for 258 yards and a TD and ran for a pair of scores, while Harrison caught seven passes for 125 yards in the win.
Pittsburgh Central Catholic 19 Brashear 14
Mike Campolo capped a 68 yard touchdown drive with four minutes left with a nine yard touchdown to erase a 14-12 Brashear lead. PCC went on to win the inaugural state 4A title the following week.
1988: Cedar Cliff 24 Neshaminy 0
The Cedar Cliff defense held Neshaminy and quarterback James Franklin to -21 yards of total offense and no first downs in one of the greatest defensive efforts in state tournament history.
1990: Ridley 14 Wilson West Lawn 12
State player of the year Dennis Decker led Ridley on a game winning drive in the final minutes of the fourth quarter, hitting all state wideout Devon Preston for a TD with 53 seconds left to give the Green Raiders their only state finals berth.
1993: CB West 6 Easton 3
CB West forced an Easton fumble in the final minutes of the first half, then scored a wild touchdown where they were stopped short of the goalline with ten seconds left, and rather than try and kick a field goal, they hustled to the line of scrimmage and ran a QB sneak into the end zone as time expired in the first half, then held on for victory.
1993: North Hills 15 Erie Central 7
After a gadget play to go up 15-7 in the second quarter, North Hills hung on for dear life to advance to their only state final. North Hills fumbled inside their own 30 with four minutes to go, but Eric Kasperowicz made a solo stop on fourth and goal from the 3 when all state running back Eric Quinn could not quite get to the edge on an option play for the potential tying score.
1994: McKeesport 7 Erie Central 6
McKeesport threw one of their only touchdown passes of the season when Bill Isbir hit Jermaine Cromaderie for a 31 yard touchdown. Erie Central answered with a punt return for a touchdown, but the extra point snap went over the holder’s head and McKeesport held on for a 7-6 victory. Brandon Short sealed the game with a red zone strip of the Erie Central running back in the final five minutes of the game.
1997: CB West 27 Central Dauphin 24 (OT)
George Chaump vs. Mike Pettine was every bit the classic the coaching match up suggested. Central Dauphin raced out to a 21-6 halftime lead behind star quarterback Ryan Belicic. CB West trailed 21-14 when they took over with 5:35 to play, and drove for the tying TD with quarterback Corey Potter ripping off a 40 yard TD run. Then after a CD field goal, Potter scored from seven yards out to put the Bucks into their third state title game.
1998: New Castle 27 Erie Cathedral Prep 25
The biggest Cinderella in big school history won with a gutsy, 8 minute drive in the fourth quarter with a Joe Cowart shovel pass to John Rosati on third and nine for a 22 yard TD with 4:36 left. The Red Hurricanes survived a pair of punt return TDs by Bob Sanders and Ed Hinkel, plus a Sanders 78 yard TD run that seemingly put the game away for Erie Cathedral Prep before the final New Castle march.
1999: CB West 26 Bethlehem Catholic 14
This game still holds the record for the biggest attendance at a state playoff game, with 16,000 people crammed into Lehigh’s Goodman Stadium to see the two-time defending champion Bucks survive a war in Mike Pettine’s final year. Bethlehem Catholic took a 14-7 lead into halftime, and famously had a pair of huge fourth down stops of Dustin Picciotti, but Dave Camburn etched himself into CB West lore by returning a punt 77 yards for a game winning touchdown in the final three minutes to launch the Bucks into their third straight state championship.
1999: Erie Cathedral Prep 27 Woodland Hills 23
On the other side of the 1999 bracket, Woodland Hills scored with 4:21 left to take a 23-20 lead over the heavily favored Ramblers, but the quick strike ECP offense hit Ed Hinkel for a 41 yard pass, then a 17 yard touchdown with 1:27 to go. Woodland Hills drove into the red zone in the final minute, but had a desperation fourth down pass knocked down in the end zone.
2001: Neshaminy 24 Cumberland Valley 19
Cumberland Valley held the ball for nearly the entire first half, taking a 13-0 lead on touchdown drives that combined for 33 plays and 171 yards. But Jamarr Brittingham scored two third quarter touchdowns, Neshaminy blocked a punt for a TD, and then after the Eagles scored on a trick play to retake the lead, Keith Ennis returned the kickoff 72 yards to set up Brittingham’s third touchdown of the game to punch a finals ticket for the Redskins.
2004: Neshaminy 21 Easton 14
Neshaminy broke a 14-14 tie with 35 seconds left when Andrew Flogel hit Georg Coleman for a 24 yard touchdown, but the Red Rovers hit a 68 yard pass play all the way to the Neshaminy 11 and weren’t put away until the potential game tying touchdown hit John Suozzo between the numbers in the end zone before falling to the ground, then the Redskins picked off a the last play of the game at the goal line. Neshaminy survived five turnovers and three missed field goals, but used 168 yards from Coleman and a wild hook and lateral touchdown just before halftime to make their second final in four years.
2004: PIttsburgh Central Catholic 44 Bishop McDevitt 0
Just a stunning defensive effort, Pittsburgh Central Catholic held LeSean McCoy to 39 yards on 26 carries after Shady 1,715 yards in the five games leading up to the semifinal. McDevitt finished with just 79 yards of offense as PCC took a 38-0 halftime lead and stamped themselves as one of the great defenses in state history.
2005: Liberty 14 North Penn 12
Andrew Lee blocked an extra point and Mike McClarin stopped the potential game tying two point try in the fourth quarter as Liberty held on for a classic win in the cold against North Penn. Dan Persa threw for 160 yards and a pair of touchdowns to send the Hurricanes to their first of three state finals.
2005: McKeesport 14 Bishop McDevitt 13
McDevitt faced heartbreak from the WPIAL for the second year in a row, as Dan Kopolovich hit Travis McBride for a 23 yard touchdown on fourth down to take a 14-13 lead late in the fourth quarter. McDevitt missed an extra point in the second quarter that proved the difference in the game. McKeesport ran 71 plays and held the ball for 34 minutes in the game, and Kopolovich ran for 170 yards in addition to the winning score while the Tigers held McDevitt to 173 yards of offense, 102 of which came on the Crusaders two touchdowns.
2006: Liberty 45 Pennsbury 38 (4OT)
The Dan Persa show if there ever was one. The state player of the year ran for 161 yards, threw for 160 yards, accounted for five touchdowns (three rushing, two passing) and made ten tackles in what was at the time the longest game in PIAA playoff history. Pennsbury tied the game at 21 with 1:36 left in regulation, then traded touchdown/field goal/touchdown in the first three overtimes before Liberty scored on an option play to Ahkeem Smith in the fourth OT and the defense finally got a stop to end the game.
2007: Pittsburgh Central Catholic 14 Harrisburg 6
PIttsburgh Central Catholic set a dubious record of 79 yards of total offense for a state playoff winner as the Vikings outlasted George Chaump’s Harrisburg squad for a state finals berth. PCC scored on a 21 yard TD pass after a blocked punt in the first half to take a 7-6 lead, and despite having negative yards of offense in the second half, scored the only points with a scoop and score touchdown after a dropped option pitch on the PCC side of the field. The win set up the Vikings second title in four years.
2008: Bethel Park 38 WIlson West Lawn 35 (3OT)
Erik Olsen threw for 288 yards and five touchdowns and the Cinderella Blackhawks kicked a field goal in overtime to advance to an improbable state final. After trading touchdowns in teh first two overtimes, Wilson was held out of the end zone for three downs, then tried to fake a field goal, but threw an interception. Bethel Park immediately lined up for a field goal to win and missed, but a running into the kicker penalty gave them new life, and they knocked through the ensuing attempt for the win and deny Doug Dahms his best shot at a state title.
2010: LaSalle 38 North Penn 35h
Seven lead changes, 900 yards of offense, and two electric “game winning” drives in the final minutes makes this one of the best PIAA games ever, regardless of round, and the most popular game on this board. North Penn took a 35-31 lead on a 15 play touchdown drive in the fourth quarter, which LaSalle answered with a 65 yard touchdown drive of their own, with Matt McGarrity hitting Sean Coleman for a 30 yard touchdown to take a 38-35 lead. North Penn drove out to midfield, but a tipped pass interception ended the game and put LaSalle into their second straight state final.
2011: Central Dauphin 23 North Allegheny 20
The only postseason loss for North Allegheny from 2010-2012, Central Dauphin broke a 20-20 tie by getting the ball back with 1:39 to play, using a tough third and long conversion by Drew Scales, who broke two tackles to get to the sticks and extend the drive, then Zayd Issah made his only catch of the day a big one, with a 23 yard grab on third down to set Central Dauphin up at the two, and the Rams knocked through a field goal for the win.
2011: North Penn 21 LaSalle 14
Ralphie Reeves scored three touchdowns for North Penn and Steve Gozur picked off a pass with 40 seconds left to exact some revenge for the Knights and get a playoff win in the classic early 2010s series between LaSalle and North Penn.
2016: St. Joseph’s Prep 35 North Penn 25
North Penn took a 17-14 lead into the fourth quarter before the D’Andre Swift show really took over. Swift scored two touchdowns to erase the North Penn lead, but the Knights scored quickly with a forty yard TD pass, to cut the lead to 28-25, then took the ball back with a fourth down stop at their 40 with a chance to take the lead. But a fumble deep in SJP territory doomed the Knights, and Swift ripped off his fourth TD run of the night to put the game away. Swift finished with 272 yards and four scores to lead Prep to their third championship game in four years and started their current streak of five straight state finals.
2017: St. Joseph's Prep 53 Coatesville 49
St. Joseph’s Prep overcame an 18 point second half deficit to extend their 27 game winning streak. Prep drove for a touchdown on their first drive of the third quarter, then got a 72 yard interception return to set up a touchdown to cut the lead to 28-25. Coatesville briefly retook control with a TD, but Prep scored four straight touchdowns to seemingly ice the game at 53-35. A pair of Coatesville TDs in the final four minutes pulled the Red Raiders within 3, but Prep recovered the final onside kick and Marquez McCray picked up a tough first down to run the clock out and hold on for the win. McCray ran for four touchdowns and threw a pair of touchdowns in the win, while Ricky Ortega threw for 423 yards and six touchdowns, 269 of which went to Dapree Bryant.
2018: Harrisburg 27 Coatesville 24
Harrisburg avenged a 37-6 regular season loss to Harrisburg by swarming the potent Coatesville offense, sacking Ricky Ortega seven times and holding Aaron Young to a season low 69 yards in the win. Kane Everson threw for 104 yards, ran for 71, and accounted for two scores and Jahmir Plant ran for 128 and a pair of touchdowns in the huge upset.
2019: St. Joseph’s Prep 31 Pittsburgh Central Catholic 24 (OT)
With no Kyle McCord, St. Joseph’s Prep withstood the best shot from Pittsburgh Central Catholic. The Vikings broke a 17-17 tie when Sharod Lindsey won a jump ball and raced in for a 51 yard touchdown with 2:46 left. But SJP marched 82 yards down the field, with Marvin Harrison Jr. somehow getting both feet inbounds in the back of the end zone with 25 seconds left to send the game to overtime. In OT, Mookie Cooper ran for a seven yard touchdown to get Prep on the board, then Keenan Nelson ended the game with a diving interception at the goal line. Cooper filled in for McCord, moving from receiver to do so, and threw for 258 yards and a TD and ran for a pair of scores, while Harrison caught seven passes for 125 yards in the win.
