Narrative
While CB West got their state championship in 1991, the other monster program of the 1980s was still waiting. North Hills came away with a mythical national championship in 1987 and won WPIAL crowns in 1982, 1985, and 1987 and finished #1 in the state in 1985 and 1987. The 1987 squad only gave up 20 points all season. But the Indians were shocked by WPIAL #8 seed and eventual 4A champion Pittsburgh Central Catholic in 1988. From 1989-1992, North Hills was never a contender for the big prize.
All the hype was there for the 1993 team, mostly due to returning quarterback Eric Kasperowicz. In 1990, the Indians had their worst season in the Jack McCurry era, going 1-8-1. But the silver lining was starting Kasperowicz as a freshman, who had time to learn on the job before a knee injury prematurely ended his 9th grade season. By ‘93, Kasperowicz had blossomed as a four year starter approaching 3,000 career yards and holding scholarship offers from Oklahoma, Iowa, Syracuse, and Pitt heading in to his senior year. Around Kasperowicz, North Hills returned ten starters from a 1992 squad that went 8-2 and shared their division crown, but missed out on a WPIAL playoff spot due to tiebreakers. They would also welcome much ballyhooed freshman Lavar Arrington, who had turned heads on the summer basketball circuit as a 6’4 200 pounder who was slated to start at tailback and outside linebacker. North Hills was the preseason #1 team in the state and ranked #13 in the USA Today. They would be tested right away with a three week gauntlet of WPIAL playoff contenders Woodland Hills, McKeesport, and Penn Hills to start the season.
On opening night, Kasperowicz was magnificent, throwing for 208 yards, running for 70, and accounting for three touchdowns (2 passing, 1 rushing) as the Indians destroyed Woodland Hills 35-8. The Wolverines managed just 107 yards of total offense. The following week, McKeesport (the core of which made up the 1994 state champions) raced out to a 14-0 lead after opening with a TD drive and returning a punt for a touchdown. But the early scores were enough to wake the Indians up, as Arrington scored his first three varsity touchdowns in the first half, while Kasperowicz racked up 307 yards of total offense (231 passing, 76 rushing) and three total touchdowns as North Hills scored the next 42 points in the game. The following week, Penn Hills came to town ranked #5 in the state. After only running for 36 yards in the first two games, Arrington exploded for 104 yards on 11 carries and three touchdowns. On North Hills’ first offensive play, Arrington took a pitch 40 yards for a touchdown, capped by a Deion Sanders high step over the final ten yards. North Hills raced out to a 29-0 lead and held Penn Hills to 17 total yards in the first half.
The rest of the regular season schedule would look a lot like those first three weeks - Kasperowicz putting on a show and the North Hills defense smothering their opponents. They outscored their opponents 293-34 and moved up to #3 in the national polls. After clinching their division and a WPIAL playoff spot after week 9, they had their rivalry game with North Allegheny to finish the regular season. The Tigers had won three straight, including a week 10 win to keep North Hills out of the playoffs in 1992. The game was a slog, with North Hills gaining just 116 yards of total offense. Kasperowicz played his worst game of the season, going just 3-10 for 21 yards in the rain. Still, the North Allegheny offense struggled just as much. North Hills opened the game with a safety, and the teams traded touchdowns in the first quarter. Clinging to an 9-7 lead, Byron Hobbs returned a fourth quarter punt to the North Allegheny 19 to set up an Eric Kasperowicz rushing TD to give the Indians some breathing. The game was marred by numerous fights in the stands causing a delay in the action and gun charges being brought against three North Allegheny students.
The WPIAL playoffs would be an easier time for North Hills. They opened with a 30-7 thrashing of Ringgold, where the offense got back on track. In the semifinal, they again trounced Woodland Hills thanks to 234 yards of offense from Kasperowicz (133 through the air, 101 on the ground) plus his state leading 12th interception of the season on defense. On the other side of the bracket, Upper St. Clair defeated McKeesport to set up a clash of titans in the WPIAL finals. Upper St. Clair was the defending WPIAL champion and were making their fifth WPIAL finals appearance in the last six seasons. The Indians and Panthers were ranked #1 and #2 in the state (and had been since the preseason polls), and the common wisdom was the WPIAL champion would go on to win the state rather easily.
The game started exactly how the Indians wanted, a long drive capped by a Kasperowicz TD pass to Rich Rapp for an 8-0 lead. North Hills was able to move the ball, piling up 159 yards of offense in the first half, but could not close the deal on a score. Meanwhile, Upper St. Clair had absolutely nothing going. The Panthers had 17 yards of offense in the first half, and through three quarters had only gained one first down. When Ken Bollens scored on an end around with 6:03 left in the third quarter, it looked like the game was over. But Upper St. Clair put together their first drive of the day, culminating in a four yard Todd Amrick run for a TD with eight minutes left. The Panthers pooched the ensuing kickoff, which was fumbled at the 32 and recoverd by Upper St. Clair. Suddenly, the Panthers were in business. They drove inside the 10, but Kasperowicz intercepted a pass at the three yard line to end the threat. On the following drive, he threw a 40 yard touchdown to Byron Hobbs to put the game out of reach. Arrington was the offensive star, rushing for 100 yards and helping North Hills control the clock, while defensively, Rich Repp made ten tackles, picked off a pass on USC’s final drive, and caught the game’s first touchdown. The win gave North Hills their first WPIAL title since 1987 and McCurry’s fourth overall, and most importantly, clinched their first ever state tournament spot.
Elsewhere in the state, CB West recovered from an early season upset to Norristown to win 10 straight and avenged a 1992 loss in the inaugural District 1 tournament final to Coatesville by upsetting the #3 ranked Red Raiders in their district final. #4 Easton, whose only regular season loss was to eventual 3A state champ Allentown Central Catholic, beat #8 Pottsville to secure the other eastern bid over 10-2 D3 champ Cumberland Valley. North Hills semifinal opponent would be Region III winner #7 Erie Central, in just its second year of existence after the consolidation of Erie Tech and Erie Academy. Erie Central beat District 6 champion Hollidaysburg in their regional final, with running back Eric Quinn rushing for 240 yards on 31 carries. Quinn came in to the state semifinal with a state leading 1,908 yards and had scored 26 touchdowns on the season.
On the first play of the semifinal, Erie Central picked off Kasperowicz and returned it for a touchdown. On the ensuing drive, North Hills regrouped and drove 79 yards in ten plays, capped by a ten yard TD run by Kasperowicz. Ken Bollens caught a two-point toss to give the Indians an 8-7 lead. In the second quarter, North Hills overcame a struggling offense by dialing up a gadget play, pitching the ball to Byron Hobbs, who stopped and hit a streaking Ken Bollens on a delay route for a 49 yard touchdown. After that, the game turned into trench warfare. North Hills held Quinn to 52 yards on 17 carries, while Arrington managed just 7 yards for the Indians. Neither team was able to move the ball for much so field position became of the utmost importance. So when North Hills fumbled at their own 30 with 4:40 to go, Erie Central got their one shot. They drove inside the 5, but on 4th and goal from the 3, defensive end Chris Barie was able to string out an option play, and Kasperowicz came up and made a solo tackle on Quinn to end the threat. Kasperowicz threw three interceptions, but finished with 107 yards passing and 103 yards rushing. Ken Bollens helped move the chains all day and finished with 7 catches for 145 yards and the touchdown from Hobbs.
Out east, CB West and Easton played a similarly offensively challenged game. The Bucks forced a turnover with two minutes left in the first half, and scored a run-on touchdown as time expired in the first half, then held on for a 6-3 win. So six years later, North Hills and CB West would meet for a state title after the 1987 non-game started the state tournament.
As was a trend in early state finals, it was snowing with wind chills below 0 for the 4A final. CB West was the far less talented team, but had an impeccable gameplan that really frustrated the Indians early. In the first half, North Hills managed just 41 yards of offense, as Pettine’s crew stuffed the Indians’ running game and completely took Bollens out of the game as a receiver. Jason Williamson scored a second quarter touchdown to give the Bucks a 7-0 lead at the break. In the fourth quarter, Williamson added a second touchdown with 9:23 left and it seemed as if Mike Pettine’s squad would pull one of the biggest upsets in Pennsylvania history.
To that point, Kasperowicz had thrown for 33 yards. The North Hills drive started at the 34, and McCurry had Kasperowicz in shotgun to try and pull the miracle. The Indians marched 66 yards in 9 plays, capped by Kasperowicz plowing in from one yard out. The defense forced a quick three and out, giving Kasperowicz and company the ball with plenty of time left to drive and tie the game. After two completions to Bollens, Kasperowicz overthrew his favorite target in the middle of the field and was intercepted. Still, the defense forced another three and out, burning all three timeouts in the process, and CB West had to punt the ball away and give North Hills one final, desperate drive.
The Indians took over at their own 20 with 1:52 remaining. After two quick completions moved the out to the 40, CB West took a timeout to regroup. On the sideline, Lavar Arrington told McCurry he thought he could beat his defender deep if they played up on him. On the next snap, North Hills split their star freshman out wide, and he ran a deep post pattern. Despite the safety rolling over the top, Kasperowicz threw the ball deep, and Arrington went up over two defenders to haul in a 51 yard pass and put the Indians in business at the CB West 7. However, on first down, North Hills committed a massive holding penalty back at the 18 while Kasperowicz was scrambling, leaving them with second and goal from the 28. Two incomplete passes later, and the Indians were facing 4th and 28 for the season. Kasperowicz took the shotgun snap, but rather than go over the top to Bollens or Arrington, he fired a dart over the middle of the field, through the arms of a CB West linebacker, and right to reserve receiver Chris Feola at the 10. Because CB West had blitzed on they play, they left the underneath part of the field wide open. Feola was able to turn and run in to the end zone untouched for a shocking 28 yard touchdown. Right away, McCurry signaled to go for two and the win rather than play for overtime. CB West jumped offsides initially, causing the Indians to change their play call. Kasperowicz took the snap ran right behind left tackle Chris Barie for an easy two-pointer and a jaw dropping 15-14 lead. CB West had one last gasp, but their deep pass was intercepted by Kasperowicz and the Indians had their state title. Kasperowicz threw for 165 yards in the fourth quarter, ran for a touchdown, threw for a touchdown, scored the game winning two point conversion, and intercepted the final play of the game. Not a bad final nine minutes of high school football.
Kasperowicz was the runaway winner of the AP Player of the Year award and a Parade All American after putting together arguably the best season of any individual player in the state playoff era. He threw for 2,777 yards and 21 touchdowns, rushed for 838 yards and 15 touchdowns, and led the state with 14 interceptions on defense. He was joined on the first team by his favorite target, wideout Ken Bollens, who set WPIAL records with 81 catches, and 1,522 receiving yards. Center Seamus Murphy also was slotted on the first team, while defensive tackle Chris Barie took home third team honors. Murphy, Barie, and right tackle Stiscak made up one of the best offensive lines in the state playoff era, with three 250+ Division I athletes up front for North Hills. Jack McCurry was named state coach of the year.
Kasperowicz would sign with Pittsburgh, who made him a full time safety when he arrived on campus. He was a three year starter for the Panthers at strong safety and outside linebacker. He also roomed with Chris Feola, who caught his TD pass at the end of the state final and was a three year fullback for the Panthers. In 2017, Kasperowicz became the first person to start for a state champion and coach a team to a state championship, when his Pine-Richland Rams knocked off St. Joseph’s Prep for the crown. Lavar Arrington would end up every bit the star his freshman year portended. He finished his North Hills career with 4,357 yards and 72 touchdowns, and was the Parade National Player of the Year in 1996. He was the first three-time All State pick from North Hills. He went on to be a two-time All American at Penn State and was the 2nd overall pick in the 2000 NFL draft. He played seven seasons in the NFL. Seamus Murphy was a three year starter at center for NC State before signing as an undrafted free agent with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Jack McCurry retired from North Hills in 2012 after 35 years at the helm, finishing 281-114.
