Dunmoreâ??s chance at title falls short

HERSHEY â?? Clairton finished another perfect season with a fourth straight state championship.

Quarterback Armani Ford threw for one touchdown, ran for another and Clairton won its 63rd straight game by stuffing Dunmoreâ??s power-rushing attack in 20-0 victory to take the PIAA Class A title.

Senior standout Tyler Boyd added a 5-yard rushing score to help Clairton (16-0) become just the third program in state history to win four consecutive championships, joining Berwick and Southern Columbia.

The speedy Bears were just as tough defensively in stuffing the Bucks (14-2). Dunmoreâ??s best series of the afternoon ended after linebacker Robert Boatright sacked Brandon Kujawski on fourth-and-7 from the 26 midway through the fourth quarter.

Austin Seamon had 12 carries for 45 yards, while Daiqwon Buckley had 16 for 44 for Dunmore, which had entered Friday averaging 27.5 points per game.

Boyd added an interception, too, while playing safety â?? though itâ??s his offensive skills that are making college coaches take notice. Three Penn State assistant coaches watched from the sideline.

Boyd did his best to impress in rushing for 117 yards on 20 carries and catching three passes for 50 yards.

Clairtonâ??s fans started celebrating early after Fordâ??s 29-yard touchdown run with 4:06 left gave Clairton a 20-point lead. Not even two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties at the end of the play â?? forcing Clairton to kick off from its own 12 â?? could dampen their mood.

Dunmore returned the ensuing kickoff to the Clairton 26 â?? only to fumble the ball away back to the Bears with 4 minutes to go.

It could have been worse if Dunmore didnâ??t stiffen up defensively to snuff out to long Clairton drives, including one in the first half for 19 plays and 97 yards that took eight minutes â?? but ended after all-purpose back Boyd missed an open Webb in the end zone from fourth-and-goal at the 2.

Clairton 20, Dunmore 0

First Quarter

Claâ??Boyd 5 run (Boyd run failed), 8:20.

Second Quarter

Claâ??Webb 21 pass from Ford (Webb pass), :40.

Fourth Quarter

Claâ??Ford 29 run (Williams run failed), 4:06

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHINGâ??Dunmore, Seamon 12-45, Buckley 16-44, Kujawski 1-(minus 10).Clairton, Boyd 20-117, Clifford 10-58, Murphy 6-53, Ford 9-45, Webb 1-9.

PASSINGâ??Dunmore, Kujawski 2-8-1-36. Clairton, Ford 10-18-0-150.

RECEIVINGâ??Dunmore, Zilla 1-25, Rinaldi 1-11. Clairton, Webb 7-100, Boyd 3-50.

HERSHEY â?? Quarterback Damion Terry threw for two touchdowns and ran for another, and Erie Cathedral Prep held off a second-half charge to beat Archbishop Wood to win the PIAA Class AAA title.

Felix Manus-Schellâ??s interception in the end zone midway through the fourth quarter snuffed out Woodâ??s last-ditch attempt to rebound from a 17-point halftime deficit. Manus-Schell also had a 60-yard touchdown catch for Prep (15-0), which claimed its first state crown in a dozen years.

The defending champion Vikings (12-3) will have to settle for second this year. Andrew Guckinâ??s 5-yard scoring run got Wood within 10 points late in the third quarter before Prepâ??s fourth-quarter defensive stands.

The Ramblers stopped Wood on fourth-and-1 from the 24 earlier in the fourth before Manus-Schellâ??s pick in the end zone.