Central Valley hoping momentum carries over
When you start out 0-4, a lot of people count you out, Central Valley coach Mark Lyons said.
But what about when you beat powerhouse and state championship-hopeful Aliquippa, 14-8, a team that entered the game scoring 55 points a game, in a shocking regular-season finale?
If nothing else, it’s a heck of a way for a Warriors squad that struggled early to bounce back and set the tone forthe playoffs.
“Obviously, besides it being a great win for our program and our community, it gets us playing good football this time of year,” Lyons said. “That’s what we talk about ... Obviously, we didn’t make it last year. This win keeps the confidence level high knowing that good practice habits lead to good playing habits. It’s some validation.”
The upset win puts Central Valley at 5-5 overall and 52 in the WPIAL Class 3A Tri-County West Conference. The Warriors lost four consecutive games to Blackhawk, Quaker Valley, Beaver Falls and North Catholic to start the year before finishing the season 5-1.
“I think our guys were kind of ... it was surreal at first, only because nobody’s given this team a chance, but our guys stuck together,” Lyons said. “They kept believing and kept believing. Everybody started with our staff game plan, and the kids buying into that game plan. From Monday forward, we were locked into what we wanted to do. We were locked in. It was a great team defensive game. I thought both our offensive and defensive lines played well. They hung tough, played tough.”
A big improvement from the beginning of the season to end is offensive line play, Lyons said, which has in turn opened up the Warriors’ run game.
Two rushing touchdowns (one by junior Jawon Hall in the first quarter, one by senior running back Noah Thompson in the second quarter) lifted Central Valley to victory against Aliquippa (9-1), with sophomore quarterback Ameer Dudley rushing for 364 yards on 104 carries (and completing 60 passes for 926 yards) this season.
With a 3-3 record in last year’s Beaver Valley Conference, the Warriors missed the playoffs. This year, though, Central Valley is playing its best football at the righttime, Lyons said.
“We’re healthy, we’re playing with confidence,” Lyons said. “Those are two ingredients, they help give ourselves a chance. We wanted to give ourselves a chance come playoffs. That was our thing, give ourselves a chance when the leaves start falling off the trees in November.”
Derry Area plays host to Central Valley 7:30 p.m. Friday in the WPIAL Class 3A quarterfinals.
North Catholic
Elsewhere in the Class 3A playoffs, North Catholic (9-1), which tied for first place in the Big East Conference with Elizabeth Forward and Derry, will look to carry its stout defense into the playoffs.
The Trojans have allowed just one touchdown in the past five games, and allowed two total scores during that stretch. North Catholic gave up a touchdown to Mount Pleasant on Sept. 28 and gave up a field goal to Deer Lakes on Oct. 26.
That’s 10 points allowed from Sept. 28 through the conclusion of the regular season. North Catholic plays host to Quaker Valley 7:30 p.m. Friday.