Trojans edge Quakers in final minute
Timely score sends defending champions home, N.C. to semis
North Catholic was tied with Quaker Valley at halftime and coach Pat O’Shea was a little fit to be tied.
“I actually used the word ‘fake’ in the locker room,” O’Shea said. “I told our kids that they continue to be fake football players or go out and be the football players I know they are. I think at one point they realized, ‘This is it.’”
That point ultimately landed on North Catholic’s final possession of the game.
North Catholic went on a nine-play, 59yard scoring drive and slipped past Quaker Valley, 31-24, in a WPIAL Class 3A quarterfinal game at Lt. J.C. Stone Field in North Park.
Quarterback Zack Rocco scored the winning touchdown on a 4-yard run with 38.6 seconds left.
Now, North Catholic (10-1) moves to a familiar spot — the semifinals. The Trojans will be there for the sixth time in seven seasons.
Quaker Valley, defending WPIAL and PIAA champions, didn’t have the 2017 playoff magic. The Quakers, who had won four of five entering Friday, finished 5-5.
Before North Catholic’s winning touchdown march, Quaker Valley tied the score with 3:45 left on Ethan Moore’s 16yard touchdown pass to Demetrios Perez. North Catholic took over at its 41. “For sure, we knew it was do-or-die then,” Rocco said. “That’s when we’re good, though. We’re better under pressure.”
The Trojans dug deep, shoveled twice and kept things in Rocco’s hands.
Rocco completed two shovel passes in the drive to Nikhai Hill-Green for 16 yards. Rocco also carried three times for 20 yards. It was a good finish for North Catholic’s talented junior quarterback, who was also intercepted three times. Rocco finished 16 of 26 for 178 yards and also ran for 68 yards on 11 carries.
“That last drive, I said to my offensive coordinator that we have to do it now, but let’s just grind it out,” O’Shea said. “I thought if Quaker Valley got the ball back, they’re probably going to win.”
In a way, O’Shea felt fortunate to win. “If you would’ve told me we’d have six turnovers and beat Quaker Valley, I would’ve said no way in the world,” O’Shea said.
“Both teams had some ups and downs.” North Catholic had not allowed a touchdown in the past four games. Although Quaker Valley scored three touchdowns, the defense accounted for two of them. Smith Johnson recovered a North Catholic fumble in the end zone for Quaker Valley’s first score, which tied the score, 7-7.
In the third quarter, with North Catholic holding a 9-7 lead, Quaker Valley’s Cameron Wolf intercepted a pass and returned it 43 yards for a score.
The Quakers also got a 25-yard field goal from Evan Frund in the third.
Rocco had a hand in every North Catholic touchdown and put an exclamation point on the game with an interception of his own at midfield on the final play.
The game was deadlocked, 7-7, at halftime. Hill-Green blocked Ethan Moore’s punt in the first quarter and Cameron Branch recovered at the Quaker Valley 7.
On second down, Hill-Green caught a 3yard touchdown pass from Rocco.
The score was deadlocked again, 17-17, after three quarters.
Rocco threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Nick Maher in the third quarter and his 7-yard scoring run with 6:40 left put North Catholic ahead again.
North Catholic will play Derry in the semifinals. Derry handed North Catholic its only loss this season.