Bedford run game gashes Westinghouse
City League champion Westinghouse fell to Bedford in a PIAA Class 3A sub-regional game, 26-0, at Somerset High School.
It is the second consecutive year the Bulldogs (8-4) were eliminated in this round of the state playoffs by the Bisons (10-2). Westinghouse had an eight-game winning streak snapped after starting the season 03. It is the first time the Bulldogs were shut out. Westinghouse entered the contest averaging 35.7 points per game.
Westinghouse trailed, 20-0, at halftime. Bedford scored twice in the final 90 seconds of the first half to break open a tight game. Turnovers and penalties doomed the Bulldogs. Westinghouse lost two fumbles and threw two interceptions while Bedford only turned the ball over once on a fumble. Westinghouse was also penalized 15 times for 132 yards.
Bedford was only penalized once for 10 yards.
The Bulldogs amassed 309 yards of total offense, including 216 rushing yards on 32 carries. Westinghouse was led on the ground by Mike Massey who picked up 124 yards rushing on 14 carries. Malik Harris added 45 yards on seven rushing attempts, with Troy Lanier adding 35 yards on eight carries.
Bisons quarterback Mercury Swaim scored on three touchdown runs covering four, one and seven yards. Swaim also threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Miles Washington. Swaim completed 6 of 10 passes for 136 yards. The Bisons finished with 373 total yards, including 237 on the ground. Elijah Cook led Bedford in rushing with 81 yards on 19 carries. Steven Ressler added 74 yards on 10 caries.
Bedford meets the winner of today’s contest between Westmont Hilltop (8-3) and
Bald Eagle Area (8-3).
Other game
Erie Cathedral Prep 42, University Prep
6: The District 10 champion Ramblers (102) won their 12th consecutive PIAA Class 4A playoff game with a convincing victory over the Panthers (8-3) at Cupples Stadium in a sub-regional contest.
Tamar Sample of Cathedral Prep completed 5 of 9 pass attempts for 134 yards and two touchdowns. The Ramblers opened the scoring in the first quarter when Sample completed a 35-yard touchdown pass to Jaelen Carson. The Ramblers led, 42-0, at halftime. Half of Cathedral Prep’s touchdowns were scored on defensive plays — two on interception returns.
The first pick-6x was executed by Ben Tirpak who returned an interception 17 yards for a touchdown. The second interception return for a touchdown covered 88 yards by
Jaheim Howard. Cathedral Prep also scored on a University Prep fumble that was recovered in the Panthers end zone by the Ramblers’ Luke Sittinger.
Sittinger also scored a touchdown on a 32-yard run in the first quarter. University Prep scored its only touchdown on a 1-yard run by Jaeden Anderson in the fourth quarter. University Prep led in first downs, 1210, but was out-gained in total offensive yardage, 290-164. The Panthers also turned the ball over four times.
Cathedral Prep is 15-0 in preliminary/ first-round PIAA games. The Ramblers have never lost to a City League team in the state football playoffs. The Ramblers are the reigning three-time PIAA 4A champions. They have not lost to a team from Pennsylvania this season. Cathedral Prep faces Bellefonte in a first-round contest at a site and time to be determined. Bellefonte eliminated Clearfield, 35-21.