Warriors dominate North Catholic, reach first WPIAL final
Rob Burchianti | 蘑菇视频
Elizabeth Forward蘑菇视频 Jaren Prah (left) and Chase Whatton (right) scramble after a North Catholic fumble that was recovered by the Warriors鈥� Nicholas Murphy during Friday night蘑菇视频 WPIAL Class 3A semifinal game at Mars. Elizabeth Forward forced four turnovers on its way to a 17-0 victory.
Rob Burchianti | 蘑菇视频
Elizabeth Forward蘑菇视频 Nico Mrvos (2) runs for a six-yard gain as North Catholic蘑菇视频 Shamus Straub (42) prepares to make the tackle during Friday night蘑菇视频 WPIAL Class 3A semifinal game at Mars. Mrvos would score the Warriors鈥� final touchdown in their 17-0 win on the next play.
Elizabeth Forward's Logan Jester, DaVontay Brownfield and Charles Buchina team up to bring down North Catholic quarterback Joseph Prentice during Friday night's WPIAL Class 3A semifinal game at Mars.
Rob Burchianti | 蘑菇视频
Elizabeth Forward蘑菇视频 DaVontay Brownfield turns the corner on a 13-yard run against North Catholic during the third quarter of last Friday night蘑菇视频 WPIAL Class 3A semifinal game at Mars. Brownfield scored on the next play and the Warriors went on to win, 17-0. EF meets top-seeded Central Valley in the WPIAL Class 3A final tonight at North Allegheny.
Rob Burchianti | 蘑菇视频
Elizabeth Forward蘑菇视频 Spencer Ross (64) levels North Catholic running back Kyle Tipinski during last Friday night蘑菇视频 WPIAL Class 3A semifinal game at Mars. EF meets top-seeded Central Valley in the WPIAL Class 3A final tonight at North Allegheny.
Elizabeth Forward coach Mike Collodi (black shirt) and his players celebrate after defeating North Catholic, 17-0, in Friday night's聽WPIAL Class 3A semifinal game at Mars.
Elizabeth Forward's Spencer Ross (64) raises the ball after recovering a fumble by North Catholic's Carson Laconi (2) during Friday night's WPIAL Class 3A semifinal game at Mars. The Warriors forced four turnovers on their way to a 17-0 victory.
Elizabeth Forward's Chase Whatton (67) attempts to block a 36-yard field goal attempt by North Catholic's Ethan Marsico聽during Friday night's WPIAL Class 3A semifinal game at Mars. The kick fell short.
Elizabeth Forward's DaVontay Brownfield (9) and Spencer Ross bury North Catholic's Kyle Tipinski for a three-yard loss during the second quarter of聽Friday night's WPIAL Class 3A semifinal game at Mars. The play forced the Trojans to attempt a 36-yard field goal which they missed.
Elizabeth Forward's Nico Mrvos breaks through an opening in North Catholic's defense for an eight-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter聽during Friday night's WPIAL Class 3A semifinal game at Mars.
Elizabeth Forward's Richard Prokup hits North Catholic quarterback Joseph Prentice as he throws the ball during Friday night's WPIAL Class 3A semifinal game at Mars. The pass was intercepted by the Warriors' Nico Mrvos.
Elizabeth Forward's Nicholas Murphy dives on and recovers a North Catholic fumble during聽during last year's WPIAL Class 3A semifinal game at Mars.
Elizabeth Forward's Nico Mrvos (2) runs the ball against North Catholic聽during Friday night's WPIAL Class 3A semifinal game at Mars.
Rob Burchianti | 蘑菇视频
Elizabeth Forward蘑菇视频 DaVontay Brownfield and Chase Whatton (67) team up to tackle North Catholic蘑菇视频 Kyle Tipinski (3) during Friday night蘑菇视频 WPIAL Class 3A semifinal game at Mars.
Elizabeth Forward's Nicholas Murphy tackles North Catholic quarterback Joseph Prentice聽during Friday night's WPIAL Class 3A semifinal game at Mars.
Elizabeth Forward's Chase Whatton (53) gives the signal as the Warriors' DaVontay Brownfield barrels into the end zone for a touchdown聽during Friday night's WPIAL Class 3A semifinal game at Mars.
North Catholic defenders attempt to block a field goal attempt by Elizabeth Forward's Andrew Smith聽during Friday night's WPIAL Class 3A semifinal game at Mars. The ball went through the uprights for the first points in the Warriors' 17-0 win.
Elizabeth Forward's Nicholas Murphy pressures North Catholic quarterback Joseph Prentice聽during Friday night's WPIAL Class 3A semifinal game at Mars.
Elizabeth Forward quarterback Zion White completes a pass against North Catholic聽during Friday night's WPIAL Class 3A semifinal game at Mars.
Elizabeth Forward fans, including one holding up a sign for the Warriors' Chase Whatton, cheer their team on聽during Friday night's WPIAL Class 3A semifinal game at Mars. Ironically, Whatton switched uniforms twice during the game but never wore No. 19. Still, the EF faithful went home happy as the Warriors won 17-0.
Elizabeth Forward quarterback Zion White kneels down with the ball to run out the clock on the final play of the Warriors' 17-0 win over North Catholic in聽Friday night's WPIAL Class 3A semifinal game at Mars.
MARS 鈥� Elizabeth Forward senior Chase Whatton felt confident as his football team stepped on the field at Mars to play North Catholic on Friday night.
鈥淚 knew we were going to play a great game,鈥� said the Bowling Green recruit. 鈥淲e had such a great week of practice. We were so focused. We knew what we wanted to do.鈥�
And they did it.
The Warriors鈥� defense dominated and the offense got touchdown runs from DaVontay Brownfield and Nico Mrvos in a convincing 17-0 victory over the Trojans in their WPIAL Class 3A semifinal game.
The win propels third-seeded Elizabeth Forward into next Friday蘑菇视频 championship game against top-seeded Central Valley at North Allegheny High School.
鈥淭hat gives me chills just talking about it,鈥� said Whatton, who excelled on the offensive and defensive lines for EF.
Elizabeth Forward won its first playoff game in 20 years and first ever on its home field last week with a 34-20 win over Freeport, and improved to 8-0 with its victory over second-seeded North Catholic, which ended its season at 8-1.
鈥淲e had a great game plan and the kids executed,鈥� EF coach Mike Collodi said. 鈥淭hey played out of their minds. I鈥檓 so proud of these guys.
鈥淭hey came in here with a chip on their shoulder. My guys felt they should鈥檝e been the No. 2 seed. They wanted to show everybody what we鈥檙e made out of. We play fast, physical football. That蘑菇视频 what we pride ourselves on.
鈥淭hey came tonight to play and show everybody that EF is for real.鈥�
The Trojans were led by dual-threat quarterback Joseph Prentice, who accounted for 28 touchdowns (16 passing and 12 rushing) this season, but he could never get untracked against the Warriors and had to leave the field twice with injuries after hard hits, although he returned both times.
North Catholic could only muster 61 yards through the air and 61 on the ground against Elizabeth Forward.
鈥淚t was definitely one of the best games we鈥檝e played on defense,鈥� Brownfield said. 鈥淚t was a team effort.聽We all ran to the ball, we tackled good and played physical like we know how.鈥�
Whatton and the Warriors鈥� defense made a statement right away.
Elizabeth Forward moved the ball to the North Catholic 46 on its first drive before punting with the Trojans taking over at their own 19. Two penalties and Whatton蘑菇视频 11-yard sack of Prentice foiled North Catholic蘑菇视频 first possession and Zach Boyd returned a punt 25 yards to set up the Warriors at the NC 29.
Elizabeth Forward moved the sticks once before settling on a 25-yard field goal by Andrew Smith to give the Warriors the only points they would need with 55 seconds left in the first quarter.
The Trojans, sparked by Kyle Tipinski蘑菇视频 14-yard run, gradually moved the ball into the red zone with a five-plus-minute drive but Tipinski was dropped for a three-yard loss on a third-and-seven play by Brownfield, and Ethan Marsico蘑菇视频 36-yard field goal attempt fell short with 4:08 left in the half.
The teams went into halftime with the score still 3-0.
鈥淭owards the end of the second quarter I could tell they were breaking down and getting frustrated,鈥� EF junior lineman Nicholas Murphy said. 鈥淲hen we all play as a whole and we all do our job there蘑菇视频 no one we can鈥檛 stop.鈥�
The Warriors鈥� defense took complete control in the third quarter, forcing three turnovers and a punt on North Catholic蘑菇视频 first four possessions of the second half.
The Trojans received the ball to start the third quarter and Prentice completed a short pass to Nicholas Maher who fumbled when he was hit by EF蘑菇视频 Jared Prah with Brownfield recovering at the NC 43.
After a five-yard penalty on the Warriors, Zion White completed a 14-yard pass to Mrvos to the 34, but North Catholic蘑菇视频 defense forced a turnover on downs at the 30.
Elizabeth Forward got the ball right back when Murphy recovered a Trojan fumble at the NC 30. White completed a 10-yard pass to Mrvos and then Brownfield ran for two and 13 yards before capping the drive with a five-yard run up the middle. Smith蘑菇视频 extra point made it 10-0 EF with 7:02 left in the third.
鈥淥nce I scored that touchdown I knew we had them,鈥� said Brownfield.
After an exchange of punts, the Warriors came up with another turnover when Prentice was hit hard by Richard Prokup as he threw a pass with Mrvos intercepting at the NC 32 and returning it to the 29.
North Catholic蘑菇视频 defense dug in and forced a turnover on downs but EF蘑菇视频 defense did the same thanks to Brownfield蘑菇视频 sack of Prentice for a four-yard loss on third and seven.
Elizabeth Forward took over at the 50 and marched 50 yards in eight plays with Mrvos covering the the final 39 on three runs, including an eight-yard burst into the end zone with 7:29 remaining in the fourth quarter. Smith蘑菇视频 extra point made it a three-score game at 17-0, all but icing the victory.
North Catholic蘑菇视频 final drive, helped by a 15-yard penalty on EF, fittingly ended with another turnover, this one a fumble forced by Charles Buchina and recovered by Spencer Ross at the EF 22.
The Warriors ran out the clock from there to punch their ticket for the championship game.
鈥淚t feels great, amazing, a dream come true,鈥� Murphy said.
鈥淲e got it done for each other,鈥� Whatton said.
Mrvos led EF with 81 rushing yards on 15 carries and two receptions for 24 yards. He also completed one of two passes for five yards.
Kyle Flournoy had 12 carries for 39 yards and Brownfield added eight carries for 28 yards and a pair of receptions for 27 yards.
White threw for 55 yards with one interception, by Carson Laconi late in the first half.
鈥淭hey played amazing,鈥� Collodi said of his squad. 鈥淚 think they were ready. Every week we鈥檙e improving and getting better and better.鈥�
Central Valley (9-0) blasted Keystone Oaks in the other semifinal game, 70-21.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know a lot about Central Valley, but I do know they鈥檙e extremely good and No. 1 in the state for a reason,鈥� Collodi said.
鈥淭his was our goal at the beginning of the season. Let蘑菇视频 get to the championship game and see what happens. Here we go.鈥�