2024 Week 14 (Ohio & Pennsylvania)
Week 14 had one solid plan scheduled. Four games on Saturday at Acrisure Stadium for the WPIAL Finals. Friday, though, went through a lot of upheaval. The initial game I was attended was going to be at Williamsburg. But with schedule changes, Bishop Guilfoyle v. Westinghouse was moved to Highlands High School in Natrona Heights. And my schedule was adjusted to photograph that one.
But then, more changes. Games were reworked to move them from Friday night to Saturday. Including both originally planned games. That left me with only one option.
And then that fell through. Or, was about to. So I went looking for another game. And found it in Ohio. The only nearby game was in Boardman. Poland was playing South Range. There was no other game close by. And with the weather that rescheduled all the Pennsylvania games, I wasn’t driving far just to stand in the rain. Boardman was well within my wheelhouse.
So with nothing else to cover for PA Football News, called and got on the list. And only after that, found out a PA game was still going to be played Friday night. But virtually every now available reporter and photographer elsewhere in the western half of the state descended on it like locusts. Since I already committed to the Ohio game, that’s where I went. Didn’t need a third photographer or fourth reporter at the game.
#73 – South Range v. Poland Seminary
Now, one thing about Poland is that they are a public school. The name “Poland Seminary” is a throwback to the public school being given a school building from a formerly private school under the condition they couldn’t change the name. So, that’s how a public school is named Poland Seminary.
In addition to photographing the game under the threat of rain and using all my rain gear at my disposal, I was also toying around with new overlays for my photos. I wanted to try to do it for every update. I would put the current score and time on the image. This would save having to type it out for each update.
However, after the first couple of scores, it was becoming very slow doing updating. I think the image was creating a large history in the file and the file was becoming impossible to quickly edit and save. So, after halftime I gave up on it.
But I did like the way it was turning out. I tried it again on Saturday. But gave up on it for the 2024 season as too cumbersome.
With a 16-10 lead late, Poland gave up a late drive to South Range. With the PAT giving South Range the 17-16 victory.
South Range Snatches Victory Over Poland With Last Minute Score, 17-16 (PHOTO GALLERY)
I didn’t know it at the time, but that was the first time I had seen Poland play. I had been to games at their stadium for several Youngstown Christian/Valley Christian games, but this was the first time for Poland. I had simply overlooked them when I was researching this game on very late notice.
After the game, it was a very short drive home, and got the photos finished up. And got some sleep for the drive to Pittsburgh.
In the morning, I was up at 8am and heading south. Entering into PA via US422 and taking I-79 south to Wexford and I-279 into the city. Following the exit just north of the stadium and following it to what was usually the media parking lot. Or, rather where media usually parked. But this time the entire lot was empty. And media was instructed to park closer to The Rivers Casino. The entire time many people being turned away from the entirely empty lot.
But getting into the stadium was much easier this time once you make the walk.
At this point, the novelty of covering games at this stadium has worn off. Including that every time I’ve seen almost all the teams that make it to the finals. South Park would have been the only new team but I had seen them for the first time earlier this playoff season.
But, it was getting close to kickoff, and I was down on the field getting ready for the 1A title.
#74 – Fort Cherry v. Clairton
This is now the 6th time I’ve seen Fort Cherry play. And 9th time seeing Clairton. And 35th game this stadium.
Write-ups from the actual writers at the games are elsewhere. I was just there as one-half the photographer duo covering the games. My foot that I hurt walking the games in Buffalo was hurting as well. The cold wasn’t helping. But the first game went easy.
Clairton was expected to do well, but Fort Cherry and Seig’s quarterbacking was the difference. Eeking out a 21-20 victory of the Bears.
This was the second straight WPIAL title for Fort Cherry.
This time I switched sides. With a heavy overcast sky it didn’t matter much for photography.
#75 – Seton LaSalle v. South Park
Interestingly, this was the second time I had seen both of these teams play. Seton LaSalle was back in 2012 when they played at Burgettstown on a Saturday afternoon. South Park was when they hosted Mohawk this season.
Seton LaSalle would push the game down the stretch, but South Park would hang on to win thanks to their running game, 21-14.
South Park won their 3rd WPIAL championship.
By this point, the games are dragging on. Sitting on the player benches in the tunnels between games to take a break. Luckily, weather wasn’t bad. But it wasn’t great either for having a sore foot.
But a third game was ready to start.
#76 – Central Valley v. Avonworth
This was my 11th time seeing Central Valley. Going 5-5 in previous games I attended. Four previous times I saw they in the WPIAL Finals, going 2-2 with wins over Montour in 2010, and North Catholic in 2021. Losses to West Allegheny in 2013 and to Aliquippa in 2022. Also watched them win two state titles in 2020 and 2021 over Wyomissing (including 7-0 in 2021). And losses in 2014 to Archbishop Wood and 2019 to Wyoming. Two other games were an OT loss at home in 2012 on a Thursday night. And a 2021 win over Martinsburg Central at home in a state semifinal they hosted during the covid season.
This was my 6th time seeing Avonworth. I first saw them in 2018 in a home game hosting East Allegheny, winning 28-14. After that it was all WPIAL and State Championship games. In 2020 I saw them beat Hopewell for the WPIAL title, then lose back-to-back seasons to Belle Vernon in 2022 and 2023. In the lone state championship I saw them in, they were crushed, 74-7 by Southern Columbia in 2019.
And like their previous two games against Belle Vernon, it was a rather mundane, one-sided game. Though this time Avonworth came out ahead, 17-0.
It was getting cold then, but my ankle was holding up about as well as the field.
#77 – Pine-Richland v. Peters Twp
This was my 9th time seeing Pine-Richland. I first saw them in 2012 when they played a Saturday day afternoon homecoming game at Shaler. Winning easily, 49-6. Next was in 2013 when they hosted Seneca Valley on a Thursday night. Back when the WPIAL still had Thursday TV games.
In 2014, was their first state championship game I attended, losing 49-41 to Philadelphia St. Joseph’s Prep. However, they’d reap revenge on them, 41-21 when I attended their 2017 state championship game.
2018 was the first time I saw them in the WPIAL finals. In 2020, I attended their state semifinal game against Governor Mifflin held at Hollidaysburg. The winning touchdown was the first photo I got in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. And the next week, they beat Cathedral Prep, 48-7 for the state championship in Hershey. In 2022, they won the state championship, 28-14 over Imhotep Charter the first year at Mechanicsburg.
For Peters Twp, I’ve only seen them twice. First in 2020 during the odd Covid season, when I saw them host, and beat, Upper St. Clair. And then the same matchup in 2024 playoffs, beating Upper St. Clair again. Also, saw them lose the 2023 state championship to Imhotep Charter.
In this one, it was another slog of a game. Pine-Richland had the edge, but couldn’t pull away. But Peters Twp didn’t threaten to keep it a one score game. Pine-Richland would win, 20-9.
After the game, I ran into town to get hoagies at Pizza Parma. Then headed out north to I-79 to US422 and home.
Another weekend in the books.
ECONOMICS
It was a rather quick weekend. Only 162 total miles. Mostly from Saturday. Didn’t buy any gas for the weekend and was forced to pay $20 for parking at Acrisure Stadium. Food was mostly the hoagies, totaling $47.12. Total cost for the weekend was $67.12.
PHOTOS OF THE WEEK
2024 Statistics
77 Games
144 Teams
50 Stadiums
12 States
68 New Teams
37 New Stadiums
1,637 different teams
532 different stadiums
1,537 total games
NEXT WEEK
A couple state semifinal games in Pennsylvania is on the schedule. Just depends what is out there.
For photos from this game, and others this weekend, click HERE.
For photos from previous weeks and seasons, visit http://www.flickr.com/sykotyk/sets/