The second-seeded North Allegheny Tigers hosted the No. 3 seed Norwin Knights at Newman Stadium on Friday night in the WPIAL Semifinals. After a slow first half, the Tigers exploded for 28 points in the second half to pull away from the Knights and advance to their fourth straight WPIAL Championship game.

 

Both teams traded punts on their first couple of possessions before Norwin drove the ball to the North Allegheny 24-yard line. 

 

The Knights converted a 41-yard field goal to take a 3-0 lead after a quarter of play. After trading punts to start the second quarter, NA began to move the ball. The Tigers finally got on the board when Brady Brinkley hit Cameron Kushner over the middle for a 56-yard touchdown pass and gave North Allegheny the 7-3 lead.

 

 

Norwin responded with a solid drive of their own, going 68 yards in 12 plays. The Knights attempted a 29-yard field goal, but Lincoln Hoke blocked the attempt, and the score stood where it was heading into halftime.

 

 

The Tigers exploded out of the gates in the second half after forcing a Norwin three-and-out. Brinkley found Kushner on the first play of the second half, this time from 58 yards out, and North Allegheny led 14-3.

 

 

NA forced another punt and three plays later found the end zone again when Luke Rohan scored from 31 yards out and the North Allegheny lead expanded to 21-3.

 

Norwin threatened late in the third quarter, getting to the Tiger 14-yard line, but Norwin quarterback Tristyn Tavares was sacked by Owen Urschler, Grant Girty and Kellen Frank on fourth down to preserve the 21-3 lead going to the fourth quarter.

 

North Allegheny started the fourth quarter with a 13-play, 54 yard drive that took up five and a half minutes but a missed field goal kept the score where it was. Norwin found some life, responding with an 80-yard touchdown from Tavares to Jake Knight to cut the score to 21-10. The Tigers responded right back when Rohan scored on NA’s next offensive play going 57 yards and the NA lead blew up to 28-10.

 

 

On the ensuing play for Norwin, Tavares’ pass to the flat was intercepted by Mason Brown and the Tigers were in business once again. Rohan found paydirt for the third time in the game from 11 yards out and North Allegheny had a commanding 35-10 lead. Tavares ran one in from two yards out to make the final score 35-17.

 

Kushner was named the Wright Automotive Player of the Game, finishing with three catches for 119 yards and two touchdowns. Rohan led the way, rushing for 181 yards and three touchdowns. Brinkley finishes six-for-14 for 158 yards and two touchdowns.

Hoke led the NA defense with 11 tackles and two and a half sacks. Frank had 10 tackles while Brown and Tydes Alualu each had nine tackles. The Tigers had six sacks as a team.

 

 

North Allegheny advances to the WPIAL Championship game next week where they will take on the top-seeded Central Catholic Vikings. The game will be played at Pine-Richland High School and kick off is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. This game will be broadcast live on the North Allegheny Sports Network.