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WPIAL Class AAAA final: Conwell's late TD, interception give Upper St. Clair title

WPIAL Class AAAA final: Conwell's late TD, interception give Upper St. Clair title


Peter Diana, Post-Gazette
Upper St. Clair's Dane Conwell celebrates his winning touchdown against Penn Hills late in the fourth quarter of Class AAAA title game.
By Mike White, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Coach Jim Render has rings for all of his WPIAL championships at Upper St. Clair.

"I don't know if they make them for my thumb," Render said.

Render got one for the thumb at Heinz Field last night when Upper St. Clair defeated Penn Hills, 18-12, in the Class AAAA championship. It was the fourth and final championship at Heinz, and the games drew an estimated crowd of 24,500.

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Render couldn't give the thumbs-up sign until late in the game. Upper St. Clair senior halfback Dane Conwell found the end zone on a 10-yard run with 58 seconds left, capping an 11-play, 59-yard drive.

It was the fifth championship in 28 seasons for Render. He ties a few others for fourth place in WPIAL history.

"I don't need this for my resume. I'm not going anywhere. But you don't like to come down here and get waxed, either," said Render, who has lost in the title game five times. "We got waxed by Central Catholic a few years ago."

Upper St. Clair finishes the WPIAL season with a 13-0 record and will begin the PIAA playoffs next weekend against Erie Cathedral Prep. Penn Hills, which had an unexpected run to the title game, finished 10-2.

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"This ranks right up there with all of the others because Penn Hills has a lot of marvelous athletes," Render said.

Upper St. Clair's scoring drive came after Penn Hills took a 12-10 lead with 5:48 left on Teddy Blakeman's 8-yard scoring run. A 54-yard pass play from Tom Fulton to Eric Taylor set up the score.

For the first time all season, Upper St. Clair trailed in the fourth quarter.

Then, the Panthers came up with the drive for five.

"The game came down to one drive," said Penn Hills coach Neil Gordon. "Upper St. Clair proved they are a championship-caliber team. ... That was an even game in my mind. Upper St. Clair just executed when they had to."

Upper St. Clair started the winning drive on its 41 and gained 15 yards on first down with a pass from Pat McShane to Neil Apfelbaum.

"I had my passing [play] cards out at the start of the drive," Render said.

Then he put them in his pocket after the first play. Upper St. Clair ran the ball nine consecutive times and converted on three third-down plays to put the ball at the 10 with 1:13 left. Conwell scored on the next play.

"We came out poised on that last drive, and our offensive line was just beating the heck out of people on that last drive," Conwell said. "The line deserves all the credit. Our backs were against the wall, and we came through, but I don't know if I would want to have to do that again."

Conwell carried the ball seven times on the final drive and then intercepted a pass to kill Penn Hills' last possession. Conwell finished with 113 yards on 29 carries.

"I think both teams were tired and beaten up," Gordon said. "My hat is off to them. The kids who were running the ball and the kids blocking ... that was a championship drive."

Conwell said, "We have so many seniors on this team and just wanted it so bad. We weren't going to let it slip away."

Upper St. Clair's defense was excellent for the most part, holding Penn Hills to 54 yards rushing. Fulton, Penn Hills' sophomore quarterback, completed a few big pass plays, though, finishing 11 of 22 for 142 yards. Aaron Williams, Penn Hills' 1,000-yard rusher, was held to 46 yards on 13 carries.

Penn Hills scored the game's first touchdown, driving 66 yards in 13 plays for a score in the second quarter. Fulton's 6-yard touchdown pass to Taylor in the left corner of the end zone capped the march.

Upper St. Clair answered with a touchdown on its next possession, with a roughing-the-punter penalty keeping the drive alive. The penalty put the ball at the Penn Hills 34, and Taylor Everett scored a touchdown seven plays later when he caught a 5-yard pass from McShane.

Late in the first half, Penn Hills recovered a fumbled punt at the Upper St. Clair 16, but the Indians turned the ball over on downs with 2:04 remaining in the half. On the first play, Adam Chrissis ran 42 yards to put the ball at the 33. The Panthers settled for a 23-yard field goal by Alex Romanis with 22 seconds left in the half to make it 10-6.

The score stayed that way until Penn Hills took the lead in the fourth quarter. But Upper St. Clair had an answer.

"I really haven't had time to think about what it means to win five," Render said. "But I'm sure someday I'll look back and be doggone happy about it."

Peter Diana, Post-Gazette
Upper St. Clair head coach Jim Render hugs his quarterback Pat McShane after beating Penn Hills, 18-12.
Click photo for larger image.

Related article

Panthers defense just 'plain' tough

Peter Diana, Post-Gazette
Mark Menzietti recovers a fumble by Upper St. Clair's Taylor Everett in the first half.
Click photo for larger image.

First Published: November 25, 2006, 5:00 a.m.

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