Tuesday, February 18, 2025, 6:29AM |  15°
MENU
Advertisement
Fort Cherry quarterback Matt Sieg, 3, escapes pressure against Cornell at Fort Cherry Friday, Oct. 13, 2023.
1
MORE

WPIAL Class 1A semifinals roundup: Fort Cherry, South Side Beaver set up championship battle

Sebastian Foltz/Post-Gazette

WPIAL Class 1A semifinals roundup: Fort Cherry, South Side Beaver set up championship battle

Matt Sieg did it again Friday night.

Fort Cherry's super sophomore quarterback scored five touchdowns and rushed for 157 yards on 24 carries, leading Fort Cherry (13-0) to a 33-21 win over Bishop Canevin (10-2) in a WPIAL Class 1A semifinal game at South Fayette.

The Rangers will meet South Side Beaver next Friday, Nov. 24 at 11 a.m. at Acrisure Stadium in the title game.

Advertisement

Sieg, who also passed for 109 yards, now has 33 rushing touchdowns on the year. He has rushed for 1,776 yards and passed for another 1,337 yards.

Quinton Martin, #25, of Belle Vernon leaps over Yasir Williams, #7, of Neumann Goretti, Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022, at Chapman Stadium in Mechanicsburg. Belle Vernon defeats Neumann Goretti 9-8 for the PIAA 3A football championship title.
Will Aldrich
3-pronged rushing attack propels Belle Vernon to dominant performance against East Allegheny

Against Bishop Canevin, Sieg saved his best for last.

With the Crusaders holding a 21-20 lead late in the game, Sieg completed a 32-yard pass to Evan Rogers to move the ball to the Bishop Canevin 21. Then, on the next play, Sieg raced the final 21 yards for a score to give Fort Cherry a 26-21 lead with 4:34 to play.

On the very next play from scrimmage, Bishop Canevin quarterback Kole Olszewski fumbled and Fort Cherry recovered at the Crusaders' 15-yard line. Sieg then ran 15 yards for his fifth touchdown and a somewhat safe 33-21 lead.

Advertisement

Bishop Canevin took a 14-7 lead into halftime when on the last play of the second quarter, Olszewski threw a 42-yard touchdown pass to Jason Cole that two Fort Cherry defenders were unable to stop.

It was a deflating blow to the Rangers, but they were able to come back from it.

Olszewski completed 10 of 22 passes for 184 yards and two touchdowns.

With the game tied 14-14, Olszewski's 40-yard touchdown pass to Jayden Lindsey late in the third quarter gave Bishop Canevin a 21-14 lead. The lead held until Sieg's late heroics.

Westinghouse’s Khalil Green pushes through a tackle by University Prep’s Xair Stevenson, 9, in the City League Championship at Cupples Stadium on the South Side Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023.
From local dispatches
Westinghouse outpaces high-flying Central Clarion offense in PIAA Class 2A first-round shootout

Fort Cherry will be making its first WPIAL championship game appearance since 2001 when it lost to Rochester.

Also in Class 1A:

South Side Beaver 28, Clairton 12: Brody Almashy threw touchdown passes of 36, 11 and 53 yards to lead the Rams (13-0) past the Bears (10-3) at Peters Township.

Clairton owned a 12-7 lead in the latter part of the second quarter thanks to touchdown runs of 24 yards from Donte Wright and 7 yards from Dion Pompey.

But South Side Beaver scored the final 21 points of the game, including an 11-yard scoring toss to A.C. Corfield late in the second quarter to help give the Rams a 14-12 halftime advantage.

Corfield added another touchdown catch and a 10-yard scoring run in the second half to give the Rams a 16-point advantage.

Corfield rushed for 131 yards on 19 carries, while Almashy passed for 123 yards. Clairton's Pompey rushed for 123 yards on 15 carries.

First Published: November 18, 2023, 3:59 a.m.

RELATED
Aliquippa's Arison Walker celebrates a touchdown with Tiqwai "Tikey" Hayes against Mars on Friday in the WPIAL Class 4A semifinals at North Allegheny. Aliquippa won 47-24 to earn a 16th consecutive trip to a WPIAL final.
Mike White
Back to Acrisure: Aliquippa earns 16th consecutive WPIAL title game appearance with win against Mars
SHOW COMMENTS (0)  
Join the Conversation
Commenting policy | How to Report Abuse
If you would like your comment to be considered for a published letter to the editor, please send it to letters@post-gazette.com. Letters must be under 250 words and may be edited for length and clarity.
Partners
Advertisement
The Federal Bureau of Investigation seal outside the headquarters in Washington, D.C.
1
opinion
Vanni Cappelli: The FBI purge could lead to another 9/11
Sidequest on 44th in Lawrenceville on Dec. 27, 2024.
2
a&e
Canceled show finds ex-Misfits singer Michale Graves lashing out about being purged from Pittsburgh
Head coach Mike Tomlin and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith watch a receivers and defensive backs drill at Steelers Minicamp at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex Thursday, June 13, 2024.
3
sports
Gerry Dulac: Next season’s major decisions loom this week for Mike Tomlin, Steelers staff
A small public audience listened as Pittsburgh Public Schools released final recommendations for its facilities utilization plan during the education committee meeting at the PPS Administration Building in Oakland on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024.
4
news
Pittsburgh Public Schools considering reinstating virtual testimony following months of pushback
A protester waves a sign opposing Trump administration policies during a protest at the intersection of Murray and Forbes Avenues in Squirrel Hill Monday, Feb. 17, 2025.
5
news
Presidents Day protest in Pittsburgh takes aim at Trump policies
Fort Cherry quarterback Matt Sieg, 3, escapes pressure against Cornell at Fort Cherry Friday, Oct. 13, 2023.  (Sebastian Foltz/Post-Gazette)
Sebastian Foltz/Post-Gazette
Advertisement
LATEST sports
Advertisement
TOP
Email a Story