WPIAL
Pine-Richland Clinches Undefeated Regular Season, Section Title with Rout of Kiski Area
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ALLEGHENY TWP., Pa. — Pine-Richland wasted no time in taking care of Kiski Area on Friday and securing an undefeated regular season and an outright WPIAL Class-5A Northeast title.
The Rams scored on the first play of the game and both of their first two offensive snaps as quarterback Cole Spencer threw for four touchdowns on the way to a 58-14 rout of the Cavaliers.
Pine-Richland finished the regular season 6-0 and 5-0 in section play. Their victory secured the outright section title over second-place Penn Hills, which entered play on Friday 3-1 in the section. The Rams defeated the Indians on Oct. 2.
Spencer hit Jeremiah Hasley in stride on the game’s first play for a 69-yard catch-and-run through the heart of the Kiski defense. On the Rams’ next snap, Spencer hit Luke Miller on a tunnel screen that went for a 50-yard score.
He then connected three times with receiver Eli Jochem for scores, one from 28 yards out on a wide receiver screen and another from 30 yards out up the seam.
Spencer, who was pulled from the game in the second quarter, finished with nine completions on nine attempts for 228 yards and five scores.
Two Rams rushers also found pay dirt in the opening period, Brooks Eastburn from 38 yards out on the right side and Jordan Burns for a 35-yard score over the left end.
Pine-Richland scored touchdowns on its first seven drives of the game and took the offensive starters out of the game at that point. The Rams added a late-first-half field goal after Caden Schweiger blocked a Kiski punt deep in Cavaliers territory.
Kiski scored in the final minute of the first half, when Lebryn Smith hit Calvin Heinle from 29 yards out after a 47-yard Jordan Pearson run set Kiski up in with good field position. That duo hooked up once again in the third quarter on a four-yard slant.
Backup Rams quarterback Cole Boyd capped the scoring with a four-yard keeper.
The Rams will continue their season in the WPIAL playoffs next week.
