ALTOONA, Pa.— It takes a complete football team to make a near-clean sweep through the WPIAL and advance all the way to the PIAA Championship Game.
North Allegheny has excelled on both sides of the ball all season, though over its last two games, hasn’t needed to move the ball through the air.
The Tigers, after passing the ball just nine times in a 34-point win over McDowell in the last week’s quarterfinals, needed just six pass attempts to defeat Harrisburg 24-12 on Saturday in the Class 6A semifinals at Mansion Park Stadium in Altoona.
Led by quarterback Logan Kushner’s 165 yards and two scores on the ground, North Allegheny compiled 267 rushing yards on 53 carries to move on to the state championship game for the first time since 2012.
“You have to give the guys up front credit first,” North Allegheny head coach Art Walker said. “Then, it was Logan Kushner putting the team on his back again. A bunch of guys stepped up and made plays as well. The ground game helped our defense by controlling the clock and giving them the ability to stay fresh.”
Now having won nine games in a row, North Allegheny will face District 12 champion St. Joseph’s Prep, a 49-0 winner over Central Bucks South, Saturday at 7 p.m. at Cumberland Valley High School.
The Hawks have won eight state titles since 2013, including three of the last four. St. Joseph’s defeated Harrisburg 42-7 in last year’s Class 6A championship game.
North Allegheny’s most recent gold medal came in its last appearance in the title contest 11 years ago. The Tigers hoisted the trophy in 1990, 2010 and 2012 while playing in Class 4A.
“This means everything to us,” said Tigers running back/linebacker Tyree Alualu, who scored the first touchdown of Saturday’s game with an 8-yard run. “We always hear about the 2010 and 2012 teams from our coaches, so just to be up there and reaching the same level as those guys is truly a blessing. We’re very excited to see what we can do.”
Alualu compiled seven carries for 28 yards before leaving the game with an ankle injury in the second quarter. He would later return but would strictly play defense.
The senior carried on his strong performance by leading a Tigers defensive charge that limited Harrisburg to one first down through its first four possessions. North Allegheny allowed one Harrisburg score in the second and fourth quarters after the Cougars came into the contest averaging 40 points per game.
The Tigers have now also held seven of their last nine opponents to two touchdowns or less.
“Our edge guys are tremendous, and we have a great combination of inside guys as well,” Walker said. “If you try to run outside and get stopped, then go back inside, we have guys waiting. It was a tremendous effort with everyone doing their jobs and keeping their offense off the field.”
North Allegheny’s offense nearly doubled up Harrisburg in time of possession totals (31:17 to 16:43) despite the Tigers’ longest scoring drive lasting just 3 minutes and 28 seconds.
Alualu’s score gave the Tigers a 7-0 lead after the first quarter before Kushner’s 1-yard touchdown run and Peter Notaro’s 42-yard field goal put North Allegheny in front 17-0 at 8:41 of the second.
Kushner found the endzone again for the lone points of the third quarter on a 9-yard run, giving North Allegheny its final score of the game.
Liam Flaherty added 54 yards on the ground for the Tigers, while Evan Lyon tallied 27. Khiryn Boyd caught Kushner’s lone pass completion of the game, a 47-yard strike in the second quarter.
“Obviously the pass game wasn’t working as well as we hoped it would, but our line and running backs were able to carry us today,” Kushner said. “I love all of these guys. I love playing with them. We have a state championship in our sights, and we are willing to do anything to get it.”
