MECHANICSBURG, Pa. — The Westinghouse Bulldogs fell just short in their PIAA 2A State Championship rematch with the Southern Columbia Tigers, losing 21-20 on a last-minute touchdown.
The Tigers took a 14-0 lead barely three minutes in, but Westinghouse took over from there thanks to standout play from quarterback Khalil Green and receiver Taymir O’Neal, taking the lead early in the fourth quarter. Westinghouse pinned Southern Columbia at their own one yard line soon thereafter, but the Tigers marched 99 yards downfield—aided by a controversial fourth-down defensive holding penalty—to score the game winning touchdown with 42 seconds to play.
Southern Columbia running back Louden Murphy broke an 83-yard touchdown run on the second play of the game. Westinghouse marched into Tigers’ territory with the help of two facemask penalties, but Southern Columbia defensive tackle Isaac Carter broke up a fourth-down screen pass, tipping it to himself and returning it for a 68-yard touchdown.
Westinghouse Fights Back
Bulldogs’ receiver Lloyd Penn made a magnificent 46-yard third-down catch, somersaulting as he snagged a pass nearly out of his reach, setting up a ten-yard touchdown from quarterback Khalil Green to senior receiver Taymir O’Neal.
O’Neal took over the game as Westinghouse stormed back. Murphy beat him deep downfield on the following drive, but Southern Columbia quarterback Blake Wise underthrew a would-be touchdown, allowing O’Neal to close and break up the pass. After the Bulldogs forced a turnover on downs, Green engineered an 88 yard game-tying drive, scoring on a five-yard keeper before finding O’Neal for a two-point conversion.
O’Neal picked off a pass to give Westinghouse a scoring chance before the end of the half. He then added a diving 34-yard catch that rivalled Penn’s, but an intentional grounding penalty extinguished the opportunity.
Westinghouse took the lead on a 49-yard touchdown from Green to freshman receiver K’shawn Hawkins. The Tigers stopped Green on the two-point carry to hold the score at 20-14.
Southern Columbia Steals Ahead
The Tigers tried to run a reverse on fourth-and-two from the Westinghouse 12 early in the fourth quarter, but Bulldogs’ defensive back Musa Bangora stopped Murphy short.
The Bulldogs stalled near midfield, and Penn landed a punt at the one to pin Southern Columbia deep.
Southern Columbia drove to the Westinghouse 45, where they faced fourth-and-eight with just over two minutes to play. They picked up the first down but were called for offensive holding, setting up fourth-and-eighteen. Westinghouse sacked Wise to get the stop, but the Tigers received another chance because of a defensive holding penalty.
Wise found receiver Kyle Christman on the same play that picked up the initial first down, and the Bulldogs went ahead by one after Murphy scored on a 12-yard reverse with 42 seconds to go, going ahead by one on the PAT.
Westinghouse couldn’t muster any offense, with Green intercepted on the last play of the season.
Was the defensive holding call against Westinghouse legit?
Here’s a clip of it: https://twitter.com/wpial_insider/status/1733225795575771554?s=46&t=hBt-IIOTHRDU9a8l61v-FA
Yes
Yes watch the clip below. Bottom of the screen 26 is held for at least 3 yds going for the pass route. You call holding on the southern the play before you better also call that too.