TURTLE CREEK, Pa. — It’s hard to fathom that Steel Valley and Clairton have crossed paths just once. The perennial powerhouse programs reside in the heart of the Mon Valley, separated by 10 miles and share a combined 20 WPIAL titles.
When Steel Valley and Clairton renewed pleasantries for just the second time in history — the other coming in 2021 — at the KDKA Kickoff Classic at the Wolvarena, it was bound to be a physical and rugged affair, but it was the Bears that topped the Ironmen, 30-7.
Both programs came into the matchup looking to carry over their success from a year ago. Steel Valley finished 10-2 and appeared in the WPIAL Class 2A title game before falling to 10-seed Beaver Falls. Clairton produced its first 10-win season since 2019, going 10-3 overall and making a run to the Class A semifinal.
Early in the Steel Valley-Clairton matchup, both teams were sparked by their star players.
When Clairton junior quarterback Jeff Thompson received the first snap after his defense stopped Steel Valley on the opening drive, he immediately attacked the Ironmen secondary. With single-man coverage, senior wide receiver Zaemear Correll beat his man down the sideline and Thompson met him with a pass in stride for a quick 37-yard touchdown pass.
Touchdown Clairton:
Jeff Thompson hits his reliable receiver Zaemear Correll on the first offensive play as he sprints past his man for a 37-yard TD reception.
Correll picked up right where he left off from last year as the Bears returning leading receiver as he registered 633 yards and eight touchdowns. The 6-3 receiver owns a Division I offer from Monmouth.
Steel Valley’s senior playmaker Donald Barksdale, who ran for 2,000-plus yards and 32 touchdowns last season, got on the board in a different style for the first touchdown of his senior season. With Clairton going on the ground, Steel Valley’s Cay’son Simpkins met the ball with his hat, dislodging it and allowing Barksdale to pick it up for a scoop and 38-yard score.
Turnovers were aplenty in the first half, on both ends. Clairton’s miscues involved putting the ball on the ground, while Steel Valley starting quarterback Jaden Cabbagestalk threw three interceptions — two of them to Taris Wooding.
As Steel Valley continued to make mistakes, Clairton did not allow them any room to breathe. The Bears transitioned its defense seamlessly from last year which held teams to 13.7 points per game.
Behind 7-6, Clairton drove down the field, relying mostly on the run game with juniors Donte Wright and Deon Pompey. It was the latter that capped off the possession with a five-yard run into the end zone. The two-point pass to Wooding was successful.
Touchdown Clairton:
Deon Pompey powers his way into the end zone for a 5-yard score. Clairton really relying on the ground game this drive with Pompey and Donte Wright.
With Steel Valley struggling to produce any significant offense, Clairton ran the clock down in the first half via its rushing offense and Pompey got his number called again as he scored on a one-yard run with Correll grabbing the two-point conversion pass to make it 22-7 Bears.
Pompey added his third rushing touchdown of the afternoon after the Bears took a prolonged drive down to the goal line as the 5-foot-10 back punched it in with a two-yard power run. Tahvaz Armstrong collected the two-point conversion pass to make it 30-7.
Clairton (1-0) will continue its nonconference slate with Class A opponent Serra Catholic on Friday. Steel Valley (0-1) takes on the Washington Prexies at William V. Campbell Field in Munhall.
