BETHEL PARK, Pa. — There’s not another offense quite like that of the high-flying Bethel Park Black Hawks in the entire WPIAL so far this season.
Scoring 48.3 points through the first three games, Bethel Park leads the district in offense and lured in West Mifflin as its next victim and it was another bashing with the Black Hawks soaring to a 62-14 win.
Bethel Park improves to 4-0 for the first time since 2008, a year in which the Black Hawks went 15-1 and won their lone WPIAL title.
Bethel Park’s offense can beat you in more ways than one. It can be the WPIAL’s leading rusher JaVaughn Moore or the talented quarterback Tanner Pfeuffer, who ranks second in passing, with his array of receiving options.
The Black Hawks totaled 449 yards of offense behind 14-of-22 passing for 250 yards and five touchdowns from Pfeuffer.
West Mifflin (2-2) was coming off of a 49-0 route of another Class 5A Allegheny Six opponent in Baldwin. It was a game in which sophomore phenom Armand Hill, who holds high-end offers from programs like Michigan, Penn State, West Virginia and Pitt, ran for an impressive six touchdowns on 171 yards.
Hill would score on a 34-yard dash in the fourth quarter, but was limited to 69 yards on 12 touches the rest of the way.
In a matter of minutes, Bethel Park opened up the scoring on its first drive. Pfeuffer dropped back and tossed a pass in the direction of senior Mitchell Paschl. The 5-10 receiver adjusted and hauled in the pass as he then took off for a 59-yard score.
What an adjustment by Mitchell Paschl on this throw from Tanner Pfeuffer and the big run after catch for a 59-yard touchdown on third down.
Bethel Park’s defensive line led by Navy commit Clancy Orie was stout and prevented Hill from breaking any large gainers in the first half. West Mifflin’s offense struggled to get much going with penalties setting them back as the Titans manufactured just 70 yards of total offense in the first.
After David Dennison ran in a 4-yard score for Bethel Park, the Black Hawks continued to threaten through the air. Midway through the second quarter, Pfeuffer took a snap inside the red zone, rolled to his left awaiting his receiver Jovian Smith to gain separation. Once that happened, Pfeuffer delivered a 19-yard strike for a touchdown.
Touchdown Bethel Park:
Tanner Pfeuffer rolls left and patiently waits for Jovian Smith to get space on his defender. It’s a 19-yard touchdown reception.
Without electric freshman quarterback Zahir Ismaeli, who was out with injury, Camdyn Bobo was under center for West Mifflin as he would throw an interception to Jack Bruckner that halted the Titans’ best drive up to that point. Pfeuffer capitalized quickly the other way as he found Orie running wide open up the seam for another 19-yard score.
As the Black Hawks mounted the points, more than enough time passed before Moore entered the end zone for the ninth time this season. This time it was a four-yard swing pass as time expired in the first half to put Bethel up 35-0.
The senior standout was back in the end zone once again to start the second half. Bethel Park drained nearly the entire third quarter off the board thanks to a mercy rule running clock with Moore capping off the long drive on a 7-yard score.
He would add one more in the fourth quarter as he ran left for a 22-yard score. He registered 173 yards on 23 carries to go along with his two rushing scores.
Bethel Park added additional points from Pfeuffer as he found Paschl for their second connection of the night, this time on a 32-yard pitch and catch to make it 48-0. Paschl finished with 119 receiving yards on five catches and two touchdowns.
After West Mifflin’s first touchdown, Bethel responded with a house call from Jack Bruckner. On the kick, Bruckner followed blockers before he found a hole and took it 84 yards.
Hill broke the shutout for West Mifflin on an impressive 34-yard run. Jarelle Mason would add West Mifflin’s other score by punching in a 4-yard run.
Bethel Park finishes up non-conference play with another 4A opponent in Trinity at home. West Mifflin will head to Thomas Jefferson next Friday.
