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Leaning on 'Trench Dawgs', Aliquippa imposes will in 34-7 win over Central Valley in WPIAL title game

joe sager
·4 min read
AliquippaÕs Tiqwai Hayes (23) is lifted into the air by Neco Eberhardt (52) after scoring a touchdown during the first half of the WPIAL 4A Championship game against Central Valley Friday night at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA.
AliquippaÕs Tiqwai Hayes (23) is lifted into the air by Neco Eberhardt (52) after scoring a touchdown during the first half of the WPIAL 4A Championship game against Central Valley Friday night at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA.

PITTSBURGH – There wasn’t any snow at Acrisure Stadium on Friday night.

But, the plow trucks were still out for Aliquippa.

The Quips’ offensive and defensive lines plowed over Central Valley and Aliquippa cruised to a 34-7 win in the WPIAL Class 4A title game. It’s the Quips’ 19th district title.

“It feels good,” Aliquippa senior lineman Neco Eberhardt said. “We’ve been working for it since the beginning of the season.”

Neco Eberhardt #52 of the Aliquippa Quips reacts after a defensive stop in the first half during the WPIAL Class 4A championship game against the Central Valley Warriors at Acrisure Stadium on November 25, 2022 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Neco Eberhardt #52 of the Aliquippa Quips reacts after a defensive stop in the first half during the WPIAL Class 4A championship game against the Central Valley Warriors at Acrisure Stadium on November 25, 2022 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Eberhardt, along with Braylon Wilcox, Jason McBride, Naquan Crowder and Kamari Mathews put on a dominant performance along the offensive line. They helped plow the way for Aliquippa’s offense to control the ball for nearly the entire first half (18:26). Overall, the Quips (12-0) dominated time of possession 34:19 to 13:41.

“When you control the ball that much, it just drags them,” Crowder said. “They didn’t get the ball that many times. We were just going to keep the game in our hands. As long as we come here, we are going to keep the game in our hands.”

While the Warriors (11-2) didn’t allow any huge runs, the Quips — winners of their last 23 games — chipped away at Central Valley’s defense all night. In the first half, they embarked on two lengthy scoring drives that both ended with short Tiqwai Hayes touchdown runs. The first was a 16-play, 86-yard march that lasted 8:15 in the first quarter. The second one was a 14-play, 62-yard run that took up 6:06 of the second.

Tiqwai Hayes #23 of the Aliquippa Quips is wrapped up for a tackle by Bret Fitzsimmons #10 of the Central Valley Warriors in the first half during the WPIAL Class 4A championship game at Acrisure Stadium on November 25, 2022 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Tiqwai Hayes #23 of the Aliquippa Quips is wrapped up for a tackle by Bret Fitzsimmons #10 of the Central Valley Warriors in the first half during the WPIAL Class 4A championship game at Acrisure Stadium on November 25, 2022 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Aliquippa then used a 14-play, 84-yard drive in 6:50 that essentially put the game away, 21-0, late in the third quarter.

“Our gameplan was to come in and control what we could control,” Crowder said. “We could control the clock and we could control the yards – we wanted to run big. Tonight just wasn’t a big, big run game for us. We just wanted to get the other side tired before we got tired.”

Running backs John Tracy (22 carries, 108 yards) and Hayes (26, 122) did not break off a run longer than 19 yards on the night, but the duo still eclipsed the century mark in rushing yards.

John Tracy #6 of the Aliquippa Quips carries the ball as Jayvin Thompson #7 of the Central Valley Warriors has a hold of his jersey in the second half during the WPIAL Class 4A championship game at Acrisure Stadium on November 25, 2022 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
John Tracy #6 of the Aliquippa Quips carries the ball as Jayvin Thompson #7 of the Central Valley Warriors has a hold of his jersey in the second half during the WPIAL Class 4A championship game at Acrisure Stadium on November 25, 2022 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

“All week, we knew we had to be dominant up front of both sides of the ball,” Eberhardt said. “That’s what we did tonight.”

It’s not just the linemen providing the blank canvas on which Hayes and Tracy paint, either. Tight ends Jayace Williams and Cameron Lindsey, as well as fullback Isaiah Martinez, wide receivers D.J. Walker, Dorius Moreland and Brandon Banks and quarterback Quentin “Cheese” Goode helped move opponents as well.

“We depend on each other, from the wide receivers down to our quarterback. You see Cheese making some blocks out there,” Crowder said. “We just depend on each other to block.”

Defensively, Aliquippa was stifling once again. The Quips allowed one positive rushing yard on the night.

Naquan Crowder #70 of the Aliquippa Quips blocks against Tyler Ondrusek #51 of the Central Valley Warriors in the first half during the WPIAL Class 4A championship game game at Acrisure Stadium on November 25, 2022 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Naquan Crowder #70 of the Aliquippa Quips blocks against Tyler Ondrusek #51 of the Central Valley Warriors in the first half during the WPIAL Class 4A championship game game at Acrisure Stadium on November 25, 2022 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

“My Trench Dawgs, man, I love them,” Crowder said. “There are not too many teams that can run the ball on us. When you try, that’s not going to work. You might as well just start throwing the ball 100 times before you try to run the ball.”

This is the second time Aliquippa beat Central Valley this season. The Quips prevailed, 35-24, on Oct. 28 to capture the Parkway Conference title. It was one of the most-anticipated local battles in the past decade or so as both teams were defending WPIAL and PIAA champs. Central Valley won the last three WPIAL and PIAA Class 3A titles, but was moved up to Class 4A this season. Aliquippa entered the season as defending WPIAL and PIAA Class 4A champ.

The Quips seized control of that first matchup in the second half and snapped Central Valley’s 36-game winning streak. The rematch wasn’t as close.

“They captured the momentum after halftime of that first time we played. It probably sparked a lot of confidence in their play,” Central Valley coach Mark Lyons said. “This game is funny with momentum and confidence and starting to impose your will. I think that switch probably turned in the halftime of the first game and it just carried over.”

Central ValleyÕs Bret Fitzsimmons (10) finds a hole in AliquippaÕs defensive line during the first half of the WPIAL 4A Championship game Friday night at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA.
Central ValleyÕs Bret Fitzsimmons (10) finds a hole in AliquippaÕs defensive line during the first half of the WPIAL 4A Championship game Friday night at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA.

Aliquippa moves on to face Allentown Central Catholic (9-5), a 50-7 winner over Meadville, in the PIAA semifinals.

“It’s really great to win this one,” Crowder said. “We have two more games to go.”

This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Leaning on 'Trench Dawgs', Aliquippa imposes will in 34-7 win over Central Valley in WPIAL title game