Pittsburg, PA

BC football finishes on winning note in regular-season finale vs. Pittsburgh – The Boston Globe

Published

4 hours ago

November 30, 2024

BC football finishes on winning note in regular-season finale vs. Pittsburgh – The Boston Globe

Stuck in a slump in late October, in danger of letting their season unravel entirely, members of the Boston College football team vowed to redeem themselves and finish on a winning note.

Statement victories over Syracuse and North Carolina shifted the momentum, and a 34-23 triumph over Pittsburgh on Saturday cemented what the Eagles started.

For a program searching for a breakthrough, the 2024 regular season was a major step in the right direction. The Eagles (7-5, 4-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) still have room to grow to vault into the upper echelon of the conference in years to come. But powering past the Panthers (7-5, 3-5) — in a game they might have lost in previous seasons — showed the Eagles are trending in the right direction.

BC clinched its first seven-win regular season since 2018 and has a chance to secure its first eight-win season since 2009 with a bowl win.

The Boston College defense was sharp early, consistently swarming Pittsburgh quarterback Nate Yarnell and forcing him into quick decisions. Donovan Ezeiruaku (10 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 4.5 tackles for loss, two quarterback hits) and Joe Marinaro combined for a sack, which led to a punt and set up a 36-yard touchdown run from junior running back Jordan McDonald moments later.

McDonald, who has masterfully complemented starter Kye Robichaux late in the season, burst up the middle and took off. A bad snap on the extra point kept it at 6-0 — a lead the Eagles took into the second quarter after holding Pitt to 56 net total yards in the first.

BC quarterback Grayson James (No. 14) celebrates with running back Kye Robichaux (No. 5) after his gritty 2-yard touchdown run gave the Eagles a 13-0 lead in the second quarter.Barry Chin/Globe Staff

Following another BC stop, junior quarterback Grayson James found 6-foot-5-inch deep threat Reed Harris for a 53-yard reception. Robichaux then ran it in from 2 yards out to give the Eagles a 13-0 lead with 6:35 left in the half. Robichaux, a senior, has now scored at least one touchdown in six straight games, including six in the last four contests.

Pitt answered with an 11-yard TD pass from Yarnell to Gavin Bartholomew. The Panthers had a chance to take the lead late in the half, but Neto Okpala and Ty Clemons changed the complexion in one fluid swoop.

Okpala rocked Yarnell and forced a wobbly throw. Clemons, a 6-3, 273-pound defensive lineman, intercepted the pass and rumbled 55 yards to the house with 33 seconds left in the half. Clemons celebrated with the BC students — who continued to make their presence felt, even on Thanksgiving weekend — as the Eagles snatched momentum back in an instant.

The pick-6 was the first by a BC defensive lineman since Nick Larkin in 2007, and the return was the longest by an Eagles defensive lineman since Mathias Kiwanuka in 2004. BC, which entered Saturday tied for ninth in the nation with 15 interceptions, provided perhaps its most scintillating takeaway yet in a season full of them.

Ben Sauls connected on a 57-yard field goal as time expired for Pitt, but BC still held a 20-10 edge after a largely productive first half. James finished the half 9 for 11 for 151 yards, and the Eagles limited the Panthers to 34 net rushing yards.

Pitt chipped away in the third, as a 5-yard TD reception from Bartholomew made it 20-17 Eagles with 7:50 left in the quarter.

BC answered with an eight-play, 83-yard drive, capped by an acrobatic 28-yard TD reception by Harris on a third-and-20 heave from James.

The Eagles took their 27-17 edge into the fourth quarter and continued to make life difficult for Yarnell.

Pittsburgh went for it on fourth and 2 from its own 39 and Quintayvious Hutchins helped BC secure the stop with 11:09 remaining. James then found Lewis Bond on fourth and 5, which led to a 15-yard TD dagger from James to tight end Kamari Morales with 4:57 remaining.

Konata Mumpfield added a 15-yard TD reception with 3:59 left for Pitt, but the outcome had already been decided.

The Eagles, who have had trouble putting teams away at times this season, buried the Panthers when they had the chance.

Trevor Hass can be reached at trevor.hass@globe.com.

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Pittsburg, PA

KD Quiz: Part 1 (11/30)

Published

12 hours ago

November 30, 2024

Press Room

KD Quiz: Part 1 (11/30) – CBS Pittsburgh

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Watch as teams from Grove City, Valley, and Woodland Hills high schools compete on this edition of KD Quiz!

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Pittsburg, PA

Pittsburg vs. San Ramon Valley high school football playoffs: Live updates

Published

19 hours ago

November 30, 2024

Press Room

Pittsburg vs. San Ramon Valley high school football playoffs: Live updates

Senior quarterback Marley Alcantara threw for four touchdowns and the Pirates secondary had three key interceptions, two by UCLA commit Jadyn Hudson, to pull out a hard-fought 35-28 victory Friday over San Ramon Valley in the CIF North Coast Section Division 1 championship game at Diablo Valley College.

Down 27-21, San Ramon Valley (11-2) was going down to what looked like a go-ahead touchdown early in the fourth quarter when Truly Bell picked off Rhett Thompson in end end zone.

The Pirates (11-2) smelled blood and Alcantara completed seven passes, three on wideout screens to 6-foot-4, 185-pound junior wideout Rolph Mosley. Alcantara finished off the drive with a 12-yard slant TD strike to Leduane Thomas and after a two-point conversion pass from Jamar Searcy, the Pirates led 35-28 with 10 minutes remaining.

From there, Pittsburg’s defense bent but did not break to move into the CIF Northern California Bowl Championships next week.

Two of Alcantara’s touchdowns when to Makari Kenion and another went to freshman Kenny Ward.

San Ramon Valley’s Owen Scott caught two touchdown passes and ran for another. The game ended the illustrious career of Marco Jones, the Texas A&M bound linebacker and tight end, considered the best player to ever wear a Wolves’ uniform.

Check all the scoring down below.

PREGAME: A rematch of last year’s same game is highly anticipated.

Pittsburg’s 37-21 victory in the North Coast Section Division 1 title game last year will be discussed at length when the two teams tangle again Friday at Diablo Valley College.

The Pirates (10-2) almost snapped De La Salle’s 32-year run of NCS titles and 277-game unbeaten streak against NCS opponents last week, losing 10-7 in the rain.

SRV-PITT AT A GLANCE/PICK ‘EM CHALLENGE

The Pirates are loaded with Division 1 talent, including future UCLA defenders, safety Jadyn Hudson and DE Juju Walls.

San Ramon Valley (11-1) has what its longtime coach Aaron Becker says is the most dominant and best player in school history in Texas A&M-bound LB-TE Marco Jones. They have plenty of offensive weapons led by senior QB and first year starter Rhett Thompson and UC Davis bound WR Owen Scott.

FIRST QUARTER

PITTSBURG TOUCHDOWN! Jamar Searcy 6 yard run. Pittsburg 7, San Ramon Valley 0. 9:33 1Q.

SAN RAMON VALLEY TOUCHDOWN! Rhett Thompson 13-yard TD pass to Dylan Deitsch. Great response. San Ramon Valley 7, Pittsburg 7. 5:15 1Q.

PITTSBURG BOMB! Marley Alcantara 71-yard touchdown pass to Makari Kenion. That didn’t take long. XP missed could be big. Pittsburg 13, San Ramon Valley 7. 4:05 1Q.

PITTSBURG TOUCHDOWN: Amazing pass and catch from Alcantara to Kenion, 33 yards. Pittsburg 20, San Ramon Valley 7. 0:32 1Q.

SECOND QUARTER

SAN RAMON VALLEY TOUCHDOWN: Owen Scott 27 yard touchdown pass from Thompson. 11:33 2Q. Pittsburg 20, San Ramon Valley 14.

INTERCEPTION JAYDN HUDSON: San Ramon Valley drives to the red zone, but Thompson fires second interception, both to UCLA bound Hudson. This one in the end zone.

TOUCHDOWN SAN RAMON VALLEY! Thompson is undeterred. He steps up in pocket, fires 27-yard to Scott. San Ramon Valley takes its first lead of the game. SRV 21, Pittsburg 20. 1:10 2Q.

Davis-Bound Owen Scott with second TD grab from ⁦@RhettThompson25⁩ gives San Ramon Valley a 21-20 lead over Pittsburg late in first half. Click on field is out. 1:10 left in half. Amazing game. pic.twitter.com/0NEWkCML12
— Mitch Stephens (@MitchBookLive) November 30, 2024

HALFTIME: San Ramon Valley 21, Pittsburg 20

THIRD QUARTER

PITTSBURG TOUCHDOWN! Pittsburg takes opening kickoff of second half, freshman Kenny Ward takes hitch pass and travels 23 yards for touchdown. Pittsburg 27, San Ramon Valley 21. 9:21 3Q.

Freshman Ward – yes just a freshman – a 23-yard catch and go for touchdown. Pittsburg takes 27-21 lead first possession of second half. Courtesy nFHS Network. pic.twitter.com/No9sunnAJh
— Mitch Stephens (@MitchBookLive) November 30, 2024

What a scramble by Alcantara. Escapes three tackles on 3-9. Huge play. First down. pic.twitter.com/JLvJru1Wiw
— Mitch Stephens (@MitchBookLive) November 30, 2024

FOURTH QUARTER

INTERCEPTIONN PIRATES! Third interception of game for Pittsburg, Truly Bell with fantastic pick in end zone thwarts what looked to be go-ahead score for San Ramon Valley. Pittsburg still leads 27-21. 9:40 4Q.

TOUCHDOWN PITTSBURG: Alcantara 12-yard TD pass – his fourth of game – to Leduane Thomas. Completes amazing 80-yard drive almost all through the air, most on screens left to Rolph Mosley, the 6-4, 185-pound junior. Three times in a row. Double pass on 2-point conversion. Pittsburg 35, San Ramon Valley 21. 10:01 4Q.

Pirates smell blood. 12-yard TD pass Alcantara his fourth of game. 2-point conversion good. Pitt leads SRV 35-21. pic.twitter.com/TAzYZXjkD3
— Mitch Stephens (@MitchBookLive) November 30, 2024

TOUCHDOWN SAN RAMON VALLEY! Owen Scott 5-yard reverse run. Drive extended with couple of Pittsburg penalties. Pittsburg 35, SRV 28. 5:36 4Q.

Game getting chippy. More saucy to a saucy game. Owen Scott 5-yard a TD run then chirps. Gets penalty. Might be important. Pittsburg 35, San Ramon Valley 28. 5:36 4Q. pic.twitter.com/HG98laKayd
— Mitch Stephens (@MitchBookLive) November 30, 2024
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SRV HOLDS! Pitt only one first down, SRV takes over with 3:38 left at own 24.

PITTSBURG HOLDS! Two drops leads to four and out. Pittsburg takes over after two penalties. Still 1:49 left and SRV has two timesout. Not quite over yet.

SEARCY ENDS IT: Searcy races for 40 yards to San Ramon Valley to 10. With no timeouts, this one is overl

FINAL: Pittsburg 35, San Ramon Valley 28.

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Pittsburg, PA

Gamethread: Pittsburgh @ Boston

Published

1 day ago

November 29, 2024

Press Room

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