Connect with us

Pittsburg, PA

Live update summary: De La Salle wins 33rd straight North Coast Section title (Nov. 21, 2025)

Published

on

Live update summary: De La Salle wins 33rd straight North Coast Section title (Nov. 21, 2025)


De La Salle’s 33rd straight North Coast Section title championship game win might very well have been it’s toughest.

And those who watching Pittsburg run up and down the field most of the night, would say the Pirates outplayed the Spartans.

No matter.

Though De La Salle got three long touchdown runs from Brady Smith, Jaden Jefferson and Brayden Knight, it was the defense that made a couple of big plays late to help pull out a 24-17 NCS Open Division title win at Diablo Valley College Friday on a clear, crisp night in Pleasant Hill.

Advertisement

Though last year’s title game was closer — De La Salle won 10-7 on a rainy night — this one was well more in Pittsburg’s favor with a 396-338 advantage in yards and a 24-10 edge in first downs. The Pirates, behind a superlative game from sophomore quarterback Javale Jones (32 completions in 47 attempts, 309 yards), also ran off 76 plays to 39 for De La Salle.

But the Spartans improved to 12-0 and all but assuredly will advance to the CIF Open Division California title game to represent Northern California in two weeks to face the Southern California champion.

Pittsburg (10-2) will drop down to the Division 1 bracket and face Cardinal Newman in the D1 title game. The Pirates will go for its fifth straight D1 title.

Pittsburg missed two chip shot field goals and missed on two other red zone chances. It never punted the ball.

Advertisement

It’s hard to believe the Pirates scored just two touchdowns, on a 16-yard pass from Jones to Kenneth Ward and a TD run by Siotame Finau. De La Salle scored on runs of 26 yards by Smith, 50 yards by Jefferson and 57 by Knight. The Spartans settled for a 21-yard field goal by Justin Uribarri with 7:11 to play.

The Pirates, like they had all night. rattled off a couple first downs, including a fifth fourth-down conversion. But on 4th-and-1 from its own 44, the Spartans stopped Jones for no gain on a keeper. Then ran out the clock, keyed by a 17-yard run by Duece Jones-Drew on a 3rd-and-15 play.

It’s been since 1991 since De La Salle’s juggernaut football team lost to North Coast Section team, a span heading into Friday’s game at Diablo Valley College of 283 games (282-0-1), 32 have been championship games.

The Spartans go for numbers 284 and 33 in Friday’s Open Division title game at Diablo Valley College as the Spartans (11-0), the state’s No. 4 team according to High School On SI, takes on No. 17 Pittsburg (10-1).

Advertisement

The loser of this game advances to the Division I championship game next week against the winner of Cardinal Newman versus Acalanes.

Pittsburg gave De La Salle all it could handle in last year’s title game under pouring rain, also at DVC. De La Salle won the game 10-7, its 32nd straight NCS crown, but then lost two weeks later to Mater Dei in the state Open Division title game.

Pittsburg advanced to the Division I title game last season and won its fourth straight championship.

FIRST QUARTER

* Pittsburg misses short field goal. After a De La Salle three and out, the Pirates missed a 32-yard field goal.

Touchdown De La Salle. A 49-yard scamper from Jaden Jefferson set up a 26-yard touchdown burst by Brady Smith giving De La Salle a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter.

Advertisement

Pittsburg turns ball over on downs. Pirates motor right down field again, only on 4th-and-goal from the 5, a 4-yard pass from Jones to Mosley is one yard short of touchdown. De La Salle takes over on downs.

SECOND QUARTER

Touchdown run. The Pirates drive right down field, capped by a touchdown run by Siotame Finau tying the game at 7-7 with 8:15 left in second quarter.

De La Salle touchdown. Brayden Knight with spectacular 57-yard touchdown scamper after an inside handoff fake. Knight was caught at the 10-yard-line but held off the defender and was tackle halfway into the end zone. De La Salle 14, Pittsburg 7.

Pittsburg touchdown: Javale Jones with beautiful 16-yard touchdown pass to Kenneth Ward. 4:55 2Q. Great drive keyed by 22-yard completion from Jones to Mosley on fourth down. De La Salle 14, Pittsburg 14.

De La Salle touchdown. Takes two plays, Jaden Jefferson 50-yard touchdown sprint, Spartans back up by a touchdown. De La Salle 21, Pittsburg 14.

Halftime score/stats: According to Damin Esper of DeLaSalleSportsTV, Pittsburg with 295 yards of offense compared to 253 for De La Salle. No one has moved the ball like this against the Spartans. Jones is 17 of 27 for 217 yards and one TD. Jefferson has six carried for 116 yards and Smith 7 carries for 69 yards for De La Salle. Mosley, the Arizona State bound receiver, has 5 catches for 64 yards, Ward 4 for 58. Great half. De La Salle 21, Pittsburg 14.

Advertisement

THIRD QUARTER

Pittsburg FG: The Pirates pick up where they left off in first half, drive 74 yards, but have to settle for a FG, a 24-yarder by Luis Rodriguez. More importantly they chew up half the quarter time wise. De La Salle 21, Pittsburg 17. 5:15 3Q.

Fumble De La Salle: Smith never gets clean exchange. Fumbles. Pittsburg recovers near midfield.

FG fails: A second chip shot FG misses, this one from 33-yards that clanks off left upright. A sack by Bubba Vargas forces the FG try.

FOURTH QUARTER

DE LA SALLE FG: Justin Uribarri 22-yard FG. 7:11 left. Big catch by Jefferson for 41 yards and 20-yard run by Knight sets up FG. De La Salle 24, Pittsburg 17 7:11 4Q

DE LA SALLE STOP: On 4th-and-1 from own 44, Pittsburg stopped short on Jones keeper. De La Salle takes over at 44. 2:44 remaining. De La Salle 24, Pittsburg 17 2:44

JONES-DREW FIRST DOWN: On 3rd-and-15, Duece Jones-Drew goes for 17 yards to clinch win. Three knees and De La Salle will win 33rd straight title.

FINAL SCORE: De La Salle 24, Pittsburg 17





Source link

Advertisement

Pittsburg, PA

Blanche says DOJ

Published

on

Blanche says DOJ


Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said on Tuesday that the Justice Department is not moving forward with its $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund that has become a major obstacle to the GOP agenda in Congress.

“We are not moving forward with the fund. Period,” he told lawmakers on the House Appropriations Committee.



Source link

Continue Reading

Pittsburg, PA

Luke Bryan concert expected to bring thousands of fans to Pittsburgh-area farm

Published

on

Luke Bryan concert expected to bring thousands of fans to Pittsburgh-area farm


On Sept. 17, multi-platinum country music star Luke Bryan will bring his Farm Tour to 1846 Farms near Latrobe.

Westmoreland County is no stranger to large outdoor concerts. Some may remember the Rolling Rock Town Fair in the early 2000s, while others may recall Luke Bryan’s stop at a farm in South Huntingdon Township just two years ago. Now the country music superstar is returning to the area.

The Unity Township farm’s general manager, Aleisha Stas, gave KDKA a tour of the family farm, which dates back to before the Civil War. She says Bryan’s team first reached out after finding the farm on social media, but she says at first, she and her family thought it was too good to be true.

“This was around April Fools, so we thought it was an April Fools prank,” Stas said. “My whole family, we were like, there’s no way this is about to happen. But this has been incredible.”

Advertisement

Stas says Bryan’s team is handling everything logistically from parking and bathrooms to deciding exactly where the concert will be staged.

“If we have it on this side of the property, we can hold 12,000 people,” Stas said. “And if we have it on (the other side) of the property, it can be up to 20,000. But we have not determined that yet.”

Many of those decisions will be made as September gets closer. In the meantime, however, the farm is holding off on planting in certain fields until the final concert location is selected.

And while hosting thousands of people may sound a little intimidating, Stas says her family is excited to welcome fans to the farm for what they hope will be a memorable night.

“Obviously, we’ve never had this many people here before, so it will be a new thing for all of us, but we are not worried,” said Stas. “Luke Bryan’s team are experts with this, and I think it will go great.”

Advertisement

Tickets for this concert are currently on sale, and they will run you about $77 per person, plus tax for general admission.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Pittsburg, PA

2025 Steelers Offseason Recall: Garrett shutdown as Pittsburgh bullied Browns in Week 6 | Steel City Underground

Published

on

2025 Steelers Offseason Recall: Garrett shutdown as Pittsburgh bullied Browns in Week 6 | Steel City Underground


Steel City Underground presents post-game takeaways in our Steelers Offseason Recall series, revisiting key moments from the 2025 season and how they shaped the year that followed.

AFC North football rarely looks pretty, and the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Week 6 matchup against the Cleveland Browns at Acrisure Stadium followed that familiar formula. What started as a defensive slugfest on a torn-up field eventually turned into another frustrating afternoon for Cleveland as Pittsburgh pulled away for a 23-9 victory.

The win improved the Steelers to 4-1 and extended their remarkable regular season home winning streak against the Browns to 22 games. More importantly, it reinforced an early-season identity centered around disruptive defense, efficient quarterback play, and winning the battle in the trenches.

Advertisement

Looking back, these were the biggest surprises from Pittsburgh’s victory.

Embed from Getty Images

Jalen Ramsey stole the show from Watt and Garrett

Nobody expected Jalen Ramsey to leave Week 6 with more sacks than T.J. Watt and Myles Garrett combined, but that’s exactly what happened.

Ramsey entered the game after missing practice time earlier in the week and proceeded to deliver one of the more unexpected stat lines of the season. The veteran defensive back recorded two sacks and six combined tackles while frequently helping confuse Cleveland’s protection schemes.

Meanwhile, Watt recorded half a sack while Garrett failed to register one entirely.

Ramsey even admitted afterward that the performance surprised him. His production highlighted an emerging trend within Pittsburgh’s defense: pressure was coming from everywhere.

Advertisement

Embed from Getty Images

The Steelers defense overwhelmed Cleveland’s offense

While Ramsey grabbed headlines, the collective defensive effort suffocated Cleveland for most of the afternoon.

The Steelers finished with six sacks as Nick Herbig led the team with two sacks while Ramsey added two of his own. Derrick Harmon, Watt, and Alex Highsmith also got involved as Pittsburgh repeatedly collapsed the pocket around rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel.

Gabriel never looked comfortable. The rookie completed 29 of 59 passes for 221 yards and struggled once Cleveland became one-dimensional after falling behind. He finished with a passer rating of 66.3 while absorbing constant punishment.

Pittsburgh didn’t rely solely on edge pressure either. Defensive backs blitzed, interior rushers collapsed protection, and disguised looks forced Cleveland into mistakes.

Perhaps equally impressive was how the Steelers handled Browns rookie running back Quinshon Judkins. Entering the matchup, Judkins had averaged 4.6 yards per carry and looked like one of Cleveland’s few consistent offensive weapons. Pittsburgh erased that advantage, holding him to a season-low 36 rushing yards on 12 carries while limiting him to 3.0 yards per attempt.

Advertisement

Through five games played after their bye week, the Steelers had already amassed 20 sacks and were rapidly becoming one of football’s most disruptive defenses.

Embed from Getty Images

Myles Garrett disappeared

The Browns needed a game-changing performance from Myles Garrett. Instead, Pittsburgh’s offensive line turned in one of its best performances of the season.

Garrett moved around the formation throughout the game, but he spent much of the afternoon lined up across from Broderick Jones. With occasional help early and more one-on-one opportunities later, Jones and company neutralized Cleveland’s biggest defensive weapon.

Garrett finished with only two combined tackles. He failed to record a solo tackle, sack, forced fumble, quarterback hit, or pass defended.

Keeping Garrett quiet fundamentally changed how Cleveland could attack Rodgers and allowed Pittsburgh’s offense to remain balanced throughout the afternoon.

Advertisement

Embed from Getty Images

Rodgers stayed efficient and upright

Aaron Rodgers didn’t deliver a vintage statistical masterpiece: he simply controlled the game.

The veteran quarterback completed 21 of 30 passes for 235 yards while distributing the football efficiently and trusting Arthur Smith‘s offensive approach. Rodgers leaned heavily on his tight ends early before taking advantage of favorable matchups later in the game.

His biggest moments arrived in the second half. Rodgers connected with Connor Heyward for a touchdown strike before finding D.K. Metcalf for another score that helped create separation on the scoreboard.

Equally important, Rodgers stayed upright. For only the second time that season, Pittsburgh allowed zero sacks. Cleveland hit Rodgers only three times despite him attempting 30 passes.

Advertisement

Compare that with Dillon Gabriel, who absorbed six sacks and 16 total quarterback hits.

The offensive line, aided by extra blocking looks featuring Spencer Anderson, kept Cleveland’s front from controlling the game and allowed Rodgers to operate comfortably. Metcalf benefited from the protection, turning four receptions into 95 yards while the Steelers spread touches across Jonnu Smith, Pat Freiermuth, Roman Wilson, Darnell Washington, and Heyward.

Meanwhile, Jaylen Warren, Kenneth Gainwell, and Kaleb Johnson combined for 89 rushing yards to maintain offensive balance. Pittsburgh averaged 5.8 yards per play and controlled possession despite both teams having the same number of drives.

Embed from Getty Images

The officiating nearly stole the spotlight

Not everything about the victory came without frustration. Ron Torbert’s officiating crew inserted itself into the game repeatedly as Pittsburgh absorbed ten accepted penalties during an afternoon filled with questionable decisions.

Several pass interference rulings frustrated players and fans alike.

Jerry Jeudy appeared to drag Brandin Echols down by both shoulder pads on one play, yet the result went against Pittsburgh. Later, Browns cornerback Denzel Ward appeared to pin D.K. Metcalf’s arm without drawing a flag.

Advertisement

Even Watt found himself repeatedly flagged for alignment penalties despite checking positioning with officials beforehand, leading to visible frustration from Mike Tomlin on the sideline.

The most controversial moment arrived on special teams. Ke’Shawn Williams appeared to spark the crowd with a 47-yard punt return before an illegal blindside block penalty on Jabrill Peppers erased the play. The penalty not only wiped away field position but also backed Pittsburgh up an additional ten yards.

Despite the officiating frustrations, the Steelers remained composed, and by the end of the afternoon, that discipline, paired with suffocating defense and efficient offense, delivered another divisional win and continued building momentum heading into a critical AFC North stretch.





Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending