Pittsburg, PA
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
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.
A man from Fayette County has been arrested and is facing over 1,000 charges related to alleged animal cruelty and neglect.
Fayette County District Attorney Mike Aubele said that John Saxberg, 57, is facing charges in connection with what he called “a suspected illegal kennel operation” in Washington Township.
According to DA Aubele, Saxberg is accused of subjecting numerous animals to “deplorable conditions” and “circumstances constituting torture,” adding that approximately ten animals suffered serious bodily injuries.
Court records show that Saxberg is facing 1,029 criminal charges in total with offenses including aggravated cruelty to animals, cruelty to animals, neglect of animals, penalties related to dog licensing, and violations of vaccine requirements.
52 of the charges that Saxberg is facing are felonies, according to court records.
Online court paperwork shows that Saxberg was arraigned on Tuesday afternoon and is being held in the Fayette County Prison after bail was posted at $85,000.
A preliminary hearing for Saxberg is scheduled for late next week.
An Allegheny County park with 200-year-old trees has been added to a growing network of protected and publicly accessible old-growth forests.
Local leaders announced on Tuesday that Hartwood Acres is now part of the Old-Growth Forest Network, which consists of over 340 forests, though this is Allegheny County’s first.
The 692-acre property features a Tudor mansion built in 1929, and while about a quarter of the park is maintained, the other 75% is forested. Some of the oldest trees include a black oak that’s over 200 years old, and a sugar maple and red oak that are nearing 200 years old.
“Hartwood Acres is one of Allegheny County’s greatest natural treasures, and this designation recognizes both the ecological value of these forests and the generations of stewardship that have protected them,” Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato said in a press release. “As we work to build an Allegheny County where everyone can thrive, that includes ensuring residents have access to clean air, green spaces, and the opportunity to connect with nature close to home.”
The Old-Growth Forest Network, founded in 2012, aims to create a national network of protected, mature and native forests that are accessible to the public. The goal is to preserve at least one forest in every U.S. county that can sustain a forest.
“The importance of the preservation of these rare forests cannot be overemphasized,” said Brian Kane, the Mid-Atlantic regional manager with the Old-Growth Forest Network. “As seen at Hartwood Acres, forests perform critical environmental services that benefit communities, such as storing carbon, providing wildlife habitat, and retaining stormwater. OGFN is grateful that Allegheny County values its old-growth forests and will enable its residents and visitors to marvel at these old hardwoods far into the future as they grow even more mature and majestic.”
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