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Cathedral Prep headed back to state title game

The Cathedral Prep vs. Imhotep Charter rematch is a go.

Prep earned a 28-14 win over Berks Catholic in the PIAA Class 4A semifinals while Imhotep handled business with a 24-13 victory over Bethlehem Catholic on the other side of the bracket. The Ramblers and Panthers met in last year’s Class 3A title game — both teams then moved up to 4A in the PIAA’s new six-classification system.

District 10’s other two remaining teams didn’t fare as well on Friday. Farrell was defeated by Clairton in the Class 1A semifinals and Wilmington ran into the Steel Valley buzzsaw in 2A.

Here’s a recap of all three games:

Class 1A

Clairton 24, Farrell 6

Farrell’s season came to an end at the hands of Lamont Wade and the Clairton Bears on Friday, 24-6.

Wade ran 16 times for 176 yards in the first half to help the WPIAL Champion Bears take an 18-0 lead into the locker room. Clairton found the end zone on a one-yard keeper by quarterback Noah Hamlin, a five-yard run by Kijafi Fuqua, and a 72-yard pass from Hamlin to Wade.

Farrell failed to capitalize on several Clairton miscues in the second half until Jourdan Townsend ran in a two-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. The Steelers’ comeback hopes were put to rest when Clairton’s Tre Howard broke free for a 95-yard score late in the game.

Wade finished with 243 yards on 24 carries and went over the 7,000-yard mark for his high school career. The Clairton senior is widely regarded as one of the top overall recruits in the country, but will most likely play defensive back at the college level.

Clairton (14-0) will take on defending state champion Bishop Guilfoyle next week in the PIAA 1A Championship at Hersheypark Stadium. Guilfoyle topped Clairton for the title in 2014 and made it two in a row with last year’s win over Farrell.

Class 2A

Steel Valley 49, Wilmington 13

DeWayne Murray and Najheir West combined to rush for 250 yards and six touchdowns as Steel Valley extended its mercy rule streak with a 49-13 win over Wilmington on Friday.

The Ironmen — who have won every game by more than 35 points this season — took control with 21 points in a decisive second quarter. Murray had touchdown runs of three and four yards in the first half, West caught a 23-yard score from Ryan Harper, and Paris Ford added a 30-yard touchdown run to give Steel Valley a 28-0 lead at the break.

Murray went 54 yards for his third TD early in the third quarter and West added a 66-yard score before the Greyhounds were finally able to get on the board. In the fourth quarter, Reese Bender hit Kyle Slicker with a nine-yard touchdown pass on fourth down to erase the shutout. Bender then found Colton Marett from 13 yards out for another TD late in the game after West pounded in a one-yard run for Steel Valley.

West ran six times for 136 yards while Murray had 114 yards on 11 carries. Harper completed 10-of-13 pass attempts for 175 yards for the Ironmen (14-0), who play Southern Columbia in next week’s title game.

Class 4A

Cathedral Prep 28, Berks Catholic 14

The Joe Mischler to Tyler Oedekoven connection led Cathedral Prep once again in a 28-14 playoff win over Berks Catholic Friday at Somerset High School.

Mischler found his favorite target for touchdown passes from 10 and 76 yards out to help lift the Ramblers back into the state final game. Oedekoven also hauled in a 38-yard pass down to the one, where Matt Lupo was able to pound in his second rushing touchdown of the game just before the half.

Berks Catholic fumbled on the first play of the game, and it was Lupo who started the scoring when he went between the tackles for a 19-yard touchdown.

Marcus Wilson had a 15-yard rushing score for the Saints in the first half and Terrance Derr hit Cooper Lutz from six yards out late in the fourth quarter. The Ramblers came up with several big defensive stops in the second half to secure the win.

Oedekoven — who already holds school records in receiving yards and touchdowns — became the first player in Cathedral Prep history to surpass 1,000 receiving yards in a single season.

With the win, Prep moves into next week’s PIAA Class 4A Championship against Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia). The Panthers handed Cathedral Prep a 40-3 loss when the two teams met last year in the Class 3A final.

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