BVA tops Avonworth to secure second straight WPIAL title

The phrase on the back of Belle Vernon’s practice jerseys is a simple one – “Do Your Job.”

The Leopards did their job Friday, winning their second consecutive WPIAL Class 3A championship with a convincing 26-0 win over No. 2 Avonworth at Acrisure Stadium.

It’s the first time Avonworth hasn’t scored a point since the WPIAL semifinals in 2021. The Antelopes (12-1) entered the game as the third-highest scoring team in Class 3A at 34.3 points per game.

“This is so sweet. Last year’s win and that trophy was for everyone that played here before these guys. It was for the bricklayers,” BVA head coach Matt Humbert said. “This one, this is for these guys. This was an ‘us’ victory.”

Quarterback Braden Laux figured in on all three BVA touchdowns. He had two quarterback sneaks on the Leopards’ version of the “tush push” and later threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Jake Gedekoh late in the third quarter.

The Eastern Michigan recruit finished 12 of 21 for 155 yards passing and ran 14 times for 53 yards.

“Braden really hasn’t run much since Week 4. We knew we were going to have to run him tonight,” Humbert said. “I don’t think he gets as much credit he deserves as a quarterback. (Avonworth’s) defensive line is good. When he got flushed left or right, he made the plays a quarterback should make.”

The Leopards (11-1) have taken a strike-first mentality through most of the season and used a big play from the start to draw first blood.

Kicking away from BVA returners Quinton Martin and Kole Doppelheuer, Avonworth’s opening kickoff was taken by up-man Deaubre Lightfoot. He returned it 48 yards down to the Avonworth 22.

Three plays later, Laux scored his first touchdown to make it 7-0 Leopards after Preston Rathway’s PAT.

“That was a big play for them and it led to seven points,” Avonworth coach Duke Johncour said. “We gave them a very short field there and they made us pay for it.”

After a pair of three-and-outs, the Antelopes had a fourth-and-1, but the snap to wildcat quarterback Andrew Kuban was high, allowing BVA’s Jake Gedekoh to deliver a hard blow flipping the Lopes’ star on his back.

“I just saw the snap was high and knew I was going to get a free shot on him. So you go out and hit him as hard as you can,” Gedekoh said.

After taking over on downs, the Leopards drove 51 yards down to the Avonworth 9. Rathway capped off the drive with a 26-yard field goal to make it 10-0.

Each team looked for scoring drives late in the half, but Avonworth’s Lucas Garda intercepted Laux near midfield. On the second play of the ensuing drive, BVA’s Alonzo Wade answered by picking off Avonworth quarterback Carson Bellinger.

BVA carried their 10-0 lead into the locker room at halftime.

“We were feeling good heading into the half down 10-0,” Johncour said. “We thought we could come out of the locker room, get a score and we’re right back in the game there.”

The BVA defense had other plans.

The Leopards didn’t allow the Antelopes a first down until their was 1:30 left in the third quarter.

Feeding off two three-and-outs delivered by the defense, the BVA offense extended their lead with a Laux 1-yard sneak to make it 17-0.

Both teams exchanged three-and-outs on their next drives, but BVA punter Willie Schwerha uncorked a 62-yard punt that pinned the Lopes at their own 2-yard line.

Three plays later, it was another one of the Leopards’ unsung heroes of the season, Dom Ghilani, sacking Bellinger in the end zone for a safety to make it 19-0.

“Huge play right there,” Humbert said. “Dom’s one of so many players that have made such valuable contributions all season. He’s really come on the last half of the season.”

BVA’s Adam LaCarte returned the free kick down to the Avonworth 30, two plays later it was Laux hooking up with Gedekoh on the 25-yard touchdown strike.

“We were really setting up that play the entire game,” Humbert said. “Jake was able to kind of leak out of the backfield there and Braden delivered a great pass.

“I’ve said it all season that I have faith in all these guys,” Humbert said. “I told him he was going to make that catch.”

“I really just didn’t want to drop it, because I’ve been in that position before,” Gedekoh said with a smile. “It’s something you can only dream of, though. I’ve been here three times and to finally get on in the end zone here is sweet.”

The Antelopes look poised to finally strike in the fourth quarter, but the Leopards dealt what’s become one of their patented goal-line stands.

Avonworth’s Brandon Biagerelli was stopped three times inside the 2-yard line as the Leopards got a turnover on downs and pounded the final nail in the Antelopes’ coffin.

Avonworth’s final gasp came in the final minutes as Laux sacked Bellinger and turned the Antelopes over on downs again.

“They play great defense. They were calling out our plays. They knew we were running the trap and the draws,” Johncour said. “They had a great gameplan and shut our offense down. To get shut out hurts.”

It was a gameplan that didn’t come easy for the Leopards.

“I have to give credit to our staff and these kids,” Humbert said. “It wasn’t the best week of practice, simply because there was so much to prepare for. You prepare for the wildcat and their offensive line getting the big push. Then they’ll switch it up and go into the spread package. These kids and coaches put in endless hours this week. It’s really gratifying to come out and watch them perform that way.”

After the Leopards’ semifinal win over East Allegheny, Humbert challenged his team to take the game against the Antelopes personally.

“They’ve been saying stuff since before the season even started,” Laux said. “Yeah, we hear it. But it doesn’t affect us.”

Humbert interjected.

“Let them say it,” he said. “Let them say what they want. Sure, we here it, but it fuels us. You’re always looking for ways to gain an edge. For some reason, there’s a lot of negativity around Belle Vernon. It just pushes us harder. We embrace it and we welcome it. We’ll continue embracing the uncomfortable.”

LaCarte, one of the Leopards’ captains said the best part of winning is more time with his brothers.

“The trophy is really nice, but I’m just 1/11th out there doing my job,” he said proudly. “We have faith in each other. No one cares about their stats, we just want to win. I get another week to be on the field with my teammates, that’s what I’m most proud of. The fear of not playing another week is what fuels us.”

The Leopards will face District 10 champion Hickory (10-2) Friday at a site and time to be determined.