Weather wipes out BVA’s game at Aliquippa

Both schools agreed to cancel the contest after play was stopped twice because of lightning.

The highly anticipated showdown between defending WPIAL/PIAA Class 4A champions Aliquippa Quips and the WPIAL/PIAA Class 3A champion Belle Vernon didn’t make it very far due to Mother Nature Friday night at Heinz Field in Aliquippa.

The game was canceled with just 1:49 left in the opening quarter.

The current TribLive HSSN number 1 ranked team in Class 4A, the Aliquippa Quips feature running back Tikey Hayes, who only needed 114 yards coming in to go over 6,000 career rushing yards. Statistics will not count, but Hayes finished with eight carries for 24 yards before the game was called.

Hayes scored his first touchdown of the season on a 2-yard run after Leopards quarterback Curtis Wade was intercepted on BVA’s opening drive by defensive back Qalil Goode, setting the Quips up in Leopards territory. Aliquippa led 6-0 with 8:04 left in the first quarter after a failed extra point.

Shortly after the score, the game was suspended for 51 minutes due to lightning. When play resumed, the Quips took a 12-0 lead on a 16-yard touchdown run by Sanir Brooks with 1:49 left in the opening quarter. Both teams were penalized on the failed two-point conversion for unsportsmanlike penalty fouls, and Quips star Larry Moon was ejected.

A second lightning delay began with 1:49 left in the second quarter. After waiting 50 minutes, game officials along with administrators from both schools decided to cancel the game due to the weather. Both schools also decided not to resume the game at a later time or replay it.

The Quips were looking to give first-year head coach Vashawn Patrick his first head victory. He took over after Mike Warfield took a leave of absence in the offseason for this year. They will now have to wait until Week 2 when the Quips travel to the third-ranked team in Class 3A Avonworth for another non-conference matchup.

“I was ecstatic and had a bunch of energy after our tailgate with the kids before here at Heinz Field,” Patrick said. “I had a good time for the short time we played tonight.”

Patrick also commented on the decision by both the Quips and Leopards to cancel the game.

“We had to do what is best for the kids,” he said. “Especially Belle Vernon traveling 90 minutes to get here tonight. We didn’t want them getting home in the early hours of the morning to finish this game.”

The Leopards will return home next week to “The Beach” to host Central Valley, the top-ranked team in Class 3A.