Central Catholic tops North Allegheny, repeats as WPIAL Class 6A champion
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Friday, November 6, 2020 | 11:04 PM
Central Catholic’s Bralen Henderson (81) hoists the WPIAL Class 6A championship trophy next to Jackson Farrell after defeating North Allegheny, 38-24, Friday, Nov. 6, 2020, at Martorelli Stadium.
Central Catholic’s Anderson Cynkar returns an interception for a touchdown during the WPIAL Class 6A championship game against North Allegheny Friday, Nov. 6, 2020, at Martorelli Stadium.
Central Catholic’s Eddy Tillman scores during the second quarter of the WPIAL Class 6A championship game against North Allegheny on Friday, Nov. 6, 2020, at Martorelli Stadium.
Central Catholic’s Eric Benson catches a pass over North Allegheny’s Kolin Dinkins during the second quarter of the WPIAL Class 6A championship game Friday, Nov. 6, 2020, at Martorelli Stadium.
North Allegheny’s Khalil Dinkins scores past Central Catholic’s Chase Horner during the second quarter of the WPIAL Class 6A championship game Friday, Nov. 6, 2020, at Martorelli Stadium.
Central Catholic’s Josh Altman (19) and Matthew Aulicino (55) pave the way for a first down carry by Eddy Tillman during the WPIAL Class 6A championship game against North Allegheny Friday, Nov. 6, 2020, at Martorelli Stadium.
Central Catholic’s Bralen Henderson (81) celebrates a sack during the WPIAL Class 6A championship game against North Allegheny on Friday, Nov. 6, 2020, at Martorelli Stadium.
Central Catholic quarterback Payton Wehner leaves the field during the WPIAL Class 6A championship game against North Allegheny Friday, Nov. 6, 2020, at Martorelli Stadium.
Central Catholic’s Eddy Tillman carries through the North Allegheny defense during the WPIAL Class 6A championship game Friday, Nov. 6, 2020, at Martorelli Stadium.
Central Catholic’s Eddy Tillman carries through the North Allegheny defense during the WPIAL Class 6A championship game Friday, Nov. 6, 2020, at Martorelli Stadium.
North Allegheny’s Khalil Dinkins catches a pass in front of Central Catholic defenders during the WPIAL Class 6A championship game Friday, Nov. 6, 2020, at Martorelli Stadium.
Central Catholic’s Eric Benson celebrates a first down reception during the WPIAL Class 6A championship game against North Allegheny Friday, Nov. 6, 2020, at Martorelli Stadium.
Central Catholic’s Anthony Speca returns an interception to seal the victory in the WPIAL Class 6A championship game against North Allegheny Friday, Nov. 6, 2020, at Martorelli Stadium.
Central Catholic’s Anderson Cynkar returns an interception for a touchdown during the WPIAL Class 6A championship game against North Allegheny Friday, Nov. 6, 2020, at Martorelli Stadium.
Central Catholic’s Eddy Tillman celebrates his third touchdown of the WPIAL Class 6A championship game against North Allegheny Friday, Nov. 6, 2020, at Martorelli Stadium.
Central Catholic’s Eric Benson (14) and Bralen Henderson (81) celebrate with teammates after defeating North Allegheny, 38-24, in the WPIAL Class 6A championship game Friday, Nov. 6, 2020, at Martorelli Stadium.
North Allegheny’s Khalil Dinkins scores past Central Catholic’s Gannon Carothers during the second quarter of the WPIAL Class 6A championship game Friday, Nov. 6, 2020, at Martorelli Stadium.
North Allegheny’s Mason Kress scores during the WPIAL Class 6A championship game against Central Catholic Friday, Nov. 6, 2020, at Martorelli Stadium.
North Allegheny’s Mason Kress celebrates his touchdown during the WPIAL Class 6A championship game against Central Catholic Friday, Nov. 6, 2020, at Martorelli Stadium.
The Central Catholic football team celebrates with the WPIAL Class 6A championship trophy after defeating North Allegheny, 38-24, Friday, Nov. 6, 2020, at Martorelli Stadium.
Eddy Tillman scored three rushing touchdowns and Central Catholic’s defense was dominant in the second half Friday night, a familiar combination for the Vikings in recent years.
Also familiar? Winning titles.
Defending champion Central Catholic avenged a loss from earlier this season and defeated top-seeded North Allegheny, 38-24, in the WPIAL Class 6A championship at North Hills’ Martorelli Stadium.
The WPIAL title was Central Catholic’s fourth in six years.
“Back to back, we’ve been talking about this all season,” said senior Anderson Cynkar, who scored twice. “We lost two games and people were counting us out. This is unbelievable. Nothing compares to this, not even last year.”
The team’s familiar combination of Tillman and tackling was missing in Week 3, when North Allegheny won 35-21 as Tillman was held to 17 yards on 15 carries. In the rematch, Tillman rushed for 132 yards on 26 carries and scored three times.
“We challenged them this week, Eddy and the O-line,” Central Catholic coach Terry Totten said. “They came to play tonight. He runs hard.”
The Vikings defense also responded with four sacks and three interceptions against an NA quarterback who’d thrown only one all season.
“We’re starting to come together,” defensive coordinator Dave Fleming said. “We’re really starting to feel like a Central Catholic defense, now that we’ve solidified it with a championship.”
The WPIAL title was the team’s eighth overall and sixth under Totten, who took over in 2005. Only three WPIAL coaches have won more titles than Totten, but the Central Catholic grad said he’s not contemplating his place in history.
“Maybe when it’s over, someday I’ll think about that,” he said, instead crediting his assistant coaches and players.
Central Catholic (6-2) advances to face District 10 champion Erie McDowell in a PIAA quarterfinal, Nov. 13 or 14.
North Allegheny (6-1) was trying to win its first WPIAL title since 2012.
“It wasn’t our night,” NA coach Art Walker said. “We haven’t turned the ball over like that all year. When you do, you’re not going to win a championship game.”
Central Catholic scored on offense, defense and special teams thanks in large part to Cynkar, who returning a kickoff 70 yards for a touchdown and took a pick-six interception 30 yards.
His third-quarter interception headlined a dominant second half from Central’s defense. The Vikings surrendered only 27 yards from scrimmage after halftime, intercepted North Allegheny’s Greg Phillips twice and sacked the senior quarterback three times in the fourth quarter alone.
With about 3 minutes left, North Allegheny was pinned against its own goal line hoping for a 91-yard, game-tying touchdown drive. Instead, Central Catholic freshman linebacker Anthony Speca picked off Phillips and returned the interception to the 1-yard line.
Phillips completed 13 of 26 passes for 196 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions. He’d thrown only one interception all season.
“There are a couple of those that are my fault,” Walker said. “You’d like to have those (plays) back and maybe go with something else.”
Tillman plunged into the end zone for a 1-yard score with 2:30 left, pushing Central Catholic’s lead to two touchdowns.
“We were more disciplined,” Tillman said. “We played well, and they had turnovers that turned into points. That’s the best thing for a championship game.”
Central Catholic lost one of its talented freshmen to injury early in the first quarter. Payton Wehner, a wildcat quarterback, was rolled off the field on a stretcher with a severe lower-leg injury.
North Allegheny scored touchdowns on its first three possessions to lead 21-10. Central Catholic was almost daring Phillips to throw and he took advantage.
Phillips completed a 65-yard touchdown to Mason Kress on the second play of the game and later connected with Khalil Dinkins for a 19-yard score. In between, Nate Hoke added a 1-yard touchdown run for the Tigers.
Kress had six catches for 103 yards.
“I credit Art; he had some plays in there early that we hadn’t necessarily thought they were going to run,” Totten said. “He sprung them on us and they worked. I was starting to think it was going to be an air show all night.”
North Allegheny was solving Central Catholic’s man coverage, so the Vikings switched to a two-deep zone. Phillips completed 10 of 15 throws in the first half, and just 3 of 11 after halftime.
“We settled in a little bit and got it done,” Totten said.
Central Catholic scored three times in the second quarter to lead 24-21 at half. The third was a 1-yard touchdown run by Tillman 10 seconds before halftime.
Tillman’s touchdown runs were all short-yardage plays, covering 5, 1 and 1 yards. He had only one run longer than nine yards but his physical style kept the offense moving forward.
“I went back and watched a lot of film from that (Week 3) game to see the mistakes I had,” Tillman said.
Early in the second quarter, when Tillman powered into the end zone on first-and-goal from the 5-yard line, he knew the running game was ready.
“The offensive line,” he said, “just dominated.”
Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.
Tags: Central Catholic, North Allegheny
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