McKeesport edges Woodland Hills in throwback showdown

By: Don Rebel
Saturday, September 4, 2021 | 6:07 PM

For the better part of the second quarter Saturday afternoon, the scoreboard clock at McKeesport was not operational.

For all of three quarters, fans may have thought the entire scoreboard wasn’t working — neither team registered a point.

However, both teams broke through in the fourth quarter with one touchdown each. The difference in the game was a missed 2-point conversion as McKeesport edged Woodland Hills, 7-6.

“It’s an old Quad East matchup,” McKeesport coach and alum Matt Miller said. “That was like back in the early 90s when I played with my buddies, who will be just happy we won.”

In the 80s and 90s, these two schools battled the likes of Central Catholic and Penn Hills every year for conference supremacy.

Now, these teams rarely play each other with Woodland Hills in Class 5A and McKeesport in 4A. This was only the fourth meeting between the two in the last 18 years.

“Everybody wants to see this matchup, but I’m sure me and (Woodland Hills coach Tim Bostard) are happy it doesn’t happen all the time,” Miller said with a chuckle. “There are a lot of ice packs being passed around on both sides. That’s one thing about the old Quad East days: you knew you played a game and you played against some grown men.”

Another throwback aspect to the game was that both teams relied heavily on their ground game.

Each team had only one possession in the opening quarter. Long, time-consuming drives continued in the second quarter; however, there were a combined three turnovers in the red zone that thwarted potential scoring drives for both teams.

McKeesport senior quarterback Caleb Reist was injured late in the second quarter and did not return to the game. However, fellow senior Jacob Miller stepped in and connected on a big pass inside the Woodland Hills 5-yard line with seconds left in the half. The Tigers were turned away when a 20-yard field goal attempt by Milton Campos was partially blocked.

With the third quarter winding down, McKeesport again drove inside the Woodland Hills 20, but a Miller pass was picked off at the 2-yard line by Wolverines sophomore Steven Jackson.

Woodland Hills could not move the ball and senior star Deontae Williams was forced to punt from his own end zone, giving McKeesport great field position at the Wolverines 47-yard line.

Early in the fourth quarter, running back Bobbie Boyd broke the ice on a 7-yard touchdown run off right side. It was the first points allowed by the Woodland Hills defense this season.

“He’s pretty darn good,” Matt Miller said of his junior running back. “He’s an amazing talent and what a great kid. You sometimes have great players that aren’t leaders, aren’t great kids, but he does it on and off the field.”

On its next possession, Woodland Hills had the ball at its own 43-yard line, facing a big fourth-and-2, when Williams kept the ball, ran right, turned the corner and raced 57 yards for the Wolverines scores.

Bostard, for the fourth time this season, decided to go for the 2-point conversion and Williams was sacked, keeping the score 7-6 McKeesport.

The Wolverines had one last chance after another McKeesport drive ended with a turnover at the Woodland Hills 40-yard line with less than one minute left. However, Woodland Hills could only get to the McKeesport 45 before turning it over on downs with under 10 seconds left.

For the second week in a row, Boyd hit the century mark in rushing yards, gaining 121 on 16 carries with a touchdown.

Jacob Miller, in relief of Reist, hit on 7-of-10 passes for 73 yards for McKeesport.

“He did a great job,” Matt Miller said.

Woodland Hills (1-1) was once again led by Williams, who rushed for 98 yard and a score, plus added 10 yards on two completions.

While Woodland Hills (1-1) will return home to face unbeaten Moon in Week 2, McKeesport (2-0) hits the road for the first time this season to battle undefeated Armstrong.

“I’m happy we got a win,” Matt Miller said. “We see where we made mistakes with the football on the ground and possibly left some points out on the field (Saturday).”

Tags: McKeesport, Woodland Hills