The Bethel Park Black Hawks were welcomed to the Woodland Hills’ Wolvarena by the two-headed monster that lies in the Woodland Hills backfield. Jo-El Shaw, who stands at 6-foot-1 and 233 pounds, provides the thunder as the lightning comes from speed of running back Miles Sanders.
Taking on Bethel Park in a WPIAL Class-AAAA Southeastern Conference showdown, Woodland Hills used their dynamic backfield duo to go to 2-0 on the season and hand the Black Hawks a 28-23 loss, the second loss of their 2015 campaign.
The Wolverines scored a total of 28 points in four quarters of football in Turtle Creek on Friday night with Shaw and Sanders scoring or having a hand in every touchdown. Leading off the scoring for Woodland Hills was Shaw and his 13-yard first quarter run that put the Wolverines up 7-0 with 8:52 left in the quarter.
Bethel Park would get on the board with a field goal to come with in four points of Woodland Hills as Zak Ferris hit a 32-yard field goal with 1:32 left. On the ensuing kickoff, the Black Hawks forced a Wolverines fumble and took the ball over at the 30-yard line. Bethel Park senior quarterback Levi Metheny then hit Charles Davis with a 30-yard bomb to put the Black Hawks up 3.
Woodland Hills pinned the Black Hawks deep in their own when Jo-El Shaw, the defensive end tipped a Metheny option pitch into the ground where Wilford Clark scooped it up in the end zone for a Wolverine touchdown. A successful extra point put Woodland Hills up 14-10.
Metheny drove the Bethel Park offense down the field on their next drive through the air and on the ground. Scoring on a 1-yard quarterback keeper, Metheny put the Black Hawks up 16-14. Ferris made the extra point to put the lead up to 3.
On the Wolverines next possession, Sanders, who is a Penn State recruit, took over. Scampering 67 yards to pay dirt, Sanders sliced and diced through the Bethel Park front seven on his way to the end zone. With Woodland Hills back in front, their defense took the field looking to stay ahead.
Linebacker Tyriq Thompson did just that as he tipped a Metheny pass to himself for an interception in the end zone for a touchback. Wolverine quarterback Daron Cooper would find Sanders again, this time with a pass in the flats and let him do the rest as he went 57 yards for the score on the reception.
Sanders finished with 192 yards of total offense in the first half accounting for two touchdowns as Woodland Hills led 28-17 at the half.
Both teams failed to score in the third quarter as neither offense could get into a rhythm.
Running out of time, Bethel Park’s Davis returned a Wolverine punt deep from deep in their own territory. Capitalizing on the good field position, back up quarter back Cole Rogers found Davis on a back shoulder fade in the end zone with 49.3 seconds left in the game. Unable to score on the two-point conversion, the score stayed 28-23 in favor of the home team.
The Black Hawks hopes for a successful onside kick were quickly extinguished as the Wolverines took over near midfield and promptly went into the victory formation.
Bethel Park, who fell to 0-2 on the year, take on Upper St. Clair on the road next week as Woodland Hills hits the road to take on Shaler.
Score by Quarters:
1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Bethel Park 10 7 0 6 23
Woodland Hills 7 21 0 0 28
1st Quarter:
WH- Shaw 13 yard rush (Kick Good)
BP- Ferris field goal
BP- Metheny to Davis 31 yard Pass (Kick Good)
2nd Quarter:
WH- Clark fumble recovery (Kick Good)
BP- Metheny 2 yard rush (Kick Good)
WH- Sanders 67 yard rush (Kick Good)
WH- Cooper to Sanders 57 yard pass (Kick Good)
3rd Quarter:
No Scoring
4th Quarter:
BP: Rogers to Davis 2 yard pass (Two-point Conversion-No Good)
Prugar’s Player of the Game
Miles Sanders (RB) – Woodland Hills: Sanders went well over 250 total yards tonight and scored a rushing touchdown as well as had a touchdown reception.
Around the State
197 total points were scored in a game between Meadville and DuBois. Meadville won the game by a score of 107-90. Journey Brown, running back for Leadville rushed for 720 yards on 33 carries and scored 10 touchdowns! He has already eclipsed 800 yards rushing through two games this year after rushing for over 1,400 last season.
