In the PIAA Class A Football Championship game Friday in Hershey, Bishop Guilfolye, a private school from Altoona, finished off an already incredible season and edged the Clairton Bears 19-18 for the school's first state championship. The Bears were not able to score on a 4th and Goal from the Marauders 8-yard line with 47 seconds left. Down by a point, Clairton's offense stayed on the field, and wide receiver James Hines caught the pass, but was clearly out of bounds in the back of the endzone. Hines did not like the call, and the game was televised on the Pennsylvania Cable Network, and replay showed the one foot he needed in was out. Bishop Guilfoyle just needed to run out the clock. This is where things got ugly, and as stated earlier, this game was live on television throughout the state of Pennsylvania. Kevin Gorman of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review's account. After one Clairton defender started a scuffle by crossing into the offensive huddle, another ran onto the field and threw his helmet at a foe. It was an ugly display by a team long known for being the biggest winners who showed signs of being sore losers. In the Vine video below, you can see Clairton's #54, Vance Gibson, senior guard and linebacker, running out onto the field, wielding his helmet as he charges out towards the Bishop Guilfoyle huddle. Clairton, based out of District 7, better known as the WPIAL, has won the PIAA Championship four times since 2009. The Bears set a state record with a 66-game winning streak that ran from September 11, 2009 until October 22, 2013. Simply put, Clairton has been a winner for so long, they forgot how to lose with dignity. Amongst the chaos that finished the game, there was one Clairton player who took the high road after the defeat. Again, Kevin Gorman of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Engulfed in Bishop Guilfoyle's celebration was Lamont Wade, shaking hands and sharing hugs. Leave it to the young, sophomore to show class when his teammate, who as a senior should be leading by example, rushed the field and was looking to use his helmet as a weapon. This was also the only loss for Clairton in 2014. It was their first loss since losing to Sto-Rox in the WPIAL Class A Championship Game at Heinz Field on November 15, 2013.
1 Comment
dan ferrell
12/14/2014 05:26:49 am
Good article, you hit the nail on the head!
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