Nov 8, 2016 By Eleanor Bailey 2 min read

Keystone Oaks defeated Apollo-Ridge, 56-20, to advance to the WPIAL semifinals in football for the first time since 2009. The Golden Eagles will now challenge Beaver Falls for the right to play for the championship on Nov. 19 at Heinz Field. KO and Beaver Falls are both 9-1 heading into their fray scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Nov. 11 at Ambridge.

While the Golden Eagles won the Allegheny Conference with a 7-0 slate, the Tigers finished tied for the Beaver Valley Conference title with Aliquippa. Beaver Falls boasts Donovan Jeter. The 6-6, 260-pound defensive tackle verbally committed to Michigan.

The Tigers whipped Mount Pleasant, 42-14, in their quarterfinal playoff game. Torian Leak rushed for 153 yards and two scores. Darrell Carter rambled for scores of 63 and 27 yards while Malik Shepard and Magi Gandy also ran for touchdowns.

“Beaver Falls has a good team with big guys up front,” KO skipper Greg Perry said. “They like to control the clock. Their game is to run the ball and keep you off the field.”

KO’s game is pass then run. In the win against Apollo-Ridge, Alex Smith threw for 256 yards and four scores, two each to Nick Hrivnak and Quran Powe. Smith also rushed for 161 yards and three scores.

Smith led the WPIAL in passing during the regular season. The senior, who is committed to Duquesne, has thrown for 2,884 yards and rushed for 985 this season.

Nick Hrivnak and Dylan Knorr, who ranked among the WPIAL’s receiving leaders, along with Powe are Smith’s top targets.

“We will get limited possessions so we have to make sure that we score when we have the opportunity,” Perry said. “We need to get them in third down situations. Those third-and-longs,” he added.

Perry noted that KO’s last Final Four appearance seven seasons ago resulted in a loss to Greensburg Central Catholic, thus denying the Golden Eagles a trip to Heinz Field.

“We’d like to get there this time,” he said. “It’s a tall task but we are rested and healthy.”

Other action

Bishop Canevin (8-1) will play Northgate (9-1) at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 11 at Hampton in one of the Class A quarterfinal match-ups. The Crusaders are coming off a 56-21 win against Springdale in their playoff opener.

In the win, Maleik Hemingway rushed for 327 yards and five touchdowns. He scored on runs of 49, 45, 96, 1 and 65 yards.