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H.S. Football: Dallas dethrones state champion Bishop McDevitt 26-23 in double overtime

john erzar, the times leader, wilkes-barre, pa.
·4 min read

Dec. 2—SLATINGTON — Defending state champions do not go down easily.

But, as Dallas proved Friday night, they do go down.

Sparked by special teams and a swarming defense — and just enough offense — Dallas knocked off two-time defending state champion Bishop McDevitt 26-23 in two overtimes in a PIAA Class 4A semifinal game at Northern Lehigh High School.

District 2 champion Dallas (15-0) will play District 7 champion Aliquippa (14-0) for the state title at 7 p.m. Thursday at Cumberland Valley High School. District 3 champion McDevitt (13-1) saw its 26-game winning streak come to an end.

The Crusaders were loaded with Division I recruits, including quarterback Stone Saunders (Kentucky) and receiver Rico Scott (Alabama).

"I told our guys, 'Listen, you got the mystique of this. And when you start playing, you're going to figure out they're teenagers just like you,' " Dallas coach Rich Mannello said. "It doesn't matter where they're going to school next year. They are high school football players tonight."

For the second week in a row, kicker Rowan Laubach booted Dallas to an overtime win. His 26-yard field goal, which Dallas elected to try on second down of the second overtime, sent Dallas to the state championship game for the first time since 2019.

"Same nerves. It's the pressure of winning the game," said Rowan, who plays on the school's soccer team. "I knew I had to score, so that's exactly what I tried to do, and it happened."

Special teams, except for a blocked point after, were critical in the victory.

Dallas' first touchdown came when Nate Malarkey blocked a punt and Gavin Lewis scooped up the ball and ran in from 14 yards out.

Lineman Dan Sabulski blocked an extra point try after a McDevitt touchdown, keeping the game knotted at 13-13 with 50 seconds left in the third quarter.

Lineman Brady Rosencrans also blocked a field goal in the second overtime, giving Laubach the opportunity to win the game.

"Our game plan all week was we knew special teams were what was going to make a difference in this game," Sabulski said. "We knew they didn't take the time we did on special teams and had to take advantage of it."

McDevitt drove 95 yards for a touchdown on its first possession, but Dallas curtailed the Crusaders' offense for the most part after that. Saunders, Scott and James Madison recruit Chase Regan never found any consistency throwing the ball. Dallas often blitzed a linebacker to put heat on Saunders.

"There is never a doubt in this family we have right now," Dallas defensive back Lucas Tirpak said. "We just knew if they let us hang around, we'd win this game — and that's what we did."

McDevitt tied the score 23-23 on a 26-yard field goal with 48 seconds left. Dallas ran two plays afterwards before deciding to head to overtime.

There, Dallas scored first on a 5-yard pass from Brady Zapoticky to Malarkey. McDevitt answered with a 12-yard catch-and-run by Zahir Jones-Davis to send the game to a second overtime.

PIAA Class 4A Semifinals

Dallas 26, Bishop McDevitt 23 2OT

Bishop McDevitt'7'0'6'3'7'0 — 23

Dallas'0'13'0'3'7'3 — 26

First quarter

BM — Nazir Jones-Davis 1 run (Gerard Lulinda kick), 5:07

Second quarter

DAL — Gavin Lewis 14 blocked punt return (Rowan Laubach kick), 2:41

DAL — Nick Farrell 22 pass from Ryan Zapoticky (kick blocked), 0:03

Third quarter

BM —Rico Scott 20 pass from Stone Saunders (kick blocked), 0:50

Fourth quarter

DAL — Laubach 36 FG, 9:58

BM — Lulinda 26 FG, 0:48

First Overtime

DAL — Nate Malarkey 5 pass from Zapoticky (Laubach kick)

BM — Jones-Davis 12 pass from Saunders (Lulinda kick)

Second Overtime

DAL — Laubach 26 FG

Team statistics'BM'DAL

First downs'16'11

Rushes-yards'36-144'35-80

Passing yards'175'118

Total yards'319'198

Passing'13-26-0'8-22-0

Sacked-yards lost'2-22'2-14

Punts-avg.'5-31.4'5-36

Fumbles-lost'0-0'1-0

Penalties-yards'5-50'3-30

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — McDevitt, Jones-Davis 19-114, Maurice Barnes 12-41 ,Saunders 5-(minus-11). Dallas, Dylan Geskey 21-59, Brady Zapoticky 12-13, Zach Paczewski 3-8.

PASSING — McDevitt, Stone Saunders 13-26-0-175. Dallas, Brady Zapoticky 8-22-0-118.

RECEIVING — McDevitt, Rico Scott 6-73, Chase Regan 3-31, Jontai Quick 2-44, Jones-Davis 1-12, Barnes 1-15.

Dallas, Paczewski 2-15, Lucas Tirpak 3-45, G.Lewis 1-18, Nick Farrell 2-40.

INTERCEPTIONS — None.

MISSED FGs — Dallas, 36 WL.