Live blog from the Post-Gazette game of the week, North Allegheny at Seneca Valley. For score updates around the WPIAL, look to the right for scores from @PGVarsityXtra twitter account. If you have a score or update, tweet to @PGVarsityXtra with #wpial. Send along photos also.
FINAL: NORTH ALLEGHENY 14, SENECA VALLEY 0
9:57 - Intercepted in zone by NA's Riley Trueman.
9:54 Corbin Kessler is moving Seneca Valley. Raiders at NA 9.
9:52 T.J. Holl on crutches on sideline with ice bag on right left. Corbin Kessler now at QB for Seneca Valley.
NORTH ALLEGHENY 14, SENECA VALLEY 0
9:47 Well Seneca was ranked No. 3 in Quad-A. They will definitely be out of top 5. Jeff Clemens scores 8-yard TD run. 1:53 now left in game. 14-0
80 yards in 12 plays on that scoring drive.
9:40 NA driving again. At Seneca 21.
Seneca big lineman Tyler Hudanick just came off field holding left arm. On bench for now.
9:34 A 48-yard TD pass from TJ Holl to Mrkonja. But SV turns it over again. TJ Holl intercepted in end zone by Riley Trueman.
Below, NA QB Jeff Clemens dives for yardage. Photo from PG's Matt Freed
NORTH ALLEGHENY 7, SENECA VALLEY 0
Trueman then completed pass for 4 yards and then ran 5 yards. Jeff Clemens came back in scored on 3-yard QB sneak. Mancuso kick. 10:33 left in game.
9:26 Riley Trueman goes into QB for NA and runs 24 yards to SV 12 on first play.
END THIRD QUARTER: NORTH ALLEGHENY 0, SENECA VALLEY 0
I wouldn't say it's a bad game. Teams are moving ball. Guys making some plays. But just too many key mistakes.
9:19 Unbelievable. Seneca at 2 yard line. Mason DeHart runs, churns, NA Ijhad Bonner rips out of his hands, Matt Sell recovers in end zone for NA.
Stop the mistakes!!!!!
9:17 NA punts. Seneca takes over at NA 33. Holl goes 27 yards first down to 6.
9:16 Former Ellwood City hoops coach Al Campman next to me doing color for Armstrong TV. Priceless.
9:14 Seneca gets to NA 30 but has to quick kick on fourth down. Another penalty on fourth down. Mistakes mistakes. Seneca could win just because of field position.
9:06 NA drives to Seneca 26. NA goes for first down on fourth and 8. QB Jeff Clemens sacked by TJ Holl. 7:17 left third still scoreless.
9:00 Second half underway.
Not exactly a good start for Tom Nola at Gateway. Losing 6-0 to Greensburg Salem after third quarter. Wow. I think I can hear the Gateway complainers all the way here in Harmony.
Is North Hills sleeper in the Northern Eight? Crushing Fox Chapel, 35-0. It could be North Hills pretty good and Fox Chapel still way below average. Or a little of both.
The beat goes on for Shaler. Losing again to Pine-Richland, 42-0.
Indiana coming back on Mars 19-14. Interesting.
Thomas Jefferson crushing Ringgold, 28-6. Guess nothing has changed. TJ still good.
Penn Hills beating U. St. Clair 17-7 in another big AAAA game.
28-7 Central Valley over Montour. Jordan Whitehead 60-yard run.
I thought McGuffey might be ready to make noise this year. Forget it. 31-7 Mount Pleasant. Looks like MP and Washington in that conference.
HALFTIME: NORTH ALLEGHENY 0, SENECA VALLEY 0
First-half stats: Seneca leads in yards 189-141 but SV has three turnovers and five penalties for 85 yards. TJ Holl has been picked off twice and lost a snap. NA QB Jeff Clemens has been picked off twice.
8:30 I'm sure NA coach Art Walker said "anything but that." Jeff Clemens takes sack. NA can't get off field goal. That's it. Halftime. Filled with first-game mistakes.
8:38 Another SV mistake. Offside SV. NA now at Seneca 11.
8:26 Another mistake costly for SV. NA at Seneca 16 no timeouts. Clock running less than 25 seconds. SV had to call timeout. Too many men on field.
Timeout 18.7 left in half. Third down and 2. Better throw to end zone NA. Do have enough time to run play and get FG. I'd say yes.
8:24 NA just doesn't have team speed like they have had recently.
8:23 Little over a minute left in first half. NA at own SV 30. Third down and 5. Still scoreless.
8:17 Another Seneca mistake. Holl lets shotugn snap go through hands. NA recovers at own 37. SV was at NA 21.
8:13 Still no score. SV takes over at own 39. 6 minutes left in half.
8:09 Another bad mistake. Bad snap from center minus 14 yards. SV has to punt deep in NA territory.
8:07 Five Seneca players wearing red hats on sideline. Some of them give signals. Some decoys.
8:04 PA announcer just called Seneca's Mason DeHart "Diesel" DeHart. Appropriate. Running hard. 44 yards on 7 carries.
8:02 Now here comes Seneca. Now at midfield. Maybe someone will score if they don't turn ball over.
END FIRST QUARTER
Seneca Valley 0, North Allegheny 0
Both teams with two turnovers. Both QBs doing some good things, but also making mistakes. Maybe typical first-game jitters.
7:59 Brad Hensler hard hit in the backfield, NA QB Clemns fumbles and Matt Schmitt recovers for Seneca. At 24.
7:56 SV T.J. Holl picked off second time. Riley Trueman at SV 39 returns to SV 28.
7:53 This place close to packed. Big crowd.
7:51 Corbin Kessler doing everything for SV. Just picked off NA's Clemens on shor tpass at SV own 4. Definitely questionable if Kessler did get that INT before it hit ground.
7:48 NA two first downs on passes from Clemens to Byerly. Now at WV 30.
7:46 NA picks up two first downs. Gotta be quick typer for this one. Both teams no huddle.
7:43 NA holds. Seneca got to 6 but Johnny Sumpter INT in end zone. 8:06 first.
7:39 Seneca no inside NA 40
7:35 - Seneca Valley receives. First down already past midfield
7:29 Shocking one. First quarter. Vincentian leads Brentwood, 14-0. Quite a WPIAL debut for Royals.
7:28 Not great start for Gateway under Tom Nola. Scoreless after first quarter vs. Connellsville.
7:18 - Maybe bad news for Mars?? From @J_oshRizzo stud running back Josh Schultheis limped off field.
It must be red, white and blue night for Seneca Valley student section.
PREGAME
As the sun sets and another high school football season starts.
**** I don't know really what to expect from North Allegheny with so many new players. I don't know if their coaches know what to expect.
**** Word is North Allegheny's Josh Bergman, top returning rusher from last year, has been bothered by a hamstring injury. But he is expected to play.
**** Seneca Valley with new unis this year, with word "RAIDERS" on their rear ends. Don't know if I've seen that much before on high school uniforms.
**** Gotta hand it to North Allegheny assistants Bob Ceh and Doug Brinkley. Always willing to help, aren't they? Outside their locker room before the game, they helped out a struggling old man. "Hey buddy, your fly is down," said the affable Ceh.