Another year, Another title

The Vikings win their fourth straight District 11 3A title

ALLENTOWN – Colin McDermott rushed for 246 yards on 43 carries and one touchdown to lead Allentown Central Catholic to a 23-0 win over Southern Lehigh at J. Birney Crum Stadium Friday night for the Class 3A District 11 title. With the win Allentown Central Catholic will wait for their next opponent. Berwick and Abington Heights play Saturday afternoon.

After a scoreless first quarter, the Vikings finally got on the scoreboard with a Robert Fidati 35-yard field goal. On Southern Lehigh’s next possession they punted to the Vikings 45. Allentown Central Catholic added to their lead on an Anthony Beck to Ryan Belville 53-yard bomb. They led 10-0 with 6:00 minutes remaining in the first half.

After a three-and-out by Southern Lehigh, the Vikings drove 56 yards for another score. Colin McDermott capped off the drive with a two-yard touchdown run with 4.9 seconds left in the half. The Vikings extended their lead to 17-0 going into halftime. With that touchdown, McDermott, now holds the school record 32 rushing touchdowns in a season. Allentown Central Catholic out gained Southern Lehigh 215 to 31. McDermott rushed for 135 yards on 25 carries.

In the second half Southern Lehigh tried to get their offense going, but the Vikings’ Belville intercepted a Travis Edmond pass ending the Spartans first series.

The Vikings would make them pay for the turnover. Allentown Central Catholic’s Beck found Belville for the 16-yard touchdown pass to extend their lead to 23-0. Beck finished the night completing 9 of 16 for 105 yards and two touchdowns.

The Spartans drove down to the Vikings one-yard line. There they were facing a fourth down and two. The Spartans did not convert on fourth and goal. The Vikings’ Paul Leaser made the big hit to keep the Spartans out of the end zone.

In the fourth quarter there was no scoring and the Vikings ran out the clock and now move on to the state playoffs.

NOTE: Allentown Central Catholic seniors have never lost a District 11 Class 3A championship game.The Vikings had  347 total yards of offense and the Spartans had 128. McDermott now has 5,661 career rushing yards and 76 touchdowns.

Southern Lehigh has been runner-up the last three years in a championship game. They lost to the Vikings twice in the District finals and last season to Berwick Area in the Eastern Conference 3A Final. The Spartans head football coach John Toman said, “The one difference with tonight was that we proved we belonged with them tonight. We just came up short.”