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“This is just another day in the life of Evan Chadbourn. He’s a champion today, was a champion when he got here and I’m sure he’ll be a champion wherever he goes to college” said BG Head Coach Justin Wheeler. When Evan Chadbourn tore his ACL during a typical work out in early July, he made a promise to his coaches and teammates the next morning. “I told them I promise I’d take a knee for them at Hershey this year. The Senior led his team to a 17-0 win to capture the PIAA 1A title for the third time in a row with a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, a 20 yard td run and an interception.
This game had the feel of the match between these two teams from 2014 when BG eaked out a 19-18 win. Both teams spent most of the first feeling each other out. BG had the ball to start the second quarter and went on an 11 play drive that was capped by a 4 yard td run from Sr. Andrew Irwin. The point after failed leaving the score at 6-0 with 7:56 left in the half. Ironically, up to this point in the 2 title games these teams have played, that was the 7th touchdown and only 1 point after attempt was successful.
A key moment came on the opening kick of the second quarter when Lamont Wade fielded the ball at the 4, ran forward the turned back toward the endzone where Josh Yasulitis grabbed him for what looked like a safety, but forward progress gave the Bears the ball at the one.
BG held and Clairton was forced to punt into a stiff wind. The Marauders took over but were forced to attempt a 47 yard field goal, and Kolton McGhee nailed it with about 30 yards to spare thanks to the gusting win. An encroachment penalty killed the play and made it a 43 yard attempt, and that too cleared the uprights easilty making it 9-0 with 7:48 left in the third.
On the ensuing drive, Bears quarterback Noah Hamlin was hit by Chadbourn and Nic Leamer pounced on the ball at the Clairton 31. Several plays later Chadbourn scampered to the right for his first touchdown since December 18, 2015, to make it a 16-0 game with 6:03 left to play.
Evan Chadbourn with the @BGMarauderFball TD a 2 pointer makes in 17-0 over @Clairtonschool 6:03 Qtr 3 @WPAFootball @HSFBamerica pic.twitter.com/fqHc9AD4tZ
— WPAFootball (@WPAFootball) December 9, 2016
Andrew Irwin threw a jump pass to Luke Frederick for the 2 pointer to complete the scoring. Frederick was also key on the previous drive with a 28 yard reception to set up the first BG score as well as being the one who forced Hamlin to throw the ball early only to have it intercepted by Chadbourn.
The 17-0 score was the first time Clairton has been shut out since a 28 point loss to Springdale in 2003, a span of 13 years. BG extended it’s win streak to 47, the 4th longest in the nation.
Photo & Video credit Lee Vivian & Bruce Badgley
