(File Photo)

Story by Ryan Gerazounis, Beaver County radio

(IMPERIAL, PA):

The Beaver Falls Tigers varsity football team looked to punch their ticket to the state championship game in the AA classification on Friday night. The only thing that stood in their way was a PIAA Semifinals playoff game with the Westinghouse Bulldogs.

The Tigers looked to have brought their A game to Imperial, as they scored on a touchdown pass followed by a two point conversion in the first quarter. Making it 8-8, this was the score heading into the second quarter. Westinghouse had the only points in the second quarter on a touchdown run followed with an extra point, the Bulldogs took a 15-8 lead into the half.

Early in the third quarter Beaver Falls looked to take advantage of a Westinghouse turnover deep in Bulldogs territory. After pounding the ball for several plays, the Tigers turned the ball over on downs inside the Westinghouse five yard line. The hard nose play of these two teams continued through the third quarter. The score remained 15-8 as the the quarter came to a close.

In the final frame it was Westinghouse that managed to add more points to the scoreboard. A touchdown on a pass play as well as a scoop and score off of a Beaver Falls fumble gave the Bulldogs a comfortable 28-8 lead. That also was the final score of this AA PIAA Semifinals playoff match up when all said and done.

Westinghouse will go on to play Southern Columbia for PIAA gold in the AA State Championship game next week. The Beaver Falls Tigers have been eliminated.