Kris John (12) crosses the goal line for Uniontown’s first touchdown in Friday night’s Class AAA playoff game with Belle Vernon at Uniontown’s Bill Power Stadium. John pulled in a 47-yard pass from Lucas Mosco for the score to bring the Red Raiders to within seven points of the Leopards at 13-6. Following a seesaw battle, Uniontown fought back and won the game, 21-20. Robert Esquivel/Herald-Standard

It was long time coming for the Keystone Conference, but especially for Uniontown as the Red Raiders defeated former conference rival Belle Vernon, 21-20, in the first round of the WPIAL playoffs Friday at William K. Power Stadium.
Fred Johnson, blocked a PAT on the Leopards' (5-5) first score, a punt that set up Uniontown's second touchdown and scored the winning touchdown on a 19-yard interception return to help the Red Raiders snap a 44-year playoff victory drought.
Belle Vernon's Matt Green put his team ahead 13-0 on a 61-yard run at 5:58 of the second quarter. Green also scored the Leopards' first touchdown from four yards out. The junior tailback racked up 227 yards on 26 carries.
The Red Raiders' Lucas Mosco was 8 of 11 for 156 yards and had a 47-yard touchdown pass to Kris John that gave Uniontown (7-3) its first score. Arnold Walker had 62 yards on 17 carries and scored a touchdown for the home team.
Jake Forsythe's 67-yard run on third-and-nine gave the Red Raiders the opportunity to run out the clock. Forsythe had 87 yards on eight carries.

Thomas Jefferson 51, Laurel Highlands 7
JEFFERSON HILLS - In week five of the scholastic football season, Laurel Highlands fell 55-0 to reigning three-time WPIAL and two-time PIAA AAA champion Thomas Jefferson at LH.
When the Mustangs traveled to TJ for the first-round of the WPIAL playoffs, it was more of the same.
Thomas Jefferson (10-0) scored on all four of its first quarter possessions and on two LH possessions, returning an interception for a touchdown and recording a safety when the Mustangs fumbled the ball out of the end zone for a 37-0 lead after one quarter and rolled to a 51-7 win.
TJ's Jim Giansante hit the trifecta in the first quarter with a 14-yard touchdown run, a 43-yard interception return for a touchdown and was on the receiving end of a 53-yard touchdown pass. Thomas Jefferson led 44-0 at the half.
After failing to move the ball on its first possession, LH punter Jake Hoch raced downfield to down his own punt on the TJ 1-yard line, pinning the Jaguars deep in their own territory.
On the Jaguars' first play, quarterback Sam Johnston hit a streaking Steve Licht down the left sideline for a 99-yard touchdown, and the rout was on.
Laurel Highlands averted a shutout when Mustangs' quarterback Carmen Congelio connected with Hoch for a one-yard touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter. Dylan Clifford led LH, which finished the season 3-7, with 75 yards rushing on 10 carries.
"We never backed down, despite the score," LH coach Jack Buehner said. "We came to play and came within one block of returning the opening kickoff for a touchdown. In spite of the first game with TJ this season, we weren't intimidated. TJ is tough. They play all phases of the game very well. In the fourth quarter, it was important, especially for our seniors, to score."

Beth-Center 38, Serra Catholic 17
FREDERICKTOWN - The Beth-Center defense had heard all week about highly touted Serra Catholic quarterback Rob Heatherington and the problems he had caused defenses all season long.
Friday the Bulldogs delivered their answer in a 38-17 win in the first round of the WPIAL playoffs.
On the Eagles' first play of the game a Heatherington pass was intercepted by Lamar Bell, which set up the Bulldogs on the visitor's 44-yard line.
Facing fourth down-and-one at the eight-yard line quarterback Sal Faieta ran for the first down and one play later halfback Jordan Kinder capped of the 10-play 45-yard drive with a five-yard touchdown run to give the Bulldogs a 7-0 lead.
Heading into halftime the Bulldogs had a 17-10 lead over the Eagles in a game, which still could have gone either way.
However the Bulldogs sealed the deal in the first nine minutes of the third quarter scoring 21 points thanks in part to two Eagles fumbles.

Rochester 40, Carmichaels 6
ROCHESTER - Rochester downed Carmichaels 40-6 in WPIAL Class A playoff action.
The Rams led 40-0 midway through the fourth quarter on a total team effort in which five players scored.
Rochester outgained Carmichaels 324-263, as big plays were the big story.
The Mikes (4-6) dominated time of possession, holding the ball 39:03 to 8:57 for the Rams 10-0).
Rochester got on the scoreboard at 3:05 of the opening quarter as Jasson Adamson scrambled 66 yards on a quarterback draw.
Their next drive went 72 yards with Jonathan Johnson going 53 yards for the score.
With 7:55 to go in the third quarter, Carmichaels drove to the Rochester 1 before Jon Krall was intercepted in the end zone by Terrence Slade who ran the ball back 100 yards for a touchdown and a 17-0 lead.
The next score was a 61-yard bomb form Adamson to Trey Johnson to cap a drive that took only 58 seconds for a 20-0 Rams' lead.
The Mikes' only touchdown came with 18 seconds left to play as Seth Krall pass five yards to Jon Krall to cap a 56-yard march.
The Mikes' Anthonie Farrar was the game's top rusher with 68 yards on 17 carries, with Jon Krall completed 16 of 30 passes for 171 yards, one TD and one interception, also a game-high.
Seth Krall was the game's top receiver with 12 catches for 137 yards.
Rochester will face the Brentwood-Fort Cherry winner in the next round.

North Catholic 38, Jefferson-Morgan 3
WEXFORD-Twelfth-seeded Jefferson-Morgan (7-2, 5-2) began Friday night's WPIAL Class A opening round playoff game with momentum, but the tide turned quickly and snowballed as fifth-seeded North Catholic (7-2, 7-0) ran away with a win at J.C. Stone Field in North Park.
North Catholic converted two Jefferson-Morgan turnovers into touchdowns, which helped fuel a Trojan win.
 "We clicked early but blew a couple of plays and things went downhill from there," Jefferson-Morgan coach Jan Haiden said. "They threw some offensive formations at us that we don't see real often, like four and five wide receivers, and it was tough to match up against that."
Haiden credited his senior leadership for a key in the overall success of this season.
 "I thought we had real good leadership this year," Haiden said. "We lost three 2-way starters to injury this year, which could be devastating to a Class A school, but nobody complained. Our players just kept working hard and I'm real proud of them for their effort this year."