Clairton continues dominance with 54-0 romp over Trojans

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California's Lee Qualk (4) twists out of a tackle attempt by Clairton's Deon Pompey (10) during Friday night's WPIAL Class A quarterfinal playoff game at Myron Pottios Stadium in Charleroi.

Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard

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Clairton’s Mike Ruffin (1) is able to maintain his balance after being tripped up by California’s Adin Keyes (9) and goes on to score on a 38-yard touchdown during the first quarter of Friday night’s WPIAL Class A quarterfinal playoff game at Myron Pottios Stadium in Charleroi.

Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard

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California's Malachi Peak (1) and Colton Lowden (5) tackle Clairton's Donte Wright (2) during Friday night's WPIAL Class A quarterfinal playoff game at Myron Pottios Stadium in Charleroi.

Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard

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Clairton’s Drahcir Jones breaks free on a 25-yard touchdown run as teammate Donte Wright (2) prevents California’s Allen Dennis (11) from making the tackle during the first quarter of Friday night’s WPIAL Class A quarterfinal playoff game at Myron Pottios Stadium in Charleroi.

Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard

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Clairton's Zaemear Corell (6) sacks California quarterback Logan Hartley during Friday night's WPIAL Class A quarterfinal playoff game at Myron Pottios Stadium in Charleroi.

Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard

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California’s Lee Qualk (4) follows the blocking of Malachi Peak (1) who is pulled to the turf by Clairton’s Brandon Murphy (8) during Friday night’s WPIAL Class A quarterfinal playoff game at Myron Pottios Stadium in Charleroi.

Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard

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California quarterback Logan Hartley (6) completes a pass to Lee Qualk during Friday night's WPIAL Class A quarterfinal playoff game against Clairton at Myron Pottios Stadium in Charleroi.

Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard

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California's Landon Abercrombie (20) runs the ball against Clairton during Friday night's WPIAL Class A quarterfinal playoff game at Myron Pottios Stadium in Charleroi.

Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard

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Clairton's Mike Ruffin (1) heads into the end zone on a 20-yard touchdown run as teammate Taris Wooding (5) impedes California's Vinny Manzella (2) during Friday night’s WPIAL Class A quarterfinal playoff game at Myron Pottios Stadium in Charleroi.

Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard

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California's Lee Qualk (4) takes a handoff from Logan Hartley during Friday night's WPIAL Class A quarterfinal playoff game against Clairton at Myron Pottios Stadium in Charleroi.

Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard

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California's Niko Georgagis (68) holds the football after recovering a Clairton fumble during the second quarter of Friday night’s WPIAL Class A quarterfinal playoff game at Myron Pottios Stadium in Charleroi.

Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard

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California coach Ed Woods checks his play chart during Friday night's WPIAL Class A quarterfinal playoff game against Clairton at Myron Pottios Stadium in Charleroi.

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California's Lee Qualk holds onto the football as he is hit by two Clairton defenders after catching a pass from Logan Hartley during Friday night's WPIAL Class A quarterfinal playoff game at Myron Pottios Stadium in Charleroi.

Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard

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California captains Niko Georgagis (68), Malachi Peak (1), Darius Johnson (53) and Lee Qualk (4) take part in the coin toss before Friday night's WPIAL Class A quarterfinal playoff game against Clairton at Myron Pottios Stadium in Charleroi.

Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard

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CHARLEROI – What happens when one of the best running backs in the WPIAL takes on the best defense in the league?

That was the question facing the football teams from California and Clairton Friday evening.at Charleroi High School.

California, which has the services of tailback Lee Qualk, who came into the Class A quarterfinal game with a WPIAL best 2,130 rushing yards, went up against a Clairton defense that had allowed 21 total points this season and only 14 by its defense.

Qualk gave it a try but the Bears defense was too much and Clairton routed California 54-0 in the WPIAL Class A quarterfinals. Clairton moves to 12-0 this season and will play Bishop Canevin (9-2) next Friday in the semifinals, 7 p.m. at Peters Township.

Qualk had 17 carries for just 13 yards and two receptions for 22 yards. Gerald Williams had two catches for 11 yards.

Clairton’s defense came up with four interceptions while limiting the Trojans to just four first downs and four total yards on 41 plays from scrimmage.

California, which stunned Laurel last week in the first round, ends the season with an 8-4 record, a second-place finish in the Tri-County South Conference and one playoff victory. It’s the second year in a row the Trojans have won a playoff game.

“They were a better team than we are,” said California head coach Ed Woods. “That’s what it came down to. We couldn’t stay with their speed. It wasn’t just one or two kids. It was the whole team.”

Clairton’s team speed just wore California down, especially in a 32-point first quarter.

“We prepared well for them,” said Clairton head coach Wayne Wade. “Our defense played lights out. Then offensively, we wanted to try to impose our will against them. I don’t know how many passes we threw, three or four. But we ran the ball really well.”

Drahcir Jones led the Bears with nine carries for 100 yards and three touchdowns and Mike Ruffin ran six times for 60 yards and two TDs. Clairton also got a rushing touchdown and an interception return for a score from Donte Wright and a rushing TD from.Brandon Murphy.

The Bears turned the ball over once on a second-quarter fumble recovered by California’s Niko Georgagis.

Clairton put this game away early, scoring 36 points in the first quarter and taking a 42-0 lead into the locker room at halftime. That set off the PIAA Mercy Rule in the second half.

“It didn’t matter if it was the first play of the game or the last play of the game,” Woods said. “They were just faster than us.”

Clairton piled up 321 yards of offense on 33 plays.

Woods said he was proud of what the team accomplished this year.

“I was very pleased and happy with what the team accomplished,” said Woods. “There were a couple games that could have went either way.”