State College went ahead early and never looked back, defeating District 7 champion North Allegheny 28-7 on Friday night at Memorial Field to advance to the PIAA Class 6A state semifinals.
The Little Lions got on the board first with a 27-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Owen Yerka to receiver Michael Gaul who made a leaping grab near the goal line as the State College went ahead 7-0 with just under six minutes to go in the first quarter. Fellow quarterback – in State College’s dual QB system – Finn Furmanek would make it 14-0 on a 32-yard scamper up the middle of the field, bouncing off of defenders and would-be tacklers along the way.
Ahead by two scores, the Little Lions added to their lead making it 21-0 with just over six minutes to go in the half. It was Furmanek again scoring, this time for 10-yards out on a quarterback keeper that swept right to left behind blocks that saw Furmanek enter the end zone untouched. The lanky quarterback made the most of time and space to put State College ahead by a commanding three-scoring lead.
North Allegheny would answer in kind from just three yards out with just over two minutes to go in the opening half but would not score again in the game. A blocked punt deep in State High territory would give North Allegheny life in the third quarter but a third interception by State College’s defense – a night that saw them make four total – would hold off any comeback attempts.
A 20-yard touchdown run by Yerka effectively ended the game with under three minutes to go in regulation as the Little Lions went ahead 28-7 in the game’s final minutes. Much like his counterpart in Furmanek, Yerka bowled through multiple defenders en route to his eventual arrival at the end zone.
State College, now 13-0 on the year, will face the winner of Harrisburg and Manheim Township in the state semifinals. That game is set to kick on Saturday at 1 p.m. with the semifinals scheduled to take place on Dec. 2 and 3across the commonwealth.
