Central Catholic Upended In PIAA Title Game, 35-10
St. Joseph’s Prep scored 28 second half points en route to a 35-10 victory over the Central Catholic Vikings in the PIAA Championship Game at Hersheypark Stadium on Sunday evening. The game was moved from Saturday to Sunday as result of a winter storm that slammed central and eastern Pennsylvania over the weekend.
Central Catholic fell behind 7-0 in the first quarter when Prep’s Chris Martin tossed a 27-yard touchdown pass to Vincent Moffett. The Vikings answered the call with a six-play, 65-yard drive that was capped on a 1-yard quarterback sneak by J.J. Cosentino to tie the game at 7-7 with 1:52 remaining in the first quarter. Central Catholic scored on its next possession as well, tacking on a field goal in the second quarter. The Vikings held a 10-7 lead at intermission.
In the second half, St. Joseph’s Prep exploded for 28 unanswered points against a defense that had allowed only 27 points in the last four games. Martin was the catalyst, tossing two touchdown passes in the second half, including a 59-yard strike to John Reid that put Prep ahead for good in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, De’Andre Swift put the game away with a 35-yard touchdown run to thwart Central Catholic’s bid for its first PIAA title since 2007.
The Vikings end the season with a 15-1 record, while the Hawks wrap up 2013 with a 13-3 mark and their first PIAA Championship in school history.