Powerhouse Clairton blanks Berlin in PIAA playoff

The Clairton Bears got more than they bargained for from the Berlin Mountaineers in the first quarter of Friday’s PIAA quarterfinal playoff football game. 

But the three-time Class A state champions proved to be too much for the Mountaineers in a 53-0 win at Somerset’s Golden Eagle Stadium.

Clairton (14-0) ran its undefeated streak to 61-consecutive games behind 222 yards rushing and five touchdowns from senior Tyler Boyd.

Boyd broke free for a 17-yard touchdown with 4:57 left in the first. The two-point play failed for a 6-0 lead.

That score held until Boyd’s second touchdown, a one-yard run early in the second quarter. He ran five yards to get the one and dove into the end zone to finish the play. The two-point play was caught by Santeaun Sims for a 14-0 advantage.

Boyd, a Division I college recruit, broke the WPIAL’s all-time touchdown record of 109 later in the second quarter. He added touchdown runs of 19 and eight yards later to run the halftime score to 26-0. Both two-point plays failed.

“That is what Tyler does every game,” head coach Tom Nola said of the 2,700-plus yard rusher. “It’s nothing new or different for us. If he didn’t have two TDs called back he would be closing in on the state record.”

Berlin head coach Doug Paul added, “He’s the best I’ve ever coached against and I coached (former Johnstown Trojan and Arizona Cardinal) LaRod Stephens-Howling in an all-star game. He’s a phenomenal athlete and I wish him all the best in his career. 

Clairton added three touchdowns in the third quarter. Terrish Webb caught a 10-yard Armani Ford pass. Ford, who went 6 of 9 for 123 yards, ran for a three-yard score and Boyd blasted through a hole and went 78 yards for his final touchdown of the game. All three extra point kicks were good and the Bears led 47-0 after three quarters. Clairton finished with 360 yards of total offense.

Damond Flowers set the final at 53-0 with a fumble return for a touchdown to open the fourth quarter.