ERIE, Pa. – There was no heartbreak this time, just domination.
Dominic Berarducci ran for 229 yards on 28 carries with three touchdowns as McDowell rolled past District 6 champion State College, 47-20 and into the PIAA quarterfinals.
It was a far cry from last season’s thriller in this round between the two teams, won by State College in triple overtime, 57-50.
Blayze Myers also carried eight times for 38 yards and two touchdowns for the Trojans (8-4), while completing 13-of-17 passes for 185 yards with one interception.
McDowell led 9-0 after the first quarter on the strength of an Alex Sontheimer 33-yard field goal and a Stephon Porter 2-yard touchdown run.
The offensive fireworks really were on full display in the second quarter.
State College scored on a 19-yard touchdown pass from Eddie Corkery to Ty Salazar.
McDowell scored back-to-back touchdown runs from Myers (5 yards) and Berarducci (1-yard) to make it 23-6, before a Corkery 20-yard touchdown pass to Cooper Brushwood made it 23-13 just before halftime.
The Trojans scored on three consecutive possessions in the third quarter to bust the game wide open.
Berarducci scored on another 1-yard run, which was followed by a 14-yard scoring scamper from Myers and a 5-yard run from Berarducci to make it 44-13.
Corkery connected on another touchdown pass to Brushwood late in the third quarter, but by that time McDowell was well on its way to victory.
Porter finished with 13 carries for 80 yards and a touchdown for the Trojans, while Berarducci also had four receptions for 42 yards and Leo Whitaker a 44-yard reception.
Corkery finished 19-of-32 through the air for State College (7-4) for 245 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.
McDowell will play the WPIAL champion next week, the winner of Saturday’s game between Pittsburgh Central Catholic and North Allegheny. McDowell and North Allegheny met back on Sept. 9, a 43-22 win for NA.
CLASS 4A
JUNIATA 21, MEADVILLE 7
MEADVILLE, Pa. – There was no getting past Juniata this time for the Meadville Bulldogs.
Wyatt Ehrenzeller accounted for three total touchdowns as Juniata knocked of the District 10 champion Bulldogs (9-3), 21-7, after Meadville had beat them in back-to-back years in the state playoffs.
Things were looking good for the Bulldogs when Brighton Anderson scooped up a fumble and raced 77 yards for a touchdown, giving them a 7-2 lead in the second quarter.
That was all the Bulldogs got, however.
Ehrenzeller’s 47-yard touchdown pass to Connor Boreman made it 9-7 Indians (8-5) at halftime.
In the third quarter, it was Ehrenzeller extending the lead to 15-7 with a 7-yard touchdown run.
Ehrenzeller, who threw for 111 yards on 7-of-14 passing and ran seven times 10 times for 44 yards, put the finishing touches on his performance with a 1-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
Boreman finished with two receptions for 57 yards.
Jordan Lawrence led Meadville with nine carries for 40 yards, while Anderson had six carries for 30 yards and Bradyn Miller seven carries for 26 yards.
With the win, Juniata advances to play Selinsgrove, a 28-13 winner over Bethlehem Catholic, in the quarterfinals.
