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Belle Vernon defeats Neumann-Goretti to win PIAA Class 3A football championship

Belle Vernon defeats Neumann-Goretti to win PIAA Class 3A football championship
>> AH, IT’S GREAT TO CELEBRATE WITH MY TEAM AND BRING IT HOME FOR ONCE, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? MIKE: BELLE VERNON ROLLED OUT THE RED CARPET FOR STEVEN MACHESKA AND HIS TEAMMATES, WHO ARE ON CLOUD NINE RIGHT NOW. >> IT’S AMAZING, IT’S THE BEST THING EVER HONESTLY. THIS IS THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE RIGHT NOW. >> THEY PLAYED AS A TEAM AND HAD HEART, SO I’M VERY PROUD OF THEM. MIKE: STEVEN’S DAD STEVE HAD A FRONT ROW SEAT TO HISTORY, AND HE ALMOST FELL OUT OF THAT SEAT DURING THAT GOAL LINE STAND WHEN BELLE VERNON FORCED A FUMBLE TO SEAL THE TITLE. >> EXCITING, EVERYBODY WAS JUMPING, SHOUTING. IT WAS GREAT! >> IT’S THRILLING, IT’S AMAZING, IT’S TEAR-JERKING, IT’S PHENOMENAL! MIKE: LIKE MACHESKA, MINDI RUOKONEN’S SON, CHASE, IS A SENIOR NOT A BAD WAY TO GO OUT. >> IT STARTED AS FLAG FOOTBALL WHEN HE WAS FIVE-YEARS-OLD, AND JUST WORKED HIS WAY UP UNTIL HE WAS A SENIOR AT AGE 18. MIKE: THE PARTY IN BELLE VERNON IS NOT QUITE OVER YET. NEXT SATURDAY, THERE’LL BE A PARADE CELEBRATING THE STATE CHAMPS. FROM BELLE VERNON, MIKE VALENTE, PITT
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Belle Vernon defeats Neumann-Goretti to win PIAA Class 3A football championship
The Belle Vernon Leopards are state champions for the first time in school history after defeating Neumann-Goretti 9-8 in the PIAA Class 3A football title game Saturday.The Leopards (12-2) got the win in their first-ever appearance in the state championship game.The Saints (11-4) were also seeking their first state football title.The run to a championship game has captured the attention of the Belle Vernon area, a school district that covers parts of Westmoreland and Fayette counties."It's a quintessential football community," head coach Matt Humbert told Pittsburgh's Action News 4 this week. "It's something you could almost make a movie about."

The Belle Vernon Leopards are state champions for the first time in school history after defeating Neumann-Goretti 9-8 in the PIAA Class 3A football title game Saturday.

The Leopards (12-2) got the win in their first-ever appearance in the state championship game.

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The Saints (11-4) were also seeking their first state football title.

The run to a championship game has captured the attention of the Belle Vernon area, a school district that covers parts of Westmoreland and Fayette counties.

"It's a quintessential football community," head coach Matt Humbert told Pittsburgh's Action News 4 this week. "It's something you could almost make a movie about."