ALTOONA — Chrys Black Jr. hoped to take a game ball home with him Saturday, surely a rare treat for a Central Catholic freshman in the state playoffs.
If so, he surely earned it.
A 5-foot-8 defensive back who wears No. 1, Black made a game-saving interception in the end zone with 26 seconds left to defeat Harrisburg, 38-33, in a PIAA Class 6A semifinal at Mansion Park Stadium. In a game where the offenses combined for 10 touchdowns, a battered Vikings defense rose up to make the decisive play.
“We just stayed calm,” Black said of a defense that allowed five touchdowns and more than 500 yards but didn’t get discouraged. “We don’t let the score dictate how we play.”
District 3 champion Harrisburg (11-3) was trying to drive 89 yards for a winning touchdown in the final 4 minutes. The Cougars already had five scoring drives of 80 yards or more, and they needed just six plays to reach the Vikings’ 17 this time.
But once there, they got no closer.
On second-and-1, Central Catholic’s Cole Bayer sacked Harrisburg quarterback Jaiyon Lewis for a 2-yard loss, and Lewis threw incomplete on third down. Facing a fourth-and-3, Lewis threw to the end zone, where Black was waiting for the interception.
“It was going so fast for me,” Black said. “We didn’t play the coverage right, so I had to hurry over there and guard the man because he was open.”
The pass came straight to him.
“As soon as I caught the ball, I started smiling and cheering with my team,” he said.
Central Catholic quarterback Jy’Aire Walls described the win in two words: “Very dramatic.” He’d rushed for two touchdowns and passed for two more but knew their championship hopes rested with the defense.
“I had a heart attack toward the end, but I had trust in my guys,” Walls said. “I knew the defense was going to come through and get that stop. The dude who made the stop is a freshman. That’s just crazy.”
The victory takes Central Catholic (12-2) to the state finals for the eighth time. Two-time defending champion St. Joseph’s Prep awaits in the 6A final at 7 p.m. Saturday at Cumberland Valley.
Central Catholic last reached the PIAA finals in 2016, losing to St. Joseph’s Prep. The Philadelphia power has dominated the state’s largest classification, winning eight times in the past 11 seasons.
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“It’s an awesome opportunity,” Central Catholic coach Ryan Lehmeier said. “If you’re around PIAA football and you don’t live under a rock, you know who they are. … We’re really looking forward to the opportunity to get to play them.”
Central Catholic never trailed Saturday and held leads of 13-0, 21-7 and 38-21. Running back Elijah Faulkner rushed for 137 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries. But Harrisburg didn’t go away. A 30-yard touchdown pass from Lewis to Elias Coke with 6:37 left narrowed the lead to five points.
Harrisburg’s offense outgained Central Catholic 546-243 with field position playing a part. The Vikings blocked a punt, recovered two fumbles and had a strong day returning kicks. That let them score touchdowns on short drives of 42, 34, 28, 27 and 23 yards.
“The biggest thing that hurt us was special teams,” Harrisburg coach Calvin Everett said. “They had great field position throughout the duration of the game. That really hurt us.”
The longest of Harrisburg’s five touchdown drives covered 84 yards. The four others were all 80-yarders. The Cougars started their final drive at the 11 after a punt by Vikings specialist Billy Lech pinned them deep.
“It’s hard to overcome that,” Everett said.
Central Catholic led 6-0 after one quarter, 28-21 at half and 38-27 after three.
Walls connected with Max Roman on a 25-yard touchdown pass and threw a 23-yarder to Xxavier Thomas. Faulkner rushed for a 42-yard touchdown, and Walls scored on runs of 12 and 1 yard.
The Vikings’ final points came on a 36-yard field goal by Lech to lead 38-21 with 4:20 left in the third. But that 17-point lead never felt comfortable.
Lewis led Harrisburg on an 80-yard scoring drive later in the third and an 84-yarder in the fourth. The junior capped one drive with a 62-yard touchdown pass to Quincy Brannon and threw a 30-yarder to Coke on the other.
A dual-threat quarterback, Lewis passed for 283 yards and rushed for 73.
Harrisburg scored three times in the second quarter, all on 80-yard drives. Messiah Mickens scored on 11- and 15-yard runs and Lewis had a 5-yard touchdown run.
The 33 points were the most any Pennsylvania team scored against Central Catholic this season.
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“I’d expected it to be a ballgame,” Black said. “I’d seen it coming. So, I was ready.”
Lehmeier said he wasn’t surprised that the freshman was able to make the game-saving interception. Black has played all season and became a starter early in the schedule. He already lists a handful of college offers, including Power 4 schools West Virginia, Cal and Syracuse.
“I don’t know if I’ve ever seen someone transition to varsity football at that age that well,” Lehmeier said. “He has a tremendous feel for the game. He sees the big picture. I don’t think of him as a freshman anymore.”