St. Joseph's Prep routs Central Catholic for 3rd straight PIAA state championship: Live updates recap

St. Joe's Prep dominates Pittsburgh Central Catholic to continue its Pennsylvania high school football reign

St. Joseph's Prep will try to repeat as PIAA Class 6A state champs against Pittsburgh Central Catholic on Saturday, Dec. 7. / Photo by Paul Burdick

St. Joseph's Prep will try to complete its quest for a Pennsylvania high school football Class 6A three-peat, but standing in the Hawks' way of another PIAA state championship is Pittsburgh Central Catholic.

Both teams are loaded on both sides of the ball, so this could easily be a high- or low-scoring affair.

Future Division 1 college football players will be all over the field, from freshman receiver Jett Harrison for St. Joe's Prep to senior Penn State signee Xxavier Thomas for Central Catholic.

Follow along below for live updates from the championship game between St. Joe's Prep and Pittsburgh Central Catholic, which is scheduled to kick off at 7 p.m. ET Saturday, Dec. 7, at Cumberland Valley High School.

You can also watch this game live on the NFHS Network (subscription required).

St. Joseph's Prep vs. Pittsburgh Central Catholic, Class 6A championship game live updates

1ST QUARTER

The championship game is underway! Central Catholic kicks it into the end zone, so St. Joe's Prep will start the opening drive on its own 20.

TOUCHDOWN ST. JOE'S PREP! Khyan Billups takes the opening handoff 80 yards and it's 7-0 just 14 seconds into the game.

Xxavier Thomas returns the kickoff to the St. Joe's Prep 47. Electric start!

Central Catholic goes three-and-out and punts. St. Joe's Prep ball on its own 24 with 10:32 left, leading 7-0.

St. Joe's Prep gets a couple of first downs, but Charlie Foulke throws high to Jett Harrison on third and long and the Hawks have to punt. Central Catholic ball on its own 16 with 6:31 left.

Jy'aire Walls runs up the middle for 11 yards to get Central Catholic's first first down of the game.

But Anthony Sacca sacks Walls on third and long and the Vikings have to punt. St. Joe's Prep ball on the Central Catholic 40 after a nice return by Alijah Turner. 7-0 Hawks with 5:09 left.

TOUCHDOWN ST. JOE'S PREP! Charlie Foulke hits a wide-open Jett Harrison in the end zone for a 19-yard touchdown and it's 14-0 Hawks with 3:53 left.

Central Catholic with another three-and-out and punt. Vikings have 10 plays for 7 yards thus far. 1:33 left.

TOUCHDOWN ST. JOE'S PREP! Khyan Billups breaks loose again for a 45-yard TD run. 21-0 Hawks with 1:23 left.

Xxavier Thomas takes off for another excellent kickoff return, this time 66 yards to the St. Joe's Prep 29.

END OF 1ST QUARTER: St. Joe's Prep 21, Central Catholic 0

2ND QUARTER

Elijah Faulkner ended the first quarter with a 23-yard run on fourth and 5, so Central Catholic will start the second on the St. Joe's Prep 1.

TOUCHDOWN CENTRAL CATHOLIC! QB Jy'aire Walls dives over the defensive line for a 1-yard TD to put the Vikings on the board, but the extra point is blocked. 21-6 St. Joe's Prep with 11:54 left.

TOUCHDOWN ST. JOE'S PREP! Khyan Billups plows in from 1 yard out for his third TD of the first half. 28-6 Hawks with 7:29 left.

Central Catholic had some success running an up-tempo offense, getting into St. Joe's territory, but the Vikings have to punt. Hawks ball on their own 15 with just over five minutes left.

Big sack by Ashton Blatt and Central Catholic forces a three-and-out to get the ball right back. Vikings' ball on their own 38 with 3:54 left.

TURNOVER ON DOWNS! Central Catholic's fourth-down pass falls incomplete and St. Joe's Prep takes over on its own 46 with 2:16 left, leading 28-6.

FIELD GOAL NO GOOD! Leo Ricci's 34-yard try for St. Joe's Prep goes wide right with 13 seconds left.

HALFTIME: St. Joe's Prep 28, Central Catholic 6

3RD QUARTER

St. Joe's Prep kicks it into the end zone, so Central Catholic starts the second half on its own 20.

TURNOVER ON DOWNS! Central Catholic gets one big play from Maceo Watkins, but the drive stalls on the St. Joe's Prep 44. 10:06 left.

Central Catholic forces a three-and-out and gets the ball back on its own 20, trailing 28-6 with 8:14 left.

TURNOVER ON DOWNS! Central Catholic drives down to the St. Joe's Prep 9, but on fourth and 3, Colton Anderson gets the sack for the Hawks. Just over four minutes left.

Shanked punt for St. Joe's Prep, so Central Catholic gets good field position at the Hawks' 48 with 2:22 left, trailing 28-6.

Jayson Nitz gets a sack for St. Joe's Prep to force another Central Catholic punt. 1:24 left.

END OF 3RD QUARTER: St. Joe's Prep 28, Central Catholic 6

4TH QUARTER

Jett Harrison shows serious hops on an 11-yard sideline catch on third and 10. St. Joe's Prep ball on its own 40 with just over 10 minutes left.

Central Catholic running out of time, as the Vikings have to punt on fourth and 32 with just under six minutes left.

TURNOVER ON DOWNS! Central Catholic's fourth-down pass falls incomplete, and that should just about do it here. 2:53 left.

TOUCHDOWN ST. JOE'S PREP! Will Vokolos puts an exclamation point on this one with a 44-yard TD run to make it 35-6 Hawks, 2:44 left.

FUMBLE! Strip-sack and Vincent DeMarco recovers for St. Joe's Prep with 1:59 left. Quinn Doyle knocked it loose.

FINAL: St. Joseph's Prep 35, Pittsburgh Central Catholic 6

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME

St. Joe's Prep RB Khyan Billups: 29 carries, 228 yards and three TDs

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME

St. Joe's Prep LB John Boggs: Five tackles and two sacks

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-- Mike Swanson | swanson@scorebooklive | @sblivesports