Saturday live blog, Part II: PIAA Class AAAA semifinals - North Allegheny vs. Central Dauphin

Live blog for the second day of our coverage of PIAA semifinals coverage in Altoona. I'll have updates from the final PIAA semifinal of the weekend: North Allegheny vs. Central Dauphin. The Tigers are looking to join Clairton as the WPIAL representatives in Hershey next weekend. I'll also have some updates on my Twitter, @SWernerPG.

FINAL: CENTRAL DAUPHIN 23, NORTH ALLEGHENY 20

8:28 p.m. - It's good! Central Dauphin wins 23-20 and advances to Hershey. Clairton will be the only WPIAL team playing in a PIAA final.

8:25 p.m. - Wow. Brandon LaVia hits Issah on a 24-yard completion as he gets rocked to bring the ball down to the 4-yard line. Five seconds left, Central Dauphin about to attempt a 21-yard field goal to win the game and send them to Hershey.

8:23 p.m. - 54 seconds left. Central Dauphin with the ball on N.A.'s 28-yard line and 2nd-and-13, they probably need about 10 more yards or so to get into Brandes' range.

8:18 p.m. - Now Central Dauphin gets the ball at N.A.'s 46-yard line after another 15-yard penalty on the Tigers. 1:33 left in the game, still tied 20-20.

8:15 p.m. - N.A. getting the ball back at their own 36-yard line after a Brendan Coniker interception. 3:32 left.

8:10 p.m. - The Tigers tie it up! Leftwich finds James Kleinhampl for a 5-yard touchdown pass and Jason Buchert nails the extra point to make it 20-20 with 5:14 to play in the game. Should be a great finish.

8:09 p.m. - N.A. gets another golden opportunity to tie it up. Central Dauphin's punt goes only 15 yards and the Tigers take over at the Rams' 20-yard line.

8:06 p.m. - They don't get it! Leftwich is stopped at the one-yard line and Central Dauphin will now take over in the shadow of its own end zone.

8:04 p.m. - North Allegheny now faces 4th-and-goal from the 3-yard line with 7:14 left in the game. This will be the 15th play of a drive that started with 1:31 left in the third quarter at N.A.'s own 20-yard line.

END OF THIRD QUARTER: CENTRAL DAUPHIN 20, NORTH ALLEGHENY 13

7:58 p.m. - Third quarter ends with North Allegheny facing a 4th-and-1 on the 50-yard line. It's been all Mack Leftwich in the second half here so far. The Tigers quarterback has 12 rushes for 87 yards in the third quarter alone.

7:54 p.m. - Tigers will take over with 1:24 left in the third at their own 20-yard line trailing 20-13.

7:44 p.m. - North Allgheny gets back in the end zone on a 4-yard Mack Leftwich touchdown run, but the extra point is blocked. Tigers trail 20-13 with 7:19 left in the third. Leftwich has 117 yards on 15 rushes so far.

7:34 p.m. - Just like that, Central Dauphin extends its lead to 20-7. Nick Gillick recovers a Mack Leftwich fumble at North Allegheny's 28-yard line, and on the Rams' first offensive play, Adam Hollinger rumbles 28 yards for the touchdown. 20-7 Central Dauphin with 10:56 left in the third quarter.

7:30 p.m. - Second half underway now in Altoona. North Allegheny getting the ball first.

HALFTIME: CENTRAL DAUPHIN 13, NORTH ALLEGHENY 7

7:09 p.m. - That'll do it for the first half. Central Dauphin takes a 13-7 lead to the locker room. The big story so far has been field position. The Tigers have started every drive inside their own 45-yard line and haven't been able to put together any long possessions. As far as the penalties go, some of them have certainly been a little bit over-zealousness on the part of the officials, but North Allegheny has deserved some of them too. It'll be interesting to see if they can respond to the way the game is being called in the second half.

7:02 p.m. - Central Dauphin takes a 13-7 lead on a 53-yard run by Drew Scales with 1:08 left in the half. Scales busted up the middle and just outran everyone to the end zone. Evan Brandes' extra point was wide right, though.

6:52 p.m. - On 3rd-and-5 from his own 8, Mack Leftwich breaks off a 23-yard run for the first down.

6:48 p.m. - North Allegheny forces a punt, but now has to take over at its own 3-yard line. Still tied 7-7 with 4:56 left in the half.

6:34 p.m. - And just like that N.A. ties it up 7-7 on the first play of the second quarter.  A 10-play, 55 yard drive ends with a 2-yard touchdown run by quarterback Mack Leftwich with 11:57 left in the second quarter.

END OF FIRST QUARTER: CENTRAL DAUPHIN 7, NORTH ALLEGHENY 0

6:31 p.m. - End of the first quarter and Central Dauphin leads 7-0, but N.A. is knocking on the door at the Rams' 2-yard line. The officials were a little over-zealous with the flags in the first half, if you ask me.

6:24 p.m. - Central Dauphin takes a 7-0 lead on a 3-yard Zayd Issah touchdown run with 3:52 left in the first quarter. Rams got the ball in great position when North Allegheny was forced to repunt after a penalty. Central Dauphin looked poised to block the kick so Jack Henderson had to pull it down. Rams got the ball at North Allegheny's 17-yard line.

6:14 p.m. - Kugler is playing both ways for North Allegheny.

6:08 p.m. - North Allegheny recovers a fumble on Central Dauphin's first drive, but can't take advantage and is forced to punt from the Central Dauphin 47-yard line. Scoreless 3 minutes in.

6:01 p.m. - We're underway for our last semifinal game here in Altoona. Central Dauphin will take the ball to start the game.

PREGAME

North Allegheny and Central Dauphin are about 30 minutes from kickoff and the big news for the Tigers is that junior offensive lineman Pat Kugler is in uniform and warming up with the first-team offense. Kugler injured his knee in last week's win over State College and after an MRI Monday, said there was no structural damage, but "hyperextension, deeply bruised tibia and a little cartilage damage." Obviously no guarantees how long he'll be able to play, but a good sign for North Allegheny. I'll be back at kickoff for more updates.