Northgate Flames Clinch Playoff Spot After Fourth Quarter Rally

Northgate football coach Chris Lucas guided his Flames to a 27-19 victory over visiting Union on Friday night, securing a Class A playoff berth for the first time in 10 years. The win improved Northgate’s overall record to 6-3 and moved the team to 4-2 in the Class A Big 7 Conference. The result concludes a season defined by a steady climb from a 1-9 record last year to a competitive position in the current standings.

Lucas is in his fourth season as head coach. He took over the program as an interim head coach for the 2026 season after Mark Fratangelo stepped away following the 2025 campaign. Fratangelo, who had previously served as head coach, stepped down in 2024 for family reasons while Lucas remained as an assistant. Lucas returned to the head coaching role when Fratangelo announced his departure for the 2026 season.

The path to this season has been difficult for the Flames. Northgate lost its final five games of the 2017 season and went winless in 2018, 2019, and 2020. That stretch created a 32-game losing streak, the third longest in district history. An opening night win over Carlynton in 2021 ended the skid. The team compiled a 16-24 record over the next four years but finished tied for last in the conference with a 1-9 mark in 2025.

The 2026 season began with two wins and two losses. Northgate has won four of its last five games. The Week 9 matchup against Union was critical for third place in the conference and a playoff spot. The Flames trailed by two points at halftime and by five points entering the final quarter. Northgate scored 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to take the lead and hold on for the win.

Junior quarterback Devontae Smith was the primary offensive threat. He rushed for 250 yards on 35 carries and scored on runs of 8 and 44 yards. Smith also threw for 38 yards in the game, including a 19-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Johrdon Hairston in the fourth quarter. Smith is 82 yards short of the 1,000-yard passing mark this season and has thrown for nine touchdowns. He is also the team’s leading rusher and is 67 yards away from 1,000 rushing yards.

Junior place kicker Sam Stiteler was 3 for 3 on extra points and converted field goals of 21 and 30 yards in the Union game. Junior running back Jayden Turner and senior back Savian Turner combined for 57 rushing yards on limited carries. The Northgate program has never appeared in a WPIAL championship game. The most successful season in school history came in 2016, when the team finished 8-1 and reached the quarterfinals.

In 2016, Northgate defeated Mapletown 37-0 and Bishop Canevin 41-0 in the playoffs before losing to Clairton 34-18 in the snow at Chartiers-Houston. That loss ended the team’s postseason run before the current season. The 2026 team now enters the playoffs with a new sense of momentum after breaking through a long period of inconsistency.

Other teams recognized in Week 9 included North Allegheny, which won 24-6 at Mt. Lebanon. The victory came during a ceremony dedicating Art Walker Field at Blue Devils Stadium to the late Mt. Lebanon coach. Art Walker, the current North Allegheny coach, watched the game as the Tigers stayed alive for the playoffs.

Penn-Trafford defeated Woodland Hills 42-13 to remain unbeaten at 4-0 in the Big East Conference. Ben Grabowski rushed for 149 yards and two touchdowns, while Cody Yacamelli gained 144 yards and scored three times. Freeport beat Highlands 24-16, with quarterback Danny King passing for 195 yards and three touchdowns. Western Beaver defeated Beaver Falls 15-14 to snap a four-game losing streak and extend its winning run to five games.