HERSHEY — From the stands, it was hard at times to figure out what quarterback Dan Kopolovich was doing with the ball in McKeesport's option attack.

It looked even tougher for Bethlehem Liberty to handle on the field.

Kopolovich ran for three scores and threw for another, and the Tigers made the most of costly first-half errors by Liberty on the way to a 49-10 rout to win the PIAA Class AAAA state title on a chilly Saturday night at Hersheypark Stadium.

"I don't want to say it was easy because that's a great team over there," Kopolovich said as Liberty players slowly walked off the field behind him. "But our players executed so well."

In addition to the senior quarterback, who operated the Tigers' run-oriented offense with relative ease, McKeesport was led by a defense that didn't allow a point for the last 30-plus minutes of the contest.

The title game was in hand by halftime with McKeesport holding a 35-10 lead. As the game clock ticked down to zero, the Tigers ran out into the field, threw their helmets in the air and jumped up and down in celebration.

Kopolovich had 19 rushes for 148 yards to lead the McKeesport attack. That option offense requires quick reads by the quarterback and often disguises plays with one or two fake handoffs.

The Tigers also took advantage of mistakes by Liberty quarterback Dan Persa, who had a hand in four first-half turnovers, including three interceptions.

Persa connected with Brien Ruyek on a nine-yard touchdown pass to help give the Hurricanes a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter and rile up the large contingent of Liberty partisans, who filled up nearly half the stadium.

It went downhill from there for Liberty, and fast.

Travis McBride tied the game after picking off a Persa pass near midfield, eluding some would-be tacklers and running into the end zone with help from some blockers with 3:47 left in the first quarter. It was the first interception return for a score in a Class AAAA title contest.

Persa was foiled again on the first play of Liberty's next drive after rolling right and getting intercepted by Kamryn Keys near the Liberty 40. Two plays later, Kopolovich faked an inside handoff, then cut around the corner and darted untouched into the end zone for a 45-yard touchdown run and a 14-7 lead to quiet down the Liberty fans.

Kopolovich also was 2-of-3 passing for 55 yards with one interception and one touchdown.

"Outplayed. Outcoached," Liberty coach Tim Moncman said as he walked off with the second-place trophy. "They're a very good football team. Great athletes. Great athletes."

Later in the second quarter, Liberty's Ray Olivo had trouble with a squib kickoff and was tackled by McKeesport at the Hurricane 7. Charles Irvin was stuffed on a run, then a scrambling Persa ran into a big pile and fumbled at his own 1 with 7:55 left in the half.

Two seconds later, Kopolovich scored on a quarterback sneak and McKeesport had a 28-10 lead.

"We're very fast on defense," McKeesport coach George Smith said. "That's our forte. Our defensive ends and defensive linemen all can run."

Persa finished 8-of-20 passing for 71 yards and had 52 yards rushing on 11 carries. Irvin, who had come into the game with a team-leading 1,026 rushing yards and 16 scores, ended up with 31 yards on 11 carries on Saturday.

Even an apparent hamstring injury to McBride in the second quarter couldn't hurt McKeesport. McBride, who was the Tigers' leading rusher with 1,607 yards and 23 touchdowns coming into the game, didn't have a carry after the second quarter.

McKeesport, which compiled 384 yards rushing on 49 carries, last won a PIAA title in 1994.

Liberty played without linebacker-fullback Andres Morales, who had been ejected during Liberty's win in the semifinals and was required under PIAA rules to miss a game. He watched from the sidelines.