Thomas Jefferson Defeats Garnet Valley, 28-3, Claims Second PIAA Title In Past Four Years
By Josh Funk
HERSHEY, Pa. – The 2007 postseason for Garnet Valley involved overcoming much adversity. Friday night, the garnet and white ran into some adversity they couldn’t overcome, in the form of a black and gold bulldozer of a football team from Jefferson Hills.
Thomas Jefferson (16-0) over-powered the District 1 champion Jaguars (13-2) 28-3 to capture the second PIAA title in 4 years.
TJ held GV to just 3 second-half first downs and 111 rushing yards while rolling up 331 rushing yards and 468 yards of total offense.
Zach DeCicco, the Thomas Jefferson quarterback, had a huge game. He threw for 137 yards and 2 scores, ran for 11 yards and a score, and picked off a pass on defense.
“That’s the player of the year, baby!” his teammates shouted as they doused their leader in a flow of ice water.
“That’s cold,” DeCicco said, rather matter-of-factly for the cold December night.
That was the only cold thing that happened to TJ on this night.
After a scoreless first quarter, TJ changed things in a hurry in the second.
Three Thomas Jefferson running plays changed the complexion of the first half. The first was a 44-yard run by Torres, and on the ensuing play, seldom-used fullback Nate Bota (10 rush, 143 yards, TD) scampered 23 yards untouched for a 7-0 TJ lead.
“They were keying on stopping him (Orlando Torres),” said TJ head coach Bill Cherpak. “But they had to leave something open.”
Garnet Valley responded with a 37-yard field goal, but on the first play of the series Bota scooted for 33 more yards deep inside Garnet territory, and set up a 20-yard touchdown pass from Zach DeCicco to Trevor Wildman.
“Their corners were smaller than some of the other teams we played,” said Cherpak. “We saw some things we could do through the air.”Garnet Valley might have won the first half time of possession stat, but that was all about to change for Eric Van Wyk and company in the third quarter.
TJ would run 22 third quarter plays to Garnet Valley’s 8. The 8th play for GV turned out to be the back-breaker.
Garnet Valley turned the ball over on downs with 2 seconds left in the third quarter deep inside their own territory – the 28 yard line, to be specific.
“We wanted to roll the dice and try to get back in the game,” GV head coach Mike Ricci said.
That roll drew snake eyes, double zeros, or anything but the intended outcome.
Three plays later, Zach’s brother Brock hauled in a game-clinching 15-yard touchdown pass to give TJ a 21-3 lead.
“They did a great job throwing tonight,” said Ricci.
The garnet and white proceeded to drive to the TJ 19, but Tim Keyser’s halfback option pass was intercepted in the end zone by Zach DeCicco.
DeCicco salted the game away on a 10-yard touchdown run with 7:19 left in the game.
Cherpak improved to 2-0 all-time at Hershey Stadium, becoming just the third WPIAL coach to have an unblemished record at Hershey in multiple appearances. Tom Loughran (South Park) and Jim Render (Upper St. Clair) are the others.
“That’s cool,” Cherpak said smiling, almost surprised. “I know them both. That’s good.
Van Wyk (11-of-18, 95 yards, 2 INT), a southpaw, didn’t have history on his side in that regard. Left-handed quarterbacks are now just 1-5 in state finals games. The only win came when Tyler Palko and West Allegheny defeated Strath Haven 28-13 in 2001.
The 3 points are the fewest ever scored by a left-handed quarterback’s team since Palko’s Indians were beaten 21-7 in 1999.
Orlando Torres finished his brilliant season with 102 yards on 20 carries for Thomas Jefferson.
Jeannette Downs Dunmore, 49-21, To Claim PIAA Class AA State Title
By Josh Funk
HERSHEY, Pa. – Perhaps the entire season story for the Jeannette Jayhawks was summed up by Terrelle Pryor’s father, Craig.
“The feeling of last year losing – it stuck hard,” the elder Pryor said.
“Now, he’s (Terrelle) accomplished what he set out to do, and that’s a great feeling (as a parent).”
Craig watched from the sidelines as Jeannette (16-0) exorcised the demons of last year’s one-point loss as the Jayhawks drubbed Dunmore (14-2) 49-21 at Hersheypark Stadium to win the PIAA Class “AA” state title.
“I hope it’s a program win,” said Jeannette head coach Ray Reitz, who improved to 38-4 in his career. “Let’s hope we can get back.”
The 5,900 people in attendance witnessed yet another great performance by Terrelle Pryor, and another 500-yard offensive performance from Jeannette, which rolled up 506 yards on the day.
Pryor literally did a little bit of everything. He ran for 209 yards and 3 touchdowns; passed for 83 yards and another score; caught a 28-yard touchdown pass, and recorded 7 tackles and a sack from his safety position on defense.
Pryor also handled the kickoffs, doing the honors 5 times and averaging 44 yards per kick. He even booted the pigskin 62 yards for a touchback.
“He’s a great athlete,” said Dunmore head coach Jack Henzes. “God bless him.”
Reitz explained why Pryor was handling the kickoff duties. “We, as a staff, made that decision,” he said.
It seemed like whatever decision Jeannette made this day was a good one.
On the first play from scrimmage, Jordan Hall took a direct snap from the “Wildcat” formation and scampered 58 yards down the Dunmore sideline.
Dunmore answered with a 10 play, 61 yard, 6:05 drive, capped by a Miller Holmes 4-yard touchdown run.
But that was the only answer Dunmore would have, as Jeannette reeled off the next 42 points.
“We got on a roll and things worked out very well for us,” Reitz said.
Pryor started the roll with a 2-yard touchdown run. Then Hall hauled in a 14-yard pass from Pryor. Hall added a 65-yard punt return to make the score 27-7.
Then right before the half, Hall took another snap at quarterback, and instead of running, threw a jump-ball for Pryor in the end zone. Pryor out-jumped two Buck defenders for the 28-yard touchdown reception.
Hall, just a junior, finished the day with 128 rushing yards, 28 passing yards, and 37 receiving yards to go along with 3 total touchdowns.
Pryor concluded the scoring binge with touchdown runs of 49 and 41 yards.
Sophomore running back Michael Perry finished with 133 yards and a touchdown for the Bucks, who made their first title game appearance since 1989.
The win was #642 for Jeannette in school history, and the golden football took the Jayhawks off the list of 600-plus win teams to never win a state title. That list now includes New Castle, Ridley, Pottsville, and Easton Area, just to name a few.
Henzes, who has won 317 games in his 41-year career, didn’t inch closer to win #320. But, the veteran has history on his side.
Wilson Area lost in 2005, then won in 2006. Jeannette lost in 2006 and now won in 2007. Will Dunmore follow suit in 2008?
“That’s pretty good. Thank you very much,” Henzes said. “We’d love to see that.”
Reitz loved what Dunmore had to offer. “It was an honor to coach against him (Henzes),” he said, “And those (Dunmore) kids … there was no cheap-shotting. They just played hard. They did a (heck) of a job.”
2007 WPIAL FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS
CLASS AAAA
First Round
Pittsburgh Central Catholic 45, Plum 0
Bethel Park 31, Seneca Valley 20
McKeesport 28, North Hills 7
Norwin 29, Woodland Hills 14
North Allegheny 35, Hempfield 7
Penn Hills 27, Canon-McMillan 13
Gateway 45, Penn Trafford 14
Upper St. Clair 44, Shaler 14
Quarterfinals
Pittsburgh Central Catholic 38, Bethel Park 6
Gateway 32, Upper St. Clair 20
McKeesport 35, Norwin 28
North Allegheny 24, Penn Hills 7
Semifinals
Pittsburgh Central Catholic 24, McKeesport 13
Gateway 28, North Allegheny 27
Championship
Pittsburgh Central Catholic 35, Gateway 34 (OT)
Class AAA
First Round
Thomas Jefferson 56, Laurel Highlands 7
West Allegheny 38, Belle Vernon 18
Pine-Richland 57, Keystone Oaks 7
Chartiers Valley 28, Franklin Regional 21
Montour 35, Ringgold 14
Trinity 43, Mt. Pleasant 16
Knoch 42, New Castle 24
Highlands 21, Blackhawk 19
Quarterfinals
Knoch 28, Highlands 7
Montour 20, Trinity 7
Thomas Jefferson 49, West Allegheny 21
Pine Richland 58, Chartiers Valley 23
Semifinals
Thomas Jefferson 27, Pine Richland 14
Montour 32, Knoch 6
Championship
Thomas Jefferson 34, Montour 0
Class AA
First Round
Jeannette 49, Seton LaSalle 7
Shady Side Academy 14, South Fayette 6
Aliquippa 36, Burgettstown 0
Mars 17, Valley 7
Ford City 41, Laurel 14
Riverside 20, Beaver 7
Steel Valley 10, East Allegheny 0
Beaver Falls 35, Greensburg Central Catholic 14
Quarterfinals
Aliquippa 42, Mars 20
Beaver Falls 30, Steel Valley 3
Jeannette 42, Shady Side Academy 6
Riverside 21, Ford City 12
Semifinals
Jeannette 70, Aliquippa 48
Beaver Falls 21, Riverside 14
Championship
Jeannette 61, Beaver Falls 12
Class A
First Round
Clairton 48, North Catholic 0
Rochester 35, Fort Cherry 6
Western Beaver 43, California 14
Springdale 21, Chartiers-Houston 0
Serra Catholic 42, Riverview 0
Apollo-Ridge 38, Jefferson-Morgan 14
Monessen 32, Beth-Center 6
Monaca 35, Carmichaels 12
Quarterfinals
Clairton 20, Rochester 19
Monessen 30, Monaca 14
Serra Catholic 56, Apollo-Ridge 0
Springdale 13, Western Beaver 6
Semifinals
Springdale 22, Clairton 21
Serra Catholic 28, Monessen 0
Championship
Serra Catholic 10, Springdale 6