2019: Pine Richland vs Penn Hills

[Stalker]

Week zero opener at PR pits WPIAL champs against each other. See below.

https://tribhssn.triblive.com/wpial...-richland-penn-hills-schedule-week-zero-game/

 

[new2pa]

Looking forward to this game. A really good matchup. Wish WPIAL would allow more of these.

IMO, PH proved something last year winning it all by being consistently good. They had a great senior class.

I think this is a good matchup for P-R though, with them returning nearly all of their skill guys. P-R OL will be completely new, but up front hasn't been a strong area for PH recently.

 

[Stalker]

Looking forward to this game. A really good matchup. Wish WPIAL would allow more of these.

IMO, PH proved something last year winning it all by being consistently good. They had a great senior class.

I think this is a good matchup for P-R though, with them returning nearly all of their skill guys. P-R OL will be completely new, but up front hasn't been a strong area for PH recently.

Right, MAJOR rebuild for PHills plus Coach LeDonne is suspended for first game.

 

[Soup13]

Looking forward to this game. A really good matchup. Wish WPIAL would allow more of these.

IMO, PH proved something last year winning it all by being consistently good. They had a great senior class.

I think this is a good matchup for P-R though, with them returning nearly all of their skill guys. P-R OL will be completely new, but up front hasn't been a strong area for PH recently.

New - Where is Anthony Cerminara playing next year? Any scholarships offered? He had a phenomenal career!

 

[PRFB_Fan]

Outside of King, Krystofic and Katic the recruiting has been quiet. For a quality program (athletic/acedemic) like PR's, (2015 WPIAL Champs/State Runner Up, 2017 WPIAL & State Champs, 2018 WPIAL Champs) seems like not much happens?

 

[Soup13]

Outside of King, Krystofic and Katic the recruiting has been quiet. For a quality program (athletic/acedemic) like PR's, (2015 WPIAL Champs/State Runner Up, 2017 WPIAL & State Champs, 2018 WPIAL Champs) seems like not much happens?

PRFB- I’m surprised to hear that, such a strong program....

 

[new2pa]

I have heard nothing about Cerminara. On this year’s team, 4 of the 5 OL are playing college ball. On defense, one CB is going to Youngstown and Miller (OLB) is going to Dennison. So of the 9 senior starters on the 2018 team, 6 are playing college ball. That seems pretty good.

In 2017, Jurkovec, Crawford, White, Falcone, and Ballay played this fall in college. Goltz got a college scholarship in Lacrosse. There we’re a couple high academic kids that opted not to play and then a few other kids that just hung them up.

I think having 6 FBS/FCS kids and about that many more D2/3 over 2 years is pretty good.

Gotta remember that many/most of the kids don’t need football to go to college. And going out with a state championship was probably a good way to hang it up for some of them.

 

[PRFB_Fan]

Fair enough, it seems that PCC, NA and Seneca had more kids go on to play at the next level.

I think if you have the football bug, you play regardless of how you go out.

 

[new2pa]

Fair enough, it seems that PCC, NA and Seneca had more kids go on to play at the next level.

I think if you have the football bug, you play regardless of how you go out.

Maybe that's it. Maybe they have kids that were just done playing football?

 

[new2pa]

Separately, I saw that Meckler got his first D1 offer from Kent State.

 

[Soup13]

I have heard nothing about Cerminara. On this year’s team, 4 of the 5 OL are playing college ball. On defense, one CB is going to Youngstown and Miller (OLB) is going to Dennison. So of the 9 senior starters on the 2018 team, 6 are playing college ball. That seems pretty good.

In 2017, Jurkovec, Crawford, White, Falcone, and Ballay played this fall in college. Goltz got a college scholarship in Lacrosse. There we’re a couple high academic kids that opted not to play and then a few other kids that just hung them up.

I think having 6 FBS/FCS kids and about that many more D2/3 over 2 years is pretty good.

Gotta remember that many/most of the kids don’t need football to go to college. And going out with a state championship was probably a good way to hang it up for some of them.

New - Thanks for the update... My opinion, Cerminara should get a small D1 offer at the very least. All he did was make play after play for 3 years.

 

[Soup13]

Fair enough, it seems that PCC, NA and Seneca had more kids go on to play at the next level.

I think if you have the football bug, you play regardless of how you go out.

PRFB- I agree with all of that. Surprised how many D1 NA had with out a title this year, a few more next year too. They were more loaded then the originally thought.

 

[Stalker]

PRFB- I agree with all of that. Surprised how many D1 NA had with out a title this year, a few more next year too. They were more loaded then the originally thought.

Soup, noticed that too working on NA's review. I saw at least 10 going to PSU, Wis, BYU, Ohio, then Tufts, Allegheny, IUPx2, Gannon, Clarion.

 

[new2pa]

Stalk - PSU (Melzer), Wiscy (Caputo), BYU (Hoke) Ohio (Titsworth) are PWOs. All great players for sure, but had no other offers that I saw on Twitter except maybe Titsworth. Coach Walker did a very nice job with what he had.

 

[PRFB_Fan]

Could it be, not having the HC or staff working in the school during the initial meeting with the players? Looking at the PR staff, i noticed that most of the coaches work outside the district.

 

[Soup13]

Soup, noticed that too working on NA's review. I saw at least 10 going to PSU, Wis, BYU, Ohio, then Tufts, Allegheny, IUPx2, Gannon, Clarion.

Stalk - I did not realize it was that many! That is a very stacked line up... If I remember they were undefeated then fell in round 2. wow....

 

[Soup13]

Stalk - PSU (Melzer), Wiscy (Caputo), BYU (Hoke) Ohio (Titsworth) are PWOs. All great players for sure, but had no other offers that I saw on Twitter except maybe Titsworth. Coach Walker did a very nice job with what he had.

New - Artie is def.one of the best and I like him& his dad( Hall of famers) but NA has how many Steelers kids the last few years? also had the Leftwhich( dad was coach at Pitt) kid move in with Kugler brothers ( dad was o-line Steelers)... State champs. Has had his share of new students/transfers for sure...

 

[new2pa]

In recent years they have had 2 Porters (Joey and Amosis), 2 Guildens, Tuman, Hoke. I think they also have a Dinkens kid who's Dad played for Saints before moving back into the area.

 

[Stalker]

Stalk - PSU (Melzer), Wiscy (Caputo), BYU (Hoke) Ohio (Titsworth) are PWOs. All great players for sure, but had no other offers that I saw on Twitter except maybe Titsworth. Coach Walker did a very nice job with what he had.

Soup, New; Aside from those you mentioned New2PA, I have the following, Elijah Boyd/Tyler Mangone to IUP, Rodak to Gannon, Dozier to Clarion, G.Fisher to Tufts, L.A.Connelly to Allegheny College.

 

[new2pa]

Rodak, Connelly, Boyd were linemen. Fischer was a QB. Not sure about the rest.

 

[Soup13]

Soup, New; Aside from those you mentioned New2PA, I have the following, Elijah Boyd/Tyler Mangone to IUP, Rodak to Gannon, Dozier to Clarion, G.Fisher to Tufts, L.A.Connelly to Allegheny College.

Stalk - I have seen tape on Boyd and Mangone, very good players, not familiar with the rest of the crew but all and all NA had some serious talent this year. Artie works extremely hard to get his players scholarships and or the best financial "deal" possible. You would be surprised how many head coaches do not go the extra step....

 

[Soup13]

Rodak, Connelly, Boyd were linemen. Fischer was a QB. Not sure about the rest.

New - Didn't Fischer split time at QB?

 

[new2pa]

New - Didn't Fischer split time at QB?

Yes, he did. With another Senior I believe.

 

[Soup13]

Yes, he did. With another Senior I believe.[/QUOTE

Thought one was a run 1st and one was a run 1st type. not sure which was who...

 

[new2pa]

I thought when they play P-R, Fischer was in the game all the time. Earlier in the year the other kid came in. The other kid was more of a wildcat-type kid if I remember correctly. Fischer was more of a game manager, but he did run the ball very well against P-R.

 

[Stalker]

Yes, he did. With another Senior I believe.

Joe Collela

 

[new2pa]

I was off a little and looked it up. Pesche (11th grader) was #11 and played vs P-R. Fischer (senior) was #19 and I thought the wildcat type guy. LUKE Colella #4 is a WR/DB (junior) and best returning player. JOE Colella was a senior #13 that I don’t recall playing a P-R.

 

[JACKY6996]

NA used junior Ben Petschke as their main guy and Fisher was the wildcat type. The older colella was originally supposed to be the starter or see major time but was injured before the season from what my guy in NA told me

 

[JACKY6996]

Stalk - I have seen tape on Boyd and Mangone, very good players, not familiar with the rest of the crew but all and all NA had some serious talent this year. Artie works extremely hard to get his players scholarships and or the best financial "deal" possible. You would be surprised how many head coaches do not go the extra step....

Crazy how they haven’t even been back to a wpial title game since 2012

 

[Stalker]

Week zero opener at PR pits WPIAL champs against each other. See below.

https://tribhssn.triblive.com/wpial...-richland-penn-hills-schedule-week-zero-game/[/QUO
Does Penn Hills also play NA?

 

[new2pa]

Penn Hill scrimmaged NA last year.

 

[JACKY6996]

Does ph stand much of a chance in this game? Seems like they graduated a lot of seniors that were responsible for the success theyve had the past 2 seasons. They never fared well against the top 6A teams a couple years ago. PR is taking some loses specifically in the trenches but return QB and a bunch of athletes

 

[new2pa]

I would think so. P-R returns all their offensive contributors. But, until I hear and see their offensive line, it will be hard to tell. But you are right, PH has gotten mercy ruled by P-R both times they played in 16 and 17.

But I'm not really sure P-R is going to be able to stop anyone. They lost the heart of their defense and I don't know who could step up.

 

[PRFB_Fan]

I would think that since Coach K has taken on the defensive play calling and has implemented a gap defense with coverage tweeks, the "next up" players should be fine. The schemes have looked good on the recent twitter posts.

 

[Stalker]

I would think that since Coach K has taken on the defensive play calling and has implemented a gap defense with coverage tweeks, the "next up" players should be fine. The schemes have looked good on the recent twitter posts.

2 gap, 3-4? What will they run? 1 gap, smaller/quicker guys losing the brutes....?.... or can they replace them body for body. Also, Pine's losses are significant but they return many experienced players. Replacing the DLs and those 2 LBs is challenging but they have people and should get ALOT of mileage out of that offense this year. Spencer had a strong soph season. Nice Qb, good backs and receivers. They'll do well but Pitt CC, NA and Sen Val also return Qbs so it'll be fun. I agree PRFB_Fan; Next up!

 

[PRFB_Fan]

Coach K and his staff will definately have to do some coaching this year. I see them running 2 gap with some run blitzes on defense.

PR loses a crop of "TOUGH GUYS" on defense, from the 3 LBs that could bring it and the 5 seniors that rotated on the line. Outside of Jackson, not many players were over the top "hitters with an edge".

The young OL players did a good job of aginst some of the better teams last year at the beginning of the second halfs. If Spencer can get the ball out quick, the offense will be effective. Need a run game, hopefully the coaches will use the best athletes at the their best positions.

Spring work outs will be very telling.

 

[new2pa]

PRFB - you hit the nail on the head. Up the middle P-R loses: Kristofic, Katic, Dorundo, King, Cerminara and two other seniors. It is hard to replace 3 D1 Players plus Cerminara who was a darn good HS LB and 3yr starter.

You’re comment about best athletes at best positions made me think of Meckler. Can he play full time at RB and S? Can he rush for 1500 without a monster line?

 

[PRFB_Fan]

Meckler should be able to get his yards (Crawford got his when the OL were mostly JRs). I think Cerminera gets 1,500 yards rushing last year if given the opportunity. Meckler in the slot would have given teams absolute nightmares. Unfortunately when PR needed Cerminera's power (rain both games), everyone in the stadium knew he was getting the ball. Cerminera still ran crazy in those games but it seemed like PR abandoned the plan against NA and St Joe's. Seemed crazy getting 5-8 yards a carry and not stay with it.

There were a couple other young players who rotated at running back as well who should give them some flexibility. It should be very interesting year for PR for sure.

 

[Stalker]

Meckler should be able to get his yards (Crawford got his when the OL were mostly JRs). I think Cerminera gets 1,500 yards rushing last year if given the opportunity. Meckler in the slot would have given teams absolute nightmares. Unfortunately when PR needed Cerminera's power (rain both games), everyone in the stadium knew he was getting the ball. Cerminera still ran crazy in those games but it seemed like PR abandoned the plan against NA and St Joe's. Seemed crazy getting 5-8 yards a carry and not stay with it.

There were a couple other young players who rotated at running back as well who should give them some flexibility. It should be very interesting year for PR for sure.

Just doing Cathedral's review to see they appear strong enough to get a 4 peat. They have St. Eds again, don't know about PCC. Hard getting a good handle on them with transfers last year from Seneca, McDowell and Erie High. Any one know if they play Central?

 

[new2pa]

Just doing Cathedral's review to see they appear strong enough to get a 4 peat. They have St. Eds again, don't know about PCC. Hard getting a good handle on them with transfers last year from Seneca, McDowell and Erie High. Any one know if they play Central?

ECP does not play Central this year. Central was playing Archbishop Wood in Week 0, then that got cancelled and they are playing William Penn from York, PA instead. Like all the other WPIAL 6A schools, Week 0 is the only chance they get to play a self-scheduled game.