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The Recruiting Zone

Find out what colleges are recruiting Liam Powers, David Johnson, Dominico Spataro, Bryce Beutler, and Noah Schultz now!

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Q&A with Central Bucks East offensive tackle Liam Powers​


Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“Yes I’d like to play football.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“Things are starting to pick and should continue in the next few months with a variety of schools at the one A and one AA level showing interest at this point.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“See above.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“I went to a few camps this summer and an unofficial visit to Temple and I have more scheduled for this year.”

Do you have plans for game day trips?
“I hope to get a couple in before the season is over.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“When I was really young one of my family members bought me a Michigan uniform and I would wear it all the time.”


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Q&A with Imhotep Charter defensive tackle David Johnson​


Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“Football.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“N/A.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“N/A.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“N/A.”

Do you have plans for game day trips?
“No.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“Arizona State University.”


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Q&A with Lakeland quarterback Dominico Spataro​


Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“I definitely want to play sports in college. It would be an awesome experience to be able to do that. I love swimming. Swimming has been in my head since freshman year and that is my biggest goal for college. Of course football would be nice too. I love football and to be able to get a chance to play at the next level would be amazing.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“No colleges have been recruiting me yet.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“No colleges have been recruiting me yet.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“I have not made any college trips yet.”

Do you have plans for game day trips?
“I do not have any plans for college game day trips yet.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“My favorite college team was Penn State. My family has loved them since I was little and they just grew on me and I have liked them as long as I could remember.”


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Q&A with Cumberland Valley linebacker Bryce Beutler​


Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“I do plan on playing football in college that has been one of my goals since I was a little kid.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“I haven’t really had many colleges reach out to me yet, it’s still pretty early for me but the future looks pretty bright.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“I’m sure recruiting is going to heat up soon.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“I took a visit to Shippensburg to watch a game and tour the facilities a few weeks ago and really enjoyed it.”

Do you have plans for game day trips?
“My plan is to do some game day trips when those opportunities present themselves.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“My favorite college football team I’ve always grown up liking is University of South Carolina.”


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Q&A with Crestwood running back Noah Schultz​


Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“I'd love to play a sport in college. I am interested in playing either football or lacrosse at the next level.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“N/A.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“N/A.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“N/A.”

Do you have plans for game day trips?
“N/A.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“My favorite college has always been Penn State, since I was really young. I love going to Penn State football games, because the environment there is unmatched.”


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PA Preps High School Football Talk

Find out what some of the top players in the state are saying about football now!

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Q&A with Central Bucks East offensive tackle Liam Powers
How has everything been going football wise as of late?
“We had a successful season made the playoffs and started preparing for next year the day after.”

Going forward, what do you feel your team can continue to improve on?
“We all need to spend more time in the weight room and with the playbook.”

Have you been pleased with your performances?
“Yes I have been I thought I had a great junior season and made an impact on both sides of the ball.”

How do you feel about the play of your team?
“I thought we all gave 100% and the young guys stepped up in a big way.”

What are your sporting goals going forward as of now?
“Continue to get bigger and stronger and help the team in any way I can and see the team do better than we did last year.”
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Q&A with Imhotep Charter defensive tackle David Johnson
How has everything been going football wise as of late?
“Football has been going grate especially pushing on making a state championship run.”

Going forward, what do you feel your team can continue to improve on?
“We just got to work on being discipline and cutting down on penalties we improved a lot.”

Have you been pleased with your performances?
“Yes I’m doing what is best for the team and I’m loving it.”

How do you feel about the play of your team?
“I feel great about our play we been working hard every week.”

What are your sporting goals going forward as of now?
“A state champion ship “
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Q&A with Lakeland quarterback Dominico Spataro
How has everything been going football wise as of late?
“Football went great this year. We didn’t finish with our final goal of a district championship but I think we shocked a lot of people with our performances throughout the year. I was brought so close to everyone on the team and it was one of the most fun teams I’ve been on in a while.”

Going forward, what do you feel your team can continue to improve on?
“Our team has a great work ethic and never backs down from sprints or workouts. We definitely need to get in the weight room this off-season and get to work. Get a lot stronger and faster. Another thing is just mastering the playbook.”

Have you been pleased with your performances?
“I was definitely pleased with my performance this year. It was cool to hit 2000 passing yards and 3000 total yards but it’s only because of everyone else. My whole team is accountable for my performance. Whether it was my o-line creating a good pocket and keeping me from getting hit. Also creating a run game so the pass game can open up more. My wide receivers did an outstanding job all year and I’m most proud of them all being humble and knowing that there is four of them and the ball is going to get spread around between them all.”

How do you feel about the play of your team?
“The team played great all year. We dealt with adversity so well this year. Everyone kept there heads up and never got knocked down. We had high energy in practice all year and because of that the whole year was so fun. Even though we didn’t win the district we still did a great job and showed a lot of people wrong.”

What are your sporting goals going forward as of now?
“My goals for next year are to definitely just do better than this past year. Pass and run for more yards. Have a bigger difference on defense. Do everything I could to make the team better without doing to much. But definitely just become a better leader and to lead by example. Have a better attitude to everything in football and be a guy that everyone could look at when things go wrong.”
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Q&A with Cumberland Valley linebacker Bryce Beutler
How has everything been going football wise as of late?
“Football has been going good. I feel like our team is on a rise and we improved throughout the season.”

Going forward, what do you feel your team can continue to improve on?
“We can improve by continuing to trust the process our coaches laid out for us and believe in our abilities.”

Have you been pleased with your performances?
“I have been pretty pleased with my play made improvements from last season with my play in the run and pass game. but I’m not done still a lot of room to improve on.”

How do you feel about the play of your team?
“I feel like the play of my team has come a long way since 2020, we have accomplished our goals but we know there are a lot of goals out there that we can attain so we can win championships.”

What are your sporting goals going forward as of now?
“My sporting goals are to win a championship make All Mid Penn, and become one of the best LBs in the state of PA. To do so I’m working on being stronger, faster and intelligent as an LB.”
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Q&A with Crestwood running back Noah Schultz
How has everything been going football wise as of late?
“Football has been going pretty well. This last season I achieved 1,000 yards rushing on the season. I had a lot of fun during the season and I can't wait for the next one.”

Going forward, what do you feel your team can continue to improve on?
“Next year will be my senior year. I think if our team puts in the right amount of work this offseason that we will be a really dangerous team. This year we will have more experience on the field and as a team playing together.”

Have you been pleased with your performances?
“I am pretty satisfied with my performance, but there is always room for improvement and I will never deny that. I believe I can only get better as I move forward.”

How do you feel about the play of your team?
“I feel like the play of our team wasn't as good as we wanted during the 2021 season, but it can't be denied that we had a young team. Since we lost a lot of players after the 2020 season, many younger guys had to take on very big parts on our team. I believe this year helped for many guys to get comfortable on the field, and we will play much better together next year.”

What are your sporting goals going forward as of now?
“N/A.”
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McDevitt vs Shanahan article

Nice write up by Epler. Good luck Coach Meyers, coaches and players

By Eric F. Epler | eepler@pennlive.com
BISHOP McDEVITT VS. BISHOP SHANAHAN

PIAA Class 4A semifinal

7 p.m., Friday, Coatesville Area High School

THE CRUSADERS (11-1): Look, winning a District 3 title, the program’s 15th overall, is a terrific accomplishment. It’s validation across the board, for the players, trainers, coaches, alumni and those who peddle the french fries and volunteers who upsell the team merch. All play a role in a title run. Frankly, that isn’t enough at McD, a program that’s played in 10 PIAA semifinals since the wonder year of 1995. In other words, the Crusaders expected to be here and last week’s tricky 7-0 victory over a tough Lampeter-Strasburg side should be celebrated.


Why? Because no other regional 4A program really stood in the Crusaders’ way. And standing tall against a great competitor like L-S holds real value. McD needs to harness that this week. You know about the frosh QB, the engaging backfield and that still rising O-Line, where guys like RT Ethan Straining C Kameron Zaengle and LG Dimitri Chacon have put in long hours. But coach Jeff Weachter’s defense will again play a vital role. The more McD can shuffle the Eagles’ offense to the sideline, the more opportunities rise for McD’s versatile set of playmakers.


Complete 2021 PIAA Football Tournament brackets


THE EAGLES (11-3): There are many reasons to appreciate coach Paul Myers and his program. For starters, the Eagles continue to play “up” in the Chest-Mont National with the likes of Coatesville, Downingtown East and West and more. Those three 6A strongholds represent the right column in BS’s record. Second, Myers has a dedicated senior class of 30 strong, players who poured the foundation for this type of run. QB Cooper Jordan, a four-year starter, is one of those tactical nightmares for the opposition.


He’s over 1,100 rushing yards and 2,000 through the air, combining for 46 touchdowns. He will distribute to a host of playmakers, including RB-LB Brandon Choi, a likely Ivy Leaguer next season. A ton of offensive yards come behind OT-DT Dylan Jones, a 6-4, 265-pound wrecker who steers the blocking all. Another bright spot is a sterling defense where Choi and DE Dakendrick Daniels (Colorado offer) lead the way. In Bishop Shanahan’s 11 wins, the defense allowed a average of 7.9 points.


AT STAKE: The winner advances to the PIAA 4A Championship at 7 p.m. on Dec. 9 at Hersheypark Stadium to play either WPIAL champ Aliquippa (11-1) or top-ranked Jersey Shore (14-0).


MATCH UP TO WATCH: McD receivers vs. Shanahan secondary. A more favorable forecast in Coatesville Friday could extend both playbooks. The Eagles’ secondary, steered by CBs Sean McGrory and Nick Romano, has produced a gaudy 30 interceptions on the season.


X-FACTOR: Containing Jordan. If the Crusaders want to a return trip to Hershey, keeping Jordan hemmed in is a must. Bishop Shanahan’s QB is fast, elusive and a difference maker.


THE PICK: Bishop McDevitt 21, Bishop Shanahan 14.

Scores

Tep 36 vs SH 0 FINAL

Penn Trafford 49 vs Exeter 14 F

Bishop Shanahan 21 vs McDevitt 28 F

S Columbia 56 vs N Lehigh 14 F (20th state final appearance for SC)

Central Valley 35 vs Martinsburg 21 F

Serra Cath 27 vs Farrell 18 F

Quip 41 vs JS 16 F

Bishop Guilfoyle 20 vs Canton 7 FINAL

Redbank V 23 vs Bish Canevin 14 F

Wyomissing 42 vs NG 6 F
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PIAA Football Semifinals: Dec 3, 4….what the math says.

PIAA Football Semifinals: Dec 3, 4….what the math says.

Here’s some info on quarterfinal results and the upcoming semifinal games some of you might enjoy.
6A
Garnet Valley 14-0, D1 vs St. Joseph’s Prep 10-2, D12, Dec 4 at Ridley
(Garnet Valley 6.96 points)

Garnet Valley made short work of Coatesville (12-2) defeating the overwhelmed Red Raiders 54-15. The Jaguars had 386 yards rushing (not a typo), led by Shane Reynold’s 228 on 18 carries. Max Busenkell completed 6 of 9 passes for 92 yards while the D held Coatesville to 181 total yards. While G-Val rolled to an unexpectedly easy win, St. Joseph’s Prep got a hard fought 24-21 win against Freedom (11-3) on the strength of a running game generating 252 yards. The attack was fueled by quarterback Samaj Jones rushing for 144, Antonio Chadha’s 38-yard field goal in the second quarter and a stout defense. For the coming match, a key to Garnet Valley’s success is their ability to contain Samaj Jones. For St. Joe’s, they have a multitude of players to keep track of with seven players over 300 yards rushing. But the key has to be stopping or slowing quarterback Max Busenkell and that’s a load. He’s a veteran, heads up player making sound decisions, completing 72% of his passes for 1849 yards with a Td/Pick ratio of 26/2. All the backs are quick, even Shane Reynolds (1240yds) at 6-1, 215. Jason Bernard is a hard running, maybe underrated back at 5-7, 190 (481yds). The kicking game will factor in with Zachary Liberatore often hitting the end zone on kickoffs for Garnet Valley, and Antonio Chadha being a lethal weapon booting field goals for the Hawks. St. Joe’s advantage in schedule difficulty and Garnet Valley’s decided edge in location playing at Ridley, has this looking like an even game.
State College 8-5, D6 vs Mount Lebanon 13-0, D7, Dec 4, Mansion Park
(Mount Lebanon 28.94 points)

State College stunned Harrisburg (12-2) in a typical physical defensive battle between these two Mid Penn rivals where Polish native Kajetan Kaszubowski’s 34-yard field goal with 3 seconds left to play won the game. DT Justin Castro Dixon (6-0, 295) and DE Stephen Scourtis (6-4, 235) were disruptors throughout the game, denying Shawn Lee time to throw and holding the Cougars to 138 total yards. Meanwhile, Mount Lebanon had the day off defeating McDowell (9-3) who never got on the bus coughing up 5 turnovers in a 47-14 loss. Running backs Alex Tecza rushed for 124 yards and two scores with Eli Heidenreich getting 165 yards and three scores. Three year starting quarterback Joey Daniels completed 6 of 10 for 164 yards. Tough stopping those three and State High may have left it on the field in Harrisburg. Another plus is having a coach of Bob Palko’s skills leading a talented, senior laden team. State can probably hang in this one for a while but don’t have the offense to keep up. Lebo is not a young team like Harrisburg led by sophomores and juniors. Their starting offense features 9 seniors with 10 starting on defense. The O-Line averages 6-2, 251 lbs. So before penciling in St. Joe’s or Garnet Valley as the gold medal winner, give Mount Lebanon a long and hard look. They’re impressive.

5A
Imhotep Charter 9-1, D12 vs Strath Haven 13-1, D1, Dec 3, Ridley
(Imhotep 16.33 points)

Imhotep’s Tre McLeod was an unstoppable force last weekend rushing for 290 yards (!) with touchdowns of 80, 64 and 44 yards at Bald Eagle High where they blew out Erie-Cathedral Prep (11-2) 42-7 in quarterfinal action. This was particularly gratifying for ICS having lost to ECP in 2016, 2017 and 2018 by significant margins. They move on to play Strath Haven who defeated Rustin (11-2) at Rustin 34-33 in double overtime on a 2-pt conversion! Chase Barlow rushed for 102 yards as the Panthers won their 12th district title and first since 2010. Playing at Ridley High is a bonus for Strath Haven but won’t help them keep up with an Imhotep team well-seasoned with games against Pittsburgh Central Catholic, LaSalle, Cathedral Prep and DeMatha.
Exeter Township 10-3, D3 vs Penn Trafford 11-2, D7, Dec 3, Bald Eagle
(Exeter 1.93 points)

Exeter’s been a handful all year but no one expected them to defeat seemingly invincible Governor Mifflin (10-1) last week after losing 54-21 Oct 8th at home. Eric Nangle did most of the damage rushing for 226 yards and scoring the go ahead in the 4th quarter over the defending 5A district champ. And it was a team victory with Exeter’s defense holding Nicholas Singleton to 40 yards on 8 carries. Out in Pittsburgh, Penn Trafford was getting by previously undefeated Moon (12-1) after a Tiger field goal went wide left on a 33-yard effort. Wisconsin recruit Cade Yacamelli was a brute, rushing for 138 yards with 92 more up top helping PT to their first ever WPIAL title. Exeter has the bigger arsenal with quarterback Colin Payne at 2184 yards (59%, 22/6), passing to one of four receivers with at least 300 yards headed by D1 talent Joey Schlaffer’s (6-6, 215) 718 yards and JR Strauss’s 417 yards. But Trafford can clearly play winning the Big East at 5-0 beating stand out programs like Gateway and Pine Richland, then topping Moon last week.

4A
Bishop Shanahan 11-3, D1 vs Bishop McDevitt 11-1, D3, Dec 3, Coatesville
(Bishop McDevitt 16.56 points)

Bishop Shanahan responded to a 21-13 deficit at the half with a 22-point second half to defeat Valley View (12-2) 35-25. Cooper Jordan was instrumental in the win completing 10 of 12 passes for 120 yards and leading the team with 61 yards rushing. Sean Bracken sealed it with a 75-yard Pick-6 in the last 15 seconds. That was a tough win for Shanahan having to play at Valley View. The assignment this week is getting past Bishop McDevitt of Harrisburg who edged two time defending district champ Lampeter Strasburg 7-0. These two pounded each other on a wind-swept field with McDevitt rushing for 187 yards and LS 197. McDevitt’s hard-hitting defense caused 3 LS turnovers giving the Pioneers their first shutout since 2008. LS (11-2) has some bangers too, forcing 8 McDevitt punts! The semifinal game is at Coatesville where Shanahan played Oct 22nd. Advantage to Shanahan. Their dual threat quarterback Cooper Jordan is another advantage McDevitt will have to contain. On paper that’s where their advantages end with McDevitt fielding a more powerful and talented offense averaging 50ppg with a defense allowing 5. Guys who played football know how hard it is getting a shutout. McDevitt has 6. That’s a strength they have should the passing game again be grounded with high winds as it was last week. Allowing 12ppg, Shanahan also plays defense. But they probably don’t bring enough offense at 29ppg unless Cooper Jordan gets loose. They’re senior laden with size and a legitimate threat if that happens.
Jersey Shore 14-0, D4 vs Aliquippa 11-1, D7, Central Cambria
(Aliquippa 7.47 points)

Jersey Shore erupted for 24 second quarter points, sparked by Tate Seachrist’s 75-yard fumble return on the way to a 30-6 win against Meadville (9-4). Big plays did the trick with Brady Jordan connecting with Caden Hess and Kooper Peacock for 56 and 59-yard touchdowns, ending the game with 180 yards passing and 43 rushing. With six district titles the last 9 years, Jersey Shore has proven themselves a legit power in the district and beyond as evidenced last year losing to Thomas Jefferson 21-14 in the final. Like the game with TJ, they’ll be dwarfed again this week in size against Aliquippa. Last week saw the Quips race out to a 21-0 first half lead then hold on to defeat previously undefeated Belle Vernon (10-1) 28-13 at Heinz. Tiqwai Hayes had 133 yards rushing with Jon Tracy getting 94. They ended with 297 total yards to BV’s 202. The win was Aliquippa’s 18th WPIAL title. Although Jersey Shore destroyed most of the teams on their schedule, they haven’t played the quality of opposition Aliquippa faced against Beaver Falls, Central Valley, McKeesport and Belle Vernon. They’re bigger, faster and more athletic, which probably mean JS upsets them! Seriously, it looks like a long night for the Bulldogs who won’t find Aliquippa anything like Meadville!

3A
Wyomissing 14-0, D3 vs Ss Neumann Goretti 13-1, D12, Dec 3, Pennridge
(Wyomissing 14.48 points)

Wyomissing smothered Scranton Prep (11-1) 35-14 with a pounding ground game getting all 5 touchdowns on the ground with Drew Eisenhower getting 134 yards and 2 scores. They’re hard to stop. About the time you adjust to their jet sweeps they go up the middle behind a massive line. And they’ll do that all day until you stop them. They threw one pass. Neumann Goretti did some running too with Jayden Sumpter rushing for 162 yards on 12 carries and Jayden Styles rushing for 64 yards defeating Danville (8-5) 28-0, holding them to 11 total yards. That was their second shutout in the last two days, beating South Philadelphia 54-0 on Thanksgiving Day. Wyomissing will prove to be much more than Danville. Their line is PCL-like in J’ven Williams (6-4, 310, jr), OL/DE Pacen Ziegler (6-3, 255, jr), Caleb Brewer (6-4, 260, soph), Preston Aikman (5-11, 235, sr), Julian DiMaio (5-10, 210, sr), Alex Kauffman (6-3, 250, sr) and TE Aiden Mack (6-4, 225, sr, Richmond). And the backfield is deep featuring Tommy Grabowski (6-0, 200, sr, 1250ry), Drew Eisenhower (5-11, 185, jr, 782ry) and Amory Thompson (6-1, 185, sr, 770). Ben Zechman (6-3, 185, jr) completed 63% for 719 yards with a 9/2 ratio. They’ll be some serious hitting in this one with two big, physical teams going at it in a semifinal.
Central Valley 13-1, D7 vs Central Martinsburg 14-0, D6, Central Valley
(Central Valley 27.80)

Central Valley had no trouble with previously undefeated North Catholic (11-1), trouncing the Trojans 52-15 behind Landon Alexander’s 202 yards rushing. It was 45-7 at the half. The win elevates them into a special group of 12 that have won 3 consecutive WPIAL titles. This was also their 25th straight win on the way to a possible second straight 3A crown. With a monster offense scoring 48ppg supported by a D allowing 7, they’ll be hard to stop. Standing in their way is Central High from Martinsburg who may be equal to the task with a powerful offense scoring 45ppg and a defense allowing 13. While the comp in the Wpial Northern Six is more than the Mountain Athletic, it’d be a bad idea taking the Scarlet Dragons lightly. They play good football in Martinsburg and the district. 2016’s 12-2 team lost to state champ Beaver Falls 14-7, with the 2015 13-2 team losing to PIAA runner-up Aliquippa 30-21. The 2013’s 11-3 team (14 went 9-4) lost to Hickory 37-27 who then lost 23-20 to South Fayette’s 16-0 group who thumped Imhotep 41-0 in the final. History is interesting and relavant but statistics say Central Valley runs away with this one, especially on their field.

2A
Northern Lehigh 11-3, D11 vs Southern Columbia 13-1, D4, Lehighton
(Southern Columbia 9.21 points)

After beating Conwell Egan and York Catholic, West Catholic ran out of juice against a potent Northern Lehigh team who jumped out to a 21-0 first quarter on the way to a 48-24 quarterfinal win at Whitehall. The Bulldogs presented a balanced attack with Trevor Amorim scoring 4 touchdowns, Matt Frame rushing for 110 yards and quarterback Dylan Smoyer connecting on 11 of 15 passes for 175 yards and 2 touchdowns. While WC and NL were going at it, Southern Columbia was putting a 62-20 hurtin on Richland Township (11-3) down in Catawissa on Southern’s home field. Richland had no answer for Gavin Garcia or Braeden Wisloski who got 214 and 165 respectively. Garcia had 5 touchdowns and Wisloski 1 as the Tigers rolled out 428 yards rushing to Richland’s 115. Northern Lehigh’s 56-42 loss to North Schuylkill who lost to Neumann 26-21 suggests they’ll have problems with Southern Columbia who defeated similar teams in Mount Carmel 40-14 and Wyoming Area 37-30. Plus, Northern’s defense is a little too generous at 22ppg.
Farrell 11-1, D10 vs Serra Catholic, 13-1, D7, Slippery Rock University
(Farrell 15.88 points)

Farrell got a battle from Karns City, leading 8-6 at the half then pulling away for a 30-12 win. The Gremlins were game as always but couldn’t handle Farrell’s size and speed. KC’s lead backs Jayce Anderson and Luke Garing came in over an 1000 yards each but were held to 92 yards. Farrell’s dual quarterbacks Trian Holder and Kabron Smith combined for 9 of 13 for 214 yards. Those guys can sling it! Their opponent this week is Serra Catholic from McKeesport. Like most teams on “The Mon”, football is in the blood as demonstrated all year but especially last week beating defending champ Beaver Falls 35-12. They play aggressive football, getting 9 turnovers….!....5 fumbles and 4 interceptions. Two of the 4 interceptions resulted in touchdowns. Weird as it sounds, Beaver Falls played decent defense! But at 51ppg, Farrell looks like they could overwhelm Serra, especially as the Steelers have a defense allowing 7ppg. Extra points go to Serra with the tougher slate facing teams like Sto-Rox, Laurel and Beaver Falls who have a combined record of 32-5. And with KC proving Farrell mortal, who knows!

1A
Bishop Guilfoyle 9-4, D6 vs Canton 13-0, D4, Mansion Park
(Canton 10.68 points)

Altoona’s pride and joy Bishop Guilfoyle battled back from 11 down to get a hard fought 24-21 win against Juniata Valley and their third straight District-6 title. Quarterback Karson Kiesewetter had a monster game completing 11 of 18 passes for 136 yards and rushing for 140 more on 24 carries. Juniata Valley (10-2) had a strong rushing attack at 220 yards but nothing else, throwing for a meager 45 yards. Their opponent this week, Canton, was also down at the half 14-0, but rallied for a 20-14 win against powerful Old Forge (10-1). Canton made the most of their 234 total yards with a 11.7 yards per point effort compared to Old Forge’s 24.21 mark on 339 total yards. About the matchup; this is definitely not vintage Bishop Guilfoyle while it is a special Canton group. Still, Bishop Guilfoyle is Bishop Guilfoyle and won’t go away without a fight, especially with the school a few blocks from Mansion Park Stadium. For Canton, being this deep in the playoffs is virgin territory where they could get a little tight.
Redbank Valley 12-1, D9 vs Bishop Canevin 13-1, 13-1, D7, North Hills
(Bishop Canevin 2.49 points)

Redbank Valley got a stop on a fourth and two at the 6-yard line with :41 left in the game to ease past Northern Bedford County 21-14 at Clarion University. After a shaky 1-3 start, NBC got it together, reeling off 8 straight wins to take the District-5 title, beating Juniata Valley (10-2, D-6 runner up above) along the way. Redbank’s Brenden Schreckengost (5-3, 135, sr) started for a suspended player and rushed for 140 yards plus a 79-yard kick-off return. Not bad for a kid coming in with 55 rush yards! NBC was a brute, rushing for 275 yards. But the Bulldogs got the stops when they needed them as they have most of the year allowing 117 points coming into the quarterfinal. They go on to play Bishop Canevin, the other Catholic school from Oakland who crushed Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (OLSH, in Coraopolis) 42-7, holding them to 157 total yards of offense, 36 rushing. Canevin’s head coach Richard Johnson is now a gaudy 18-4 in his second year at the helm with a Wpial title. Hard bucking that and Wpial pedigree against the District-9 entrant.

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Pine-Richland 2021

HSFB and others,
Here's an update on the Rams for the 2021 season. This may sound crazy but I think its a rebuild, reload and compete for championship again kind of team.

First, I think they lose the deepest senior class they have ever had in terms of numbers and depth of talent. On defense they lose the best defensive lineman (Jackson) and best LB (Miller) in school history. On offense they lose the best WR (Jochem) in school history along with a kid who at any other school would be the best QB in school history (Spencer) along with a G5 level OL (Hayes). So, that's a lot to replace. Overall 8 seniors started on both offense and defense.

Other big changes are in the coaching ranks. Coach K is rumored to have chance to go to Pitt as a LB Coach. Three other coaches have kids that played (Miller, Jochem, Neff) and may also stop coaching. If that happens, I have some thoughts on who could takeover.

After talking to a ton of people since the end of the season, here's my best guess at who's going to get first crack at positions. Defense first:

DE: Lenz 6'3" 240 SR - Returning starter and very good. Playing opposite Jackson, teams targeted him but he did well. Needs to step up and be dominent.
DL: Domer 6'3" 270 SR - Returning starter, all-conference and 5A all state player.
DL: Kerns: 6' 240 JR - Started at center but will have to go both ways. Likely a rotation player
DE: Klemm - more of an offensive lineman. See below
LB: Hasley, 6'2 210 SR - D1 LB. Best player on team. Will need to be a force
LB: Heckert. 5'10 200 JR - Played on their 3rd down package. Needs to find a home somewhere.
LB: Ansell / ?: I don't know anything about this kid.
S: Eastburn, 5'9 180 SR - A better offensive player but did get a lot of time at S as Jochem's backup.
S: Palmary, 5'9 180 JR - Am told he is best overall football player in the JR class. Also competing for starting QB job
CB: Gochis - will have to go two ways at this point.
CB: ?

Offense:
T: Jalen Klem, 6'4 250 SR - Transferred this past year to P-R. Was a QB. Son of Steelers Assistant OL coach. Raw but talented.
T: Beam, 6'4 270 JR - Played a lot this past year in sub packages. Potential D1 OL.
G: Domer, 6'3 270, SR - Will be playing both ways
G: Cory, 6'2 250 SO - Never heard of this kid but coaches speak very highly of him. D1 talent
C: Kerns, 6' 240 JR - Was first team 5A All state. Very very good player.
QB: Boyd 6' 180 SR - Great arm talent but lacks experience. Palmary also in contention.
RB: Eastburnn 5'9 180 SR - Was all conference as utility player. Needs to step up
RB/WR: Hasley - They used him as RB in state championship game. Look for him to see a lot of carries in big game.
WR: Gochis 6'3 190 SR - Returning starter. Needs to step up and be primary target
WR: Mellis 5'8" 170 JR - Played sparingly. Small but quick. Will take Jochem's spot.
WR: Wells 5'11 170 SR - This could be anyone. Wells will get first crack
FB/HS: Rottinghaus 6'1 200 JR - Another question mark position.

Bottom line - even with the turnover, people around here think that they should be the #1 team in WPIAL 5A and maybe in the state. Penn-Trafford and Woodland Hills is probably best competition. Look for Penn Hills to be better with a really good QB coming back. Peters, USC, SF will all be significantly worse than this past year with USC being the best of the 3. (Contrary to what people thought, they weren't close to being championship level teams.) Moon is building a program and brings toughness that the other teams in their conference don't. Gateway returns QB and good DB/WR, but they lose a ton of seniors.

Right now, I would rank teams:

1. P-R: They have best player in 5A with Hasley and best coaching staff. Need to find a QB though. That's what makes them go.
2. P-T: Yacamelli is very good RB and its the second best coaching staff in WPIAL 5A
3. Woody: Athletic QB and some skill, but need to make plays in big moments. Haven't beaten anybody.
4. Penn Hills: Will always be good on D, but QB needs to get better and carry the team.
5. Moon: Tough and physical but not sure they have any play makers
6. USC: Decent LB and WRs returning, but need to improve physically to compete with P-R and P-T.

IMO, the WPIAL Winner will likely play Governor Mifflin? (can anyone in 5A D3 stop their RB) and then either ECP or Imhotep in the state finals.

Pennlive FB Rankings: Week 14.

By Eric F. Epler | eepler@pennlive.com
We’ve reached PIAA Final Four weekend in high school football, where the next victory will guarantee a shot at a state championship and shiny new banner in the school gymnasium.

PennLive’s updated state rankings are sponsored by Renewal by Andersen of Central Pa. Teams are listed with district, overall record through Nov. 28 and previous rank. NR-not ranked.

CLASS 6ARECORDPREVIOUS
1. Mount Lebanon (7)13-01
2. Garnet Valley (1)14-04
3. St Joseph’s Prep (12)10-23
4. Bethlehem Freedom (11)11-26
5. State College (6)8-5NR
6. Harrisburg (3)12-22
7. Coatesville (1)12-25
8. Quakertown (1)12-18
9. McDowell (10)9-37
10. Wilson-West Lawn (3)9-49
Honorable mention: Central York (3) 10-1, La Salle College HS (12) 9-2, Northampton (11) 12-1, North Penn (1) 11-1, Pittsburgh C.C. (7) 9-3, Ridley (1) 11-2.

CLASS 5ARECORDPREVIOUS
1. Imhotep Charter (12)10-12
2. Penn-Trafford (7)11-16
3. Exeter Township (3)10-38
4. Strath Haven (1)13-17
5. Governor Mifflin (3)10-11
6. Moon (7)12-13
7. West Chester Rustin (1)11-25
8. Cathedral Prep (10)11-24
9. Cedar Cliff (3)10-39
10. Plymouth-Whitemarsh (1)10-210
Honorable mention: Academy Park (1) 9-3, Manheim Central (3) 9-2, Shippensburg (3) 11-1, Spring Grove (3) 10-2, Unionville (1) 10-2.

CLASS 4ARECORDPREVIOUS
1. Jersey Shore (4)14-01
2. Bishop McDevitt (3)11-13
3. Aliquippa (7)11-14
4. Bishop Shanahan (1)11-38
5. Belle Vernon (7)10-12
6. Lampeter-Strasburg (3)11-25
7. Valley View (2)12-26
8. Thomas Jefferson (7)8-37
9. McKeesport (7)9-310
10. Meadville (10)9-49
Honorable mention: Allentown C.C. (11) 9-4, Berks Catholic (3) 7-5, Hampton (7) 11-1, Juniata (6) 10-3, North Pocono (2) 10-3, Northwestern Lehigh (11) 11-1.

CLASS 3ARECORDPREVIOUS
1. Central Valley (7)13-01
2. Wyomissing (3)14-02
3. Central Martinsburg (6)14-04
4. Neumann-Goretti (12)12-15
5. Scranton Prep (2)11-13
6. North Catholic (7)12-16
7. Bedford (5)10-28
8. Grove City (10)10-37
9. North Schuylkill (11)11-210
10. Wyoming Area (2)10-2NR
Honorable mention: Avonworth (7) 9-3, Boiling Springs (3) 11-2, Danville (4) 8-5, Lakeland (2) 10-1, Slippery Rock (10) 7-2.

CLASS 2ARECORDPREVIOUS
1. Farrell (10)11-01
2. Southern Columbia (4)13-12
3. Serra Catholic (7)13-16
4. Northern Lehigh (11)11-38
5. Richland Township (6)11-33
6. Karns City (9)11-25
7. Sto-Rox (7)12-17
8. Beaver Falls (7)9-44
9. Laurel (7)11-1NR
10. York Catholic (3)11-110
Honorable mention: Mount Carmel (4) 10-3, Steel Valley (7) 11-1, West Catholic (12) 4-7, Westinghouse (8) 10-2, Windber (5) 10-1.

CLASS 1ARECORDPREVIOUS
1. Canton (4)13-02
2. Redbank Valley (9)12-13
3. Old Forge (2)11-11
4. Bishop Canevin (7)13-15
5. Bishop Guilfoyle (6)10-47
6. Juniata Valley (6)10-24
7. Steelton-Highspire (3)8-38
8. Northern Bedford (5)9-49
9. Our Lady of Sacred Heart (7)9-46
10. Williams Valley (11)9-310
Honorable mention: Cornell (7) 9-2, Homer-Center (6) 8-4, Muncy (4) 10-2, Rochester (7) 9-3, Tri-Valley (11) 9-2.
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