Big Game Hunting – Week Sixteen

By: HSSN Staff
Wednesday, December 10, 2014 | 4:17 PM

For the first time since 2007 we have all four District Seven Champions to write about on the final week of the Pennsylvania high school football season. Can the WPIAL go 4-0 this weekend? Not sure, but it is going to be so much fun to find out and, the best place to find out — is right here on the MSA Sports Network. The team will be in Hershey all weekend long bringing you every minute of every game. If during the weekend you can’t find Bobby “O” in the stadium he will be working his second job as the guy who determines what does and does not taste good when coated with chocolate. So far, they haven’t found anything he doesn’t like, but they have vowed to keep trying. Only four games in the state, all featured right here in the final Big Game Hunting of the year. Thanks for reading all year long and we will see you right back here in 36 weeks.

PINE-RICHLAND RAMS (15-0) vs St. Joseph’s Prep Hawks (10-3) AT Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey on Saturday, December 13th at 6:00pm broadcast on the MSA Sports Network by Mike Sackley and Bob Orkwis

The Gatorade Pennsylvania Player of the year leads the Pine-Richland Rams in search of their first ever PIAA Championship. Rams’ quarterback Ben DiNucci; so honored last week before the Rams beat Wilson 28-17 in the semifinals, is just 66 yards shy of the becoming the all-time record holder for yards passing in a single season in the state of Pennsylvania. Coming into this game DiNucci has completed 246 of 355 passes for 3886 yards and 42 touchdowns while throwing just seven interceptions. DiNucci needs 65 yards equal Matt Bodamer’s state record of 3951 yards set in 2012. DiNucci still also needs 32 yards to “pass” Brett Brumbaugh’s WPIAL all-time mark of 3917 set just last year. Both of those records will fall this weekend most likely. 

The Rams receiving corps is led by senior Mike Merhaut with 96 catches for 1418 yards, he needs just 151 yards to become the all-time leader in receiving yards for a season in the WPIAL. He has scored 18 touchdowns on the year. D’Ondre Gastion is also over a grand for the season in receiving yards with 1105 yards and 13 scores amongst his 57 catches. Anthony Battaglia and Luke Everett have combined for 63 catches and another 1035 yards receiving.

If the Rams are running the ball, bet it will be Connor Slomka on the carry, the senior has piled up 1511 yards and a team-high 34 touchdowns while carrying the ball 236 times on the year.

Pine-Richland head coach Eric Kasperowicz told Big Game Hunting this week that he knows the challenge from the defending state champions will be great for his club but, “The benefit of our kids growing up playing together can’t be underestimated in a big game like this.” Bonus points for coach as he included most of the name of the article in his quote!

The challenge will indeed be big, don’t be fooled by the 10-3 record the Hawks carry into this contest. They played a very loaded schedule against some of the best teams in the nation.

The Hawks are loaded with D-1 talent and experience and they knocked off a very good Central Catholic team last year in this game. St. Joseph’s rolled Pennsbury 37-7 in the semis last week. St. Joseph’s won their only PIAA Championship last year.

The running back tandem for the Hawks of sophomore De’Andre Swift and senior Olamide Zaccheaus has combined for 1508 yards and 19 touchdowns, both will play on the next level. Swift is a blazer and one of the top sophomores in the nation according to many publications.

Quarterback Jack Clements has completed 120 of 203 passes for 1906 yards and 24 touchdowns.

Penn state recruit John Reid is the Hawks leading receiver and one of the top-ten best cornerbacks in the nation on the defensive side of the ball according to many pundits. Size, speed, strength, and savvy in the Hawks secondary could make this a very challenging game for DiNucci and the Rams.

CENTRAL VALLEY WARRIORS (15-0) vs Archbishop Wood Vikings (13-1) AT Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey on Friday, December 12th at 7:00pm broadcast on the MSA Sports Network and WKPL FM 92.1 The Pickle by Mark Schaas and Josh Rowntree also broadcast on the MSA Sports Network and WBVP-AM 1230 and WMBA-AM 1460 by Bob Barrickman and Tom Hays

An incredible challenge for the Central Valley Warriors football family as they head into the state championship game trying to cope with the death of senior lineman Dominick Treemarchi. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the entire community and school as they cope with this tragedy. I hope they can use this football game to help begin the healing process and remember their fallen son.

The Warriors got a great battle from Bishop McDevitt last week in the semis getting a come from behind 26-21 win. Things won’t be much easier in Hersheypark Stadium.

Central will rely heavily on Pitt recruit Jordan Whitehead who has piled up a combined 2301 yards of offense. Whitehead has 1899 yards rushing and 402 yards receiving. He has scored 35 touchdowns on the season.

John George at quarterback is a difference maker says every coach who has to face the Warriors, George has completed 66 of 105 passes for 1329 yards and 15 touchdowns and he has rushed for 356 yards and seven scores.

Chris Callaghan has gotten plenty of time at quarterback as well for Central Valley with 1314 yards and 13 touchdowns while completing 76 of 120 passes.

Four Warriors have 20 or more catches led by B.J. Powell with 44 for 880 yards and 11 touchdowns.

The Vikings are the defending champions in AAA and also won the championship in 2011, so they are on a mission to make it three state titles in four years. They rolled Somerset in the semifinals 63-20 while rushing for 518 yards in the game. Their offensive line is huge and all returning from last year’s title team led by Penn State recruit Ryan Bates.

On the ground Wood gets big production behind that offensive line from leading rusher and Villanova recruit Jarrett McClenton who is over 1500 yards including 230 in the semifinals.

The Vikes don’t throw it a whole bunch, but when they do junior quarterback Anthony Russo has been very efficient completing nearly 60% of his throws for over 125 yards per game and more than 20 touchdowns on the season.

SOUTH FAYETTE LIONS (15-0) vs Dunmore Bucks (14-1) AT Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey on Saturday, December 13th at 12:00pm broadcast on the MSA Sports Network and WJPA FM 95.3 by Bob Gregg and Mark Uriah

The Lions had no trouble in the semis, rolling Hickory 44-14 as Brett Brumbaugh became the all-time leader in the state of Pennsylvania in terms of passing yards for a prep career now with 10984 yards. Brumbaugh stands 333 yards away from the record for yards in a season as well. It is very conceivable that he could for at least a few hours Saturday afternoon hold both records before DiNucci and Pine-Richland take the field in Hershey. DiNucci will likely end with the best season ever and Brumbaugh will have to settle for the career mark.

For the 2014 Lions, Brumbaugh has completed 205 of 350 passes for 3618 yards and 40 scores. Not really much I can add to those numbers as far as flowery wording, just let them soak in.

Brumbaugh never misses a chance to credit his receiving corps and he is right they are fantastic. Nick Ponikvar, Logan Sharp, Ryan Schmider, Danny Trimbur and even Hunter Hayes out of the backfield have all been very special.

Ponikvar is the leader in terms of catches and yards with 52 and 1033 respectively. Sharp has the most touchdowns with 13 amongst his 48 catches for 847 yards.

Hayes as the rusher of the football has been hard to top, the senior has 250 carries for 1840 yards and has scored 31 touchdowns on the season.

Hayes has been particularly stout in the post season says head coach Joe Rossi, “Hunter Hayes has been unreal in the playoffs.  He has been our workhorse as teams have focused on the pass.”

The Lions defense is allowing just 13.5 points per game led by Gastion and Roman Denson in the secondary and Zack Radinick and Jason Massey-Sears up front. But the heart and soul of the defense and maybe the entire South Fayette team is Logan Sharp who just wills his team to win on the defensive side every play from scrimmage.

The Lions seek their second overall and second straight PIAA Championship, Dunmore is also looking for their second with their first title coming back in 1989.

Dunmore is very “run first” offensively. They average 323.8 yards per game rushing and just 38.6 yards per game passing. They only throw the ball 5.4 times per game.

That said, they run it very well, including a pair of players that are both over 1000 yards for the season. Sophomore Colin Holmes has 1592 yards and 23 touchdowns on 198 carries. While senior Sal Marchese has rushed it 147 times for 1272 yards and 19 scores. As a team the Bucks have 4857 yards rushing and 65 touchdowns on the ground.

Lions’ coach Joe Rossi says of the Bucks, “Their offensive line resembles a small college (line) and

the backs do a good job finding the holes.”

Senior quarterback Eric DeLuccie has completed 52 of the 81 passes he has thrown for 579 yards and four touchdowns. If the Lions can force the Bucks to throw it might behoove them as DeLuccie has thrown five interceptions on the year.

Joe Rossi says this game boils down like they all do, “We will need to get off the field on defense and give our offense possessions. They (Dunmore) will try to take the air out of it.”

Often times throughout the season I am reminded how glad I am that Joe Rossi already has a job and won’t come after mine.

CLAIRTON BEARS (15-0) vs Bishop Guilfoyle Marauders (15-0) AT Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey on Friday, December 12th at 1:00pm broadcast on the MSA Sports Network and WFBG-AM 1290 by Rich DeLeo and Paul Engleman

The only match-up featuring a pair of unbeaten teams will kick-off the weekend in Hershey. The Bears seek their 5^th championship in six years and the Marauders look for their first-ever state title.

The numbers jump out at you for the Bears in a big way. Clairton is the all-time scoring champion for a season in the history of the state of Pennsylvania with 940 points here in the 2014 campaign. That is good enough for 2^nd all-time in the NATION!

Senior quarterback Ryan Williams has completed 146 of 260 passes for a Clairton record 2877 yards, he has thrown for 39 touchdowns.

Jamie Hines has 37 catches for a team-high 950 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns, but if you try to double him you have to deal with Aaron Matthews who has a team-high 39 catches for 706 yards and eight touchdowns. But, enough about your troubles in the secondary because, you have got to try and stop the run as well.

How about trying to hold down the leading single-season rusher in the history of Clairton Bears football? That is a pretty storied history. Wade, just a sophomore, has carried the ball 198 times for 2550 yards. He has also caught 19 passes for 367 yards. Wade has 45 touchdowns on the year and another 20 two point conversions. He has scored 310 points on the season. That means (I used to love doing this with Tyler Boyd’s stats), Wade has scored more points than 88 teams scored in the WPIAL this season.

Harrison Dreher is a force on the ground for the Bears as well with 825 yards rushing and he has scored 17 touchdowns.

Defensively the Bears are… the Bears, Raymone Clifford has a team-high 78 tackles, how about my favorite stat the TFL or tackle-for-loss. The Bears have an astounding 103 tackles behind the line of scrimmage led by Jyleel Hall’s 15. Donnie Alexander has seven sacks on the year. The Bears will take it from you if you put it in the air as well. Clairton has 19 interceptions led by Wade’s six on the year.

Special thanks to a great friend of Big Game Hunting and the MSA Sports Network Jim Wessel for helping us out with the Bears stats.

Rinky has Da’ Bears rolling in the first year of his second stint as their head coach, can they finish it against a very good and also unbeaten Bishop Guilfoyle team?

The Marauders have 44 players on the roster considerably more than will dress for the Bears on Friday, but the Bears have shown in the past over and over that it is quality not quantity that counts.

Guilfoyle is quarterbacked by senior Brandon Chadbourn who is a dual threat. Chadbourn has completed 81 of 132 passes for 1499 yards and 14 touchdowns. He has also rushed it for 1052 yards and a dozen scores. Chadbourne rushed for 147 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the Marauders’ semifinal win over South Williamsport 28-21.

Senior Sam McCloskey has 198 carries for 2111 yards and a team-high 40 touchdowns.

Matt Gormley is the leading receiver for Guilfoyle with 33 catches for 428 yards and seven scores.

Senior defensive lineman Andrew Berger leads the Guifoyle defense with 162 tackles including 36 TFLs.

Berger has recorded 19.5 of the Marauders 50 sacks.

Guilfoyle has 22 interceptions on the season with Evan Chadbourne recording a team-high six.

Let the games begin!

Tags: Central Valley, Clairton