Road to Hershey Recaps: PIAA Football Friday Night

By: Bruce Markey
Friday, November 29, 2013 | 11:30 PM

Two of the four winners on the Highway to Heinz began their journey Friday night on the Road to Hershey. For one experienced traveler, it was deja-vu from 2012 and a short trip in the state playoffs, but for the rookie squad heading out for the first time in the PIAA football postseason, the first ride was very enjoyable. Here are recaps from the two PIAA Football Playoff games involving WPIAL champions from Friday night.

PIAA CLASS AAA QUARTERFINALS:

Erie Cathedral Prep Ramblers 28 – West Allegheny Indians 0
Billy Fessler threw two first-half scoring passes leading Cathedral Prep to a 28-0 win over West Allegheny Friday night. Fessler has now thrown for 41 touchdowns for the Ramblers (13-0).  ECP converted all five third down opportunities in the first half, all on the opening drive, including Fessler's 8-yard-slant touchdown pass to Alex Greenawalt.  The Ramblers covered 60 on 15 plays for the score.  After a West Allegheny punt, Felix Manus-Schell snared a screen pass, split two defenders and raced 28 yards to the house. Bryce Boyd blocked a punt late in the third, the ball run 9 yards
for a touchdown by William Norfolk.  Michael Parker's 3-yard TD run closed the scoring halfway through the fourth.  West Allegheny struggled to move the ball, playing without Chayse Dillon who suffered a late-game ankle injury in the WPIAL Finals.  The Indians, held to 8 total yards in the first quarter and just 40 in the half, were shut out for the first time since the 2005 WPIAL Semifinals loss to Thomas Jefferson, 35-0.  West Allegheny finished with 170 total yards, 18 on the ground.  ECP rolled up 397 yards, 188 rushing, led by Parker's 63 yards on a dozen carries.  Fessler was 16-of-23 for 209 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.  Tory Delmonico
ran 15 times for 41 yards for West Allegheny. Andrew Koester passed 14-of-24 for 152 yards and one interception.

PIAA CLASS A QUARTERFINALS:

Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic Trojans 48 – Tussey Mountain Titans 7
Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic overcame an early deficit to score 48 unanswered points in its victory over Tussey Mountain on Friday night at Hampton High School. With the win, Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic advances to the PIAA Class A semifinals. The Trojans were led by Jerome Turner, who scored three rushing touchdowns. Freshman running back Mario Latronica also provided a spark, as he accounted for 190 yards and a score on 17 carries. Tussey Mountain, the District 5 champions, gained an early advantage when Daniel Taylor scored on a 66 yard run. Turner answered later in the first quarter with a 14 yard touchdown, however, and the Trojans scored 28 points in the second quarter to take control of the contest. Quarterback PJ Fulmore ran only four times for 40 yards, but connected with Ronnie Meder for a 50 yard touchdown pass late in the first half. The Trojans enacted the mercy rule early in the third quarter on a defensive score, one of five turnovers the North Catholic defense forced on the evening. Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic will face the winner of Lakeview and Clarion.

Tags: Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic, North Catholic, West Allegheny