Charleroi prepares for South Side’s Wing-T attack in Class 2A semifinals

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, November 15, 2018 | 8:54 PM

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Despite the fact the Charleroi football team has put itself in a once-in-a-lifetime situation, coach Lance Getsy and the Cougars are keeping things status quo.

The Cougars (10-1) will continue their business-like march through the WPIAL playoffs as they prepare to face South Side (9-3) in a WPIAL Class 2A semifinal at Canon-McMillan at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

“I think reminding them on a daily basis of what’s in front of them is a good thing,” Getsy said. “We want them to remember what it’s taken to get here. They know they have to continue working hard to achieve their goal.”

Standing in the Cougars’ way this week are the Rams, who entered the playoffs as the No. 8 seed.

South Side knocked off No. 1 Shady Side Academy last week, 32-16. The Indians played their second game without stud quarterback Skyy Moore, who underwent surgery for a broken ankle suffered in the opening week of the playoffs.

“They’re a very disciplined team, and they’re very good at running the offense they do,” Getsy said of the Rams. “They’re going to keep you guessing. It’s another one of those Beaver County teams, real hard-nosed and tough. They have a really strong runner in the backfield, a good receiver on the outside they like to run a lot of play-action to.”

The Rams play a Wing-T offense.

“They’re very good at what they do, similar to McGuffey but some differences,” Getsy said. “But they’re going to show us more formations than McGuffey did.”

Getsy said playing McGuffey — who the Rams beat in the first round, 36-27 — helps his team when it comes to playing assignment football against an offense like the Wing T.

“Every game, though, is different,” Getsy said. “We’ll still have different keys to identify. We break down the film each week, so we’re still teaching a new defense for every game.”

The Rams are led by running back Jake Botkin, who ripped off a 73-yard touchdown run on the opening play against Shady Side Academy last week.

Botkin has run for 1,447 yards this season. He’s averaging nearly 7 yards per carry and has 20 touchdowns.

The ringleader for the Rams is quarterback Trenton Seik. He’s completed 51 of 86 passes for 594 yards. His favorite target on the outside is Jake McDougal, who has 36 catches for 544 yards this season.

“They’ll try to mix in some passes to catch you off guard,” Getsy said. “But without a doubt, they’re going to try to keep us off the field offensively. That’s what everyone’s goal has been all season. They want to limit the time we have the ball.

“Our defense has to come out and hit and get them off the field.”

Offensively, the Cougars are led by Robert Morris commit Geno Pellegrini.

Pellegrini has completed 111 of his 178 pass attempts this season. In the Cougars’ win over Mohawk last week, Pellegrini went over 2,000 yards through the air this season. He’s thrown 30 touchdowns to only five interceptions.

Dakota Romantino has 47 catches this season and needs only 108 yards to go over 1,000 on the season.

Legend Davis and Hunter Perry also have been key targets. Davis has caught 31 passes for 582 yards while Perry, who can line up anywhere on the field, has caught 20 passes for 521 yards.

The Cougars have been without 1,000-yard rusher Brayden Mihalcin the past two games, so it was Perry carrying the load. The Cougars didn’t miss a beat.

Perry finished with four touchdowns against Mohawk, three on the ground.

“We all know what type of player he is,” Getsy said of Perry. “He does so many things, and he does them well. If I asked him to go play guard this week, there’s no doubt he’d go out there and do it well. That’s why football is the greatest sport, because it’s the consummate team sport.

“We needed Hunter last week. For these kids, it doesn’t matter who scores the touchdowns. We take what the defenses give us and the kids do their job. Look at all the weapons we have. I think it’s really a credit to these players and how selfless they are.”

Mihalcin should be able to go this week, Getsy said.

The Cougars last advanced to the semifinals in 1981. They’re looking to advance to the championship game for the first time in 59 years. They won the Class 3A title in 1959.

“We’re practicing like every other week,” Getsy said. “We believe in routines. We’re sticking to ours. The players know what they’re a part of, and they know what it’s taken to get here and what it’s going to take to move on.”

Jeremy Sellew is a Mon Valley Independent staff writer.

Tags: Charleroi, South Side