Farrell fends off Seton LaSalle comeback bid in PIAA Class 2A semifinals

By: Brennan Valladares
Saturday, November 29, 2025 | 5:26 PM

Juelz Johnson had already gone over 100 yards with a touchdown in the first half of the PIAA Class 2A semifinals Saturday. His team was rolling against the WPIAL champions, Seton LaSalle, building a big halftime lead.

But after a Kymarr Freeman touchdown to start the fourth, the Steelers’ lead was down to one score with 11 minutes to play. That’s when Farrell quarterback Aaron Pegues turned to the guy he knew who could get the job done.

“The trust we have for each other is unmatchable,” Johnson said. “He knows if he gets it to me, I’m going to get that job done.”

Johnson did get the job done.

After rushing for 66 yards on Farrell’s sixth drive of the game, Johnson pulled down the game-sealing touchdown pass. He added a 49-yard score on his next touch, giving Farrell the 40-19 win over Seton LaSalle at Helling Stadium in Ellwood City.

Johnson’s 49-yard score put him over 200 yards (240) for the game and was one of his three total touchdowns for Farrell (12-2).

“My blockers up front, man, they made a clear path for me,” Johnson said of his 49-yard score. “The hole was so wide open. I just seen green, touchdown. (I) knew nobody was catching me.”

Seton LaSalle (12-2) trailed 24-0 in the second quarter after Farrell’s Dey’mar Cain intercepted Kia Jones and ran it back for a 78-yard touchdown.

The Rebels got the ball back with 3:35 left in the half. Led by Jones, who finished with nine completions for 86 yards, Seton LaSalle went 56 yards for its first score of the game – a Jones 13-yard run.

After punting on its first drive of the second half, Seton LaSalle rode Freeman down the field for its second score of the game. The Rebels’ running back tallied 36 yards on the scoring drive, setting up Will Martin’s lone touchdown of the game to make it 24-13 with 4:05 left in the third.

Seton LaSalle then recovered an onside kick, setting itself up at the Farrell 47-yard line.

The Rebels chewed up the clock, holding the ball from the 4:04 mark in the third until 11:08 was left in the fourth. In 12 plays, Seton LaSalle went the distance, with Freeman – who totaled 136 yards on 28 carries – diving into the end zone for his lone touchdown of the day.

Seeing its 24-0 lead get trimmed to 24-19, Farrell responded with its own long drive (nine plays and 4:31 of game time) and capped it off with Pegues’ touchdown pass to Johnson.

“I knew I had to rally my offense together,” Pegues said of the touchdown pass. “Look them in their heart and tell them, ‘Let’s go score. Let’s go make history.’”

To start the game, Johnson broke out a 66-yard run to place the Steelers at the Seton LaSalle 1-yard line. Farrell turned to Johnson again in the red zone, and he powered his way into the end zone and scored the two-point conversion.

The Steelers held the Rebels scoreless in the first quarter, highlighted by Johnson’s blocked field goal attempt. Farrell then took over on its own 22 to start the second. Twelve plays and 61 yards later, Pegues found Dorean Cain for a 24-yard touchdown pass to give the Steelers a 14-0 lead. Johnson then rushed in one of his four two-point conversions.

Farrell advances to take on Southern Columbia on Friday for the PIAA Class 2A championship.

This won’t be the first time the schools have played each other. The Steelers downed the Tigers in the 1995 state title game, 6-0. Pegues will have a chance to be coached by the man who led that 1995 team to the title, his father, Anthony.

“It’s going to be very special because my dad played against (Southern Columbia’s) head coach,” Aaron Pegues said. “So it’s going to be real, real exciting. Get to play in that type of atmosphere.”

Kickoff for the Class 2A title game is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Cumberland Valley High School.

Tags: Seton La Salle