George Guido: 1997 Riverview football team makes coach’s championship prediction come true

By: HSSN Staff
Wednesday, December 27, 2017 | 1:36 PM

After WPIAL Class A championship game appearances in two of the previous three seasons, the 1997 Riverview Raiders struggled to a 3-3 record and were on the verge of not making the playoffs — let alone returning to Three Rivers Stadium.

Next on the schedule was date against Clairton, the state's No. 1 team. Riverview was coming off a 12-9 loss against Wilkinsburg.

Suddenly, everything clicked.

“One of our greatest practices was that Wednesday before the Clairton game,” quarterback Justin Dudczak said. “We had some injuries and tough losses. A group of us seniors and the coaches came together.”

Coach Jake Cappa told the team if it defeated Clairton and Greensburg Central Catholic the following week, they would win the WPIAL title.

The Raiders took the first step by defeating Clairton, 24-13. A 10-yard touchdown pass from Dudczak to fullback Will Anderson gave Riverview a 21-13 halftime lead.

“Jake gave us a great motivational speech,” tailback Lucas Heakins said. “We held Clairton in check and really came together as a team.”

Next was a trip to Greensburg Central. The Raiders had to deal the hoopla surrounding the first night game at Centurions Stadium.

The nocturnal atmosphere didn't affect Riverview as the Raiders took a 13-0 halftime lead. Heakins ran 91 yards on the first play from scrimmage in the second half, and Riverview was on its way to a 28-14 victory.

The Raiders clinched a playoff berth the following week against Leechburg, 39-6, and opened the playoffs at home against Brentwood.

The Riverview defense staged a goal-line stand against the Spartans in the first quarter and was never threatened again. Heakins ran for a career-high 238 yards, and the Raiders cruised to a 22-0 victory.

Next was a visit to Tri-County South Conference champion California. With a heavy rainfall at Boosters Field, the score was tied 7-7 at halftime. But a fourth-down conversion early in the third quarter led to a 3-yard scoring run by Dudczak. Heakins later returned a punt 72 yards and the Raiders advanced with a 29-7 victory.

“Because of the elements, we ran the ball and ran it successfully,” Heakins said. “I had that punt return, and Will Anderson was unbelievable for us.”

California collected just five first downs against the Riverview defense.

In the semifinals against South Side Beaver at Montour, the game was up for grabs with 1 minute, 11 seconds left when Chad Beynon's hit on South Side Beaver receiver Jacob Woodling resulted in a fumble and Dudczak recovered. The Raiders secured another trip to the WPIAL title game, this time against Fort Cherry.

At Three Rivers Stadium, the Raiders abandoned the running game just three times. But one of those passes was a 52-yarder from Dudczak to Beynon, giving the Raiders a 19-7 advantage with 10:36 left in the game. Riverview withstood a late rally for a 19-14 victory.

“They had beaten Farrell the week before,” Heakins said of the Rangers. “We outplayed them from start to finish.”

“It was like a dream come true,” Dudczak said. “I got to go to Three Rivers three times, and we finally got the monkey off coach Cappa's back.”

Cappa's prediction of a WPIAL title came true with his team's seventh consecutive victory.

“So people were writing us off after the Wilkinsburg game, saying we had fallen from the top,” Cappa told reporters after the game. “Now, we're at the top.”

The Riverview ride finally ended the following week as the Raiders lost 18-0 to Sharpsville in the PIAA semifinals at Erie Veterans Stadium.

Dudczak has been teaching for 15 years in the Pittsburgh Public Schools system.

Heakins finished his career with a school's fifth consecutive semifinal appearance in 1998. He rushed for a career total of 4,276 yards, best in Alle-Kiski Valley history until Zane Dudek of Armstrong took over in 2016.

Cappa retired from coaching after the 2001 season and died in 2014 at age 68.

The team has remained close the past two decades. There were 26 former players and assistant coaches that came to a team reunion Sept. 29 when the Raiders played Springdale.

George Guido is a Valley News Dispatch scholastic sports correspondent. His column appears Wednesdays.