Ligonier Valley preps for another challenge in PIAA quarterfinals

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, November 23, 2017 | 8:36 PM

One thing the Ligonier Valley football team does to prepare for an opponent is head to the classroom.

There, the coordinators set up the game plan for the upcoming game, and the players watch film.

It's their responsibility, said Ligonier Valley coach Roger Beitel, to view the upcoming opponent and be ready to ask questions.

So before a lifting session Monday, Beitel, his staff and players went to the classroom to talk about Dunmore, the same team the Rams defeated 39-19 in the PIAA Class 2A quarterfinals in 2016.

The teams, both 13-0, square off at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at Hersheypark Stadium, with the winner playing Southern Columbia or Neumann-Goretti in the semifinals.

Beitel was happy to win the team's second consecutive District 6 title last Saturday, even though the Rams didn't play their best game, defeating Bishop McCort Catholic, 19-12.

“I'm not happy with my coaching in the preparation for Bishop McCort,” Beitel said. “I kind of let our kids down, and I was disappointed in their performance. I felt they could have performed a lot better.

“There are a lot of things we have to clean up. We're very happy with the job we did on the field and very happy with the championship.”

While Dunmore lost its top running backs in Kyle Lasher and Colin Holmes, the Bucks return quarterback Gavin Darcy and the entire offensive line.

“They are not going to change what they like to do, run the football,” Beitel said. “The coach has been there forever.”

But with Darcy, a PIAA champion javelin thrower, at quarterback, the Bucks have thrown more this year. The Penn State track and field recruit has completed 67 of 117 passes for 1,385 yards and 26 touchdowns.

Senior Nate Fanigo has 26 catches for 658 yards and nine touchdowns, and senior tight end Noah O'Malley has 18 catches for 286 yards. Sophomore Steve Borgia has 14 catches for 324 yards and eight scores.

They have four running backs with at least 433 rushing yards. Senior Frank Damiano leads the way with 578 yards and 14 touchdowns.

“They are not as one-dimensional as they were last year. They are looking to push the ball downfield,” Beitel said. “No. 13 (Borgia) might have played the game of his life: a touchdown reception and two or three interceptions.”

Senior center Michael McVicker faces a daunting task. He will line up against one of the top nose guards in the state: junior Jake Sawka.

“We should have more confidence when we play them,” McVicker said. “We've played them before, and we know how to prepare for them and what to expect.

“They are big and strong up front. But we've learned how to maneuver them around and move bigger opponents.”

Dunmore coach Jack Henzes said last year he was surprised how quick Ligonier Valley was and that the Rams' speed was tough to match.

Quarterback Collin Smith (West Virginia) tossed four touchdown passes, three to then-junior Jackson Daugherty, and ran for a score.

Smith is gone, but Daugherty, who scored all three touchdowns against Bishop McCort, is back, along with junior Aaron Tutino.

“We are going to have our hands full,” Henzes said. “They have a lot of playmakers. If we don't block them, we're not going to beat them. That's what happened last year.

“They are well coached. And it's going to be a battle.”

Daugherty, who lines up in the backfield as a running back or quarterback and at wide receiver, has rushed for a team-high 1,043 yards, completed 24 of 32 passes for 515 yards and eight touchdowns and caught 40 passes for 857 yards. He's scored 29 touchdowns.

Tutino, who also lines up at running back, has caught 52 passes for 1,018 yards and 16 touchdowns. He's rushed for 321 yards and has 24 total touchdowns.

Senior running back Aaron Sheeder has rushed for 926 yards and has 13 touchdowns. Junior quarterback John Caldwell, who was intercepted for the first time this season against Bishop McCort, has completed 75 of 114 passes for 1,363 yards and 19 touchdowns.

Beitel said the team had a list of goals to start the season: win the Heritage Conference, win the Appalachian Bowl and win the District 6 title. They accomplished all three.

“There are still goals unchecked,” Beitel said. “I'm going to talk to them about what winners do. They try to take three more steps. We have three more steps to do something that no one else in the school has done.”

Paul Schofield is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at pschofield@tribweb.com or via Twitter @Schofield_Trib.

Tags: Ligonier Valley