QB Cole Spencer sets Pine-Richland TD pass record in win over South Fayette

By: Shawn Annarelli
Friday, October 30, 2020 | 11:05 PM

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Cole Spencer and Eli Jochem quietly played catch on the sideline in their sophomore season while Pine-Richland played defense, getting in as many throws as possible before trying to replicate their connection on offense.

It wasn’t obvious at the time, but the two would become one of the most explosive aerial combinations WPIAL has ever seen.

Jump forward two years later, and Spencer dinked and dunked all over South Fayette’s defense in a game-opening drive until he found Jochem again, this time for a 9-yard touchdown that got the ball rolling in a 47-7 victory in the Class 5A quarterfinals Friday night.

The score set a new program record of 73 career touchdown passes, surpassing Ben DiNucci’s 72 scoring strikes and Phil Jurkovec’s 71.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling, especially with the two guys before me who are incredible,” Spencer said. “I knew last week I needed six more touchdowns. I got five at Kiski and the first one here to Eli, which was the perfect way to do it.”

Spencer connected with Jochem twice more for scores, giving him 75 career passing touchdowns, and finished the game completing 14 of 18 passes for 170 yards. He added a fourth touchdown on a 5-yard run.

“This night means a lot, because Cole is a great quarterback,” Jochem said. “I don’t know what I’d do without him. We just have a special connection that works.”

Spencer wasn’t the only Rams player with a memorable night.

Defensive end Miguel Jackson set a program record with his 30th career sack.

Jackson led a Rams defense that forced five three-and-outs and two interceptions in the first half, stifling South Fayette’s typically efficient offense. Jochem returned one of the interceptions 51 yards for another touchdown to help put the Rams up 41-0 at halftime.

The top-seeded Rams (7-0) held Lions quarterback Naman Alemada, a 2019 Class 4A All-State selection, to 44 passing yards in the first half and Shay Aitken, who averaged more than 80 yards per game going into the playoffs, to 26 yards before the break.

“I feel our defense gets outshined by our offense, and no one recognizes how good our defense is,” Jochem said. “We’re great on defense, and Coach (Eric Kasperowicz) always has a great scheme each week. We have a lot of playmakers with our defensive line, linebackers and DBs. We’re all-around solid.”

The eighth-seeded Lions (4-4) found their rhythm with a five-play, 61-yard drive to start the third quarter. Alemada connected with Ryan McGuire for a 31-yard touchdown pass, cutting the Rams’ lead to 41-7.

“Pine-Richland is a different animal, a great program with a lot of great seniors,” South Fayette coach Joe Rossi said. “We were able to muster up a drive when no one has been able to move the football on them all year. We knew it’d be a challenge. We got some stops early, but the wheels fell off with that pick-six.”

Pine-Richland will play No. 4 Penn Trafford in the Class 5A semifinals.

Watch an archived broadcast of this game on Trib HSSN.

Tags: Pine-Richland, South Fayette