WPIAL Class 2A championship preview capsule: South Side vs. Steel Valley

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, November 23, 2018 | 3:24 PM

WPIAL Class 2A championship

No. 8 South Side (10-3) vs. No. 3 Steel Valley (11-1)

Noon Saturday, Robert Morris University’s Joe Walton Stadium

On the air: KDKA-TV; 1230 AM, 1460 AM; TribHSSN.triblive.com

Coaches: Luke Travelpiece, South Side; Rod Steele, Steel Valley

Winner plays: The winner of District 9 champion Ridgway and District 10 champion Wilmington in the PIAA semifinals Nov. 30 or Dec. 1.

WPIAL titles: South Side 2 (1970, ‘99); Steel Valley 4 (1982, ‘88, ‘89, 2016)

How they got here: Three Rivers Conference runner-up South Side defeated No. 9 McGuffey, 36-27, No. 1 Shady Side Academy, 32-16, and No. 4 Charleroi, 26-21. Allegheny Conference runner-up Steel Valley beat No. 14 Beth-Center, 49-0, No. 6 Washington, 39-7, and No. 7 Freedom, 40-0.

Statistical leaders

Passing: SSB: Trenton Seik, 53-92, 603 yards, 5 TDs, 3 INTs; SV: Ronnell Lawrence, 60-121, 1,054 yards, 12 TDs, 12 INTs

Rushing: SSB: Jake Botkin, 236-1,587 yards, 22 TDs; SV: Kam Williams, 202-1,809 yards, 22 TDS

Receiving: SSB: Jake McDougal, 36-544 yards, 3 TDs; SV: Eshawn Carter, 18-491 yards, 8 TDs

Notable: Steel Valley won the 2016 WPIAL championship before losing to Washington in last year’s title game. The Ironmen defeated South Side, 53-6, in the regular-season finale at Campbell Field. In that game, Steel Valley’s Todd Hill ran for 274 yards and four touchdowns. Hill has rushed for 1,618 yards and 30 TDs this season and forms a formidable backfield with Williams. … South Side’s offense revolves around a potent rushing attack, led by Botkin’s 1,587 yards on 236 carries, an average of 6.7 yards per tote. Derek Franchek, Jordan Bruce and Anthony Navarra all have rushed for more than 450 yards. Botkin’s 11-yard TD run in the fourth quarter last week sealed the semifinal victory over Charleroi. The Rams ran for 404 yards in the win.

Probable lineups

Steel Valley

Starting offense

QB, 4, Ronnell Lawrence, 6-0, 160, sr.

FB, 9, Todd Hill, 5-9, 230, sr.

RB, 5, Kameron Williams, 6-0, 185, sr.

LT, 58, Joseph Kraft, 5-10, 225, sr.

LG, 55, Diego Bledsoe, 5-10, 235, so.

C, 75, Robert Fowler, 5-7, 150, so.

RG, 51, Dionte Williams, 6-0, 230, jr.

RT, 59, Riont’e Carter, 5-9, 230, jr.

TE, 8, Nahki Johnson, 6-3, 210, so.

WR, 2, Shaun Meadows, 5-7, 130, sr.

WR, 3, Eshawn Carter, 5-9, 155, so.

K, 37, Brady Miller, 5-7, 155, sr.

Starting defense

DE, 8, Nahki Johnson, 6-3, 210, so.

NT, 59, Riont’e Carter, 5-9, 230, jr.

DE, 58, Joseph Kraft, 5-10, 225, sr.

OLB, 55, Diego Bledsoe, 5-10, 235, so.

OLB, 51, Dionte Williams, 6-0, 230, jr.

ILB, 5, Kameron Williams, 6-0, 185, sr.

ILB, 9, Todd Hill, 5-9, 230, sr.

CB, 3, Eshawn Carter, 5-9, 155, so.

CB, 7, Darnel Youngblood, 5-6, 140, sr.

S, 4, Ronnell Lawrence, 6-0, 160, sr.

S, 2, Shaun Meadows, 5-7, 130, sr.

P, 37, Brady Miller, 5-7, 155, sr.

South Side

Starting offense

QB, 1, Treton Seik, 6-3, 175, jr.

RB, 34, Jake Botkin, 5-11, 195, sr.

HB, 8, Derek Franchek, 6-0, 195, sr.

HB, 5, Anthony Navarro, 5-7, 155, jr.

HB, 28, Jordan Bruce, 5-9, 180, sr.

LT, 20, Devin Ross, 6-0, 190, so.

LG, 50, Josh Hillard, 6-1, 215, sr.

C, 63, Nick Myak, 6-4, 220, sr.

RG, 57, Nick Weaver, 5-10, 200, sr.

RT, 77, John Olszewski, 6-0, 205, sr.

TE, 11, Brandon Barber, 6-3, 200, jr.

WR, 10, Jake McDougal, 6-0, 175, sr.

K, 19, Calli Grimplin, 5-3, 125, sr.

Starting defense

DE, 11, Brandon Barber, 6-3, 200, jr.

DT, 50, Josh Hillard, 6-1, 215, sr.

DT, 77, John Olszewski, 6-0, 205, sr.

DE, 34, Jake Botkin, 5-11, 195, sr.

OLB, 9, Ajay Cooper, 5-9, 155, sr.

ILB, 63, Nick Myak, 6-4, 220, sr.

OLB, 20, Devin Ross, 6-0, 190, so.

CB, 28, Jordan Bruce, 5-9, 180, sr.

CB, 21, Jake Sargent, 5-11, 160, sr.

CB, 5, Anthony Navarra, 5-7, 155, jr.

SS, 35, Gabe Hample, 6-0, 180, jr.

FS, 22, Nate Roy, 5-10, 160, sr.

P, 10, Jake McDougal, 6-0, 175, sr.

Bill Hartlep is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Bill at bhartlep@tribweb.com or via Twitter @TribHSInsider.

Tags: South Side, Steel Valley