WPIAL Class 5A football final primer: Gateway vs. Peters Township

By: Chris Harlan
Friday, November 22, 2019 | 4:47 PM

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WPIAL Class 5A championship

No. 2 Gateway (11-2) vs. No. 5 Peters Township (12-1)

6 p.m. Saturday, Norwin Knights Stadium

On the air: TribHSSN.triblive.com; 95.3 FM

Coaches: Don Holl, Gateway; T.J. Plack, Peters Township

Winner plays: The winner of District 12 champion Archbishop Wood (9-3) in the PIAA semifinals Nov. 29-30.

WPIAL titles: Gateway 6 (1969, ‘72, ‘74, ‘85, ‘86, 2017); Peters Township 0

Gateway

Player to watch

Derrick Davis

Junior, 6-1, 190, RB/LB

One of the nation’s top prospects, Davis has rushed for nearly 1,500 yards and scored 30 touchdowns this season. The four-start prospect has offers from Alabama, Clemson, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, LSU, Michigan, Oklahoma, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Pitt, among others.

Statistical leaders

Passing: Bryson Venanzio, 161-270, 2,375 yards, 26 TDs, 7 INTs

Rushing: Derrick Davis, 165-1,420 yards, 30 TDs; Venanzio, 96-214 yards, 1 TD

Receiving: Davis, 36-547 yards, 30 TDs; Tui Faumuina-Brown, 34-494 yards, 6 TDs

How they got here

Regular season

46 Mt. Lebanon 20

7 at Penn-Trafford 28

44 Plum 0

49 at Latrobe 0

49 Ringgold 0

40 at North Hills 7

31 Franklin Regional 0

12 at Massillon, Ohio 48

48 Connellsville 7

36 at McKeesport 7

WPIAL playoffs

35 Shaler 21

17 Bethel Park 13

14 McKeesport 7

Probable starting lineup

Offense

RB, 8, Derrick Davis, 6-1, 190, Jr.

QB, 13, Bryson Venanzio, 5-10, 180, Sr.

WR, 4, Patrick Body, 6-1, 175, So.

WR, 5, Jayden Hurt, 6-1, 180, Jr.

WR, 9 Chamor Price, 6-1, 175, Jr.

TE, 15, Tui Faumuina-Brown, 6-3, 215, Sr.

OT, 55 Jacques Taylor, 6-1, 240, Jr.

OG, Kelvon Nelson, 6-0, 225, Jr.

C, 72, Patrick Bauman, 6-0, 278, Jr.

OG, 71, Dom Pascarella, 6-2, 245, Jr.

OT, 70, Pete Zlokas, 6-3, 271, Sr.

K, 22, Jayson Jenkins, 5-7, 150, Jr.

Defense

DE, 55, Jacques Taylor, 6-1, 240, Jr.

DT, 54, Kelvon Nelson, 6-0, 225, Jr.

DE, 52, James McClinton, 5-10, 225, Sr.

OLB, 15, Tui Faumuina-Brown, 6-3, 215, Sr.

ILB, 10, Jordan Stancovich, 5-10, 205, Sr.

ILB, 37, Jay Johnson, 5-11, 210, Sr.

OLB, 8, Derrick Davis, 6-1, 190, Jr.

CB, 3, Sonny Comunale, 5-11, 177, Sr.

CB, 2, Shayne Thrift, 6-0, 170, Jr.

S, 11, Zach Smith, 5-10, 160, Sr.

P, 22, Jayson Jenkins, 5-7, 150, Jr.

Peters Township

Player to watch

Ryan Magiske

Senior, 5-10, 190, RB/S

Magiske has run for nearly 1,300 yards and carried the ball more than 200 times in helping Peters Township reach the WPIAL championship game.

Statistical leaders

Passing: Logan Pfeuffer, 136-213, 2,121 yards, 24 TDs, 3 INTs

Rushing: Ryan Magiske, 214-1,276 yards, 17 TDs; Josh Casilli, 29-333 yards, 22 TDs

Receiving: Casilli, 47-562 yards, 22 TDs; Aidan McCall, 24-364 yards, 6 TDs

How they got here

Regular season

45 Fox Chapel 0

29 Upper St. Clair 21

26 at Woodland Hills 0

23 West Allegheny 7

38 North Hills 14

35 at Canon-McMillan 3

13 at Moon 21

43 Chartiers Valley 14

30 at Bethel Park 7

38 at Baldwin 0

WPIAL playoffs

47 Mars 6

33 Moon 7

28 Penn-Trafford 10

Probable starting lineup

Offense

QB, 8, Logan Pfeuffer, 6-1, 170, jr.

RB, 35, Ryan Magiske, 5-10, 190, sr.

WR, 5, Josh Casilli, 6-1, 185, sr.

WR, 19, Breylen Carrington, 5-10, 165, jr.

WR, 3, Donovan McMillon, 6-1, 180, jr.

TE, 10, Corban Hondru, 6-1, 230, jr.

T, 54, David DiCio, 5-11, 250, jr.

G, 63, Dylan Wente, 5-10, 240, jr.

C, 65, Zach Magnotti, 5-10, 215, sr.

G, 55, Ethan Spangenberg, 5-11, 220, jr.

T, 50, Austin McKinnon, 6-0, 240, jr.

K, 17, Andrew Massucci, 5-10, 170, so.

Defense

DL, 50, Austin McKinnon, 6-0, 240, jr.

DL, 65, Zach Magnotti, 5-10, 215, sr.

DL, 55, Ethan Spangenberg, 5-11, 220, jr.

SLB, 7, Nico Pate, 6-0, 180, so.

WLB, 28, Reed Scott, 5-11, 190, sr.

MLB, 10, Corban Hondru, 6-1, 230, jr.

CB, 5, Josh Casilli, 6-1, 185, sr.

CB, 2, Aidan McCall, 5-9, 165, sr.

S, 20, Adrian Williams, 5-9, 175, sr.

S, 35, Ryan Magiske, 5-10, 190, sr.

S, 3, Donovan McMillon, 6-1, 180, jr.

P, 10, Corban Hondru, 6-1, 230, jr.

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.

Tags: Gateway, Peters Township