PIAA CLASS A CHAMPIONSHIP
OLD FORGE BLUE DEVILS VS. NORTH CATHOLIC TROJANS
1 p.m. FRIDAY, HERSHEYPARK STADIUM
RECORDS: District 2 Old Forge 14-1; District 7 North Catholic 15-0
KEYS TO VICTORY FOR THE BLUE DEVILS
1. Another healthy dose of running back Brandon Yescavage. Mike Schuback's Blue Devils won't try to dazzle you, they'll just look to pound on you with a big, strong offensive line and Yescavage putting his head down and charging ahead. He's done it 297 times this season for 2,594 yards with 44 touchdowns. If Yescavage gets going downhill, Old Forge's chances of winning state gold will increase dramatically.
2. Shutting down those running alleys starting with tackle Joe Bruno and continuing with aggressive linebackers Shane Schuback, Jorden Sekol and Corey Souryavong. This unit did a tremendous job of keeping Steel-High's offense in check, surrendering just three big plays in in the 26-7 semifinal win last Saturday.
KEYS TO VICTORY FOR THE TROJANS
1. Arguably the best offensive line of any Class A team in the state, this group, which consists of left tackle Ryan Long, left guard Nick Nyman, center Dylan Grieco, right guard Joshua Chruchin and right tackle Joe Sadler, pounded its way through the WPIAL playoffs and opened up big running holes for tailback Jerome Turner and wildcat quarterback P.J. Fulmore.
2. North Catholic also packs a darn good defense. The Trojans, behind senior linemen Long and Jarred Fragapane, shut down Sto-Rox to capture its first ever WPIAL championship. They kept it rolling with convincing state playoff wins against Tussey Mountain and Clarion. The next challenge is keeping Yescavage in check.
WORD ON THE STREET:
“Our last four or five games we’ve really run the gauntlet of really good programs. Each one of them has won a state championship and has enormous tradition. Beating Southern Columbia was a huge stepping stone for us.” --- Old Forge coach Mike Schuback
“We played a tough in-conference schedule. When you play Sto-Rox in the WPIAL final and control the quarterback in Lenny Williams that says something. When you face good competition your players rise to the occasion.” --- North Catholic coach Bob Ravenstahl
QUICK HITS:
-Old Forge is looking to become the first District 2 team since Dunmore (1989) to capture a PIAA Class A championship
-In postseason victories over Northwest, Dunmore, Southern Columbia, Schuylkill Haven and Steel-High, Old Forge has surrendered no more than 14 points in a game.
-North Catholic, like Old Forge is making its first ever state final appearance, and the Trojans have made their way through the postseason without starting quarterback Adam Sharlow, who went down with an injury in week eight. Fulmore has stepped in nicely from tailback and adds another element of versatility to the offense.
-NC coach Bob Ravenstahl inherited a 1-9 team in 2006 and has progressively reached new levels of success in his eight seasons at the helm. The Trojans had lost the previous two WPIAL Class A finals to eventual state champion Clairton.
SHAY'S PICK: North Catholic 15, Old Forge 6
EPLER'S PICK: Old Forge 26, North Catholic 21
PIAA Finals Essentials:
Complete PIAA football brackets
Class AAAA: Pittsburgh C.C. vs. St. Joe's Prep | Game News | Box
Class AAA: Bishop McDevitt vs. Archbishop Wood | Game News | Box
Class AA: South Fayette vs. Imhotep Charter | Game News | Box
Class A: North Catholic vs. Old Forge | Game News | Box
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