RED RAIDER ASSAULT: Barreling through a tricky District 1 bracket was impressive enough, but skipper Matt Ortega and his Red Raiders were hardly satisfied. In shocking fashion, Coatesville ripped off a three-touchdown lead and held off LaSalle College 42-35 Friday in Downingtown.
It qualified the Red Raiders, riding an explosive 11-game streak, for their first championship playdate. QB Emmett Hunt connected on 16 of 29 attempts for 234 yards as the high-octane Raiders (13-2) shredded the Explorers for 512 total yards. After poling up 12 sacks against Parkland in the quarterfinal round, LaSalle had none Friday. Coatesville senior wideout Chris Jones also moved within two TD receptions of the state’s all-time single-season mark of 27.
ROCKIN’ THE 610: The last time a Berks County program played on the final week of the football season, quarterback Kerry Collins was guiding the Wilson Bulldogs in 1989.
On Saturday, Wyomissing stuck a fork in that dry nugget, throttling Imhotep Charter 35-13 in a Class AA semifinal in Germantown. Spartans QB Corey Unger struck for 119 yards and Alex Anzalone chipped in 156 rushing yards and a first-half score. Panthers’ RB David Williams did muster 142 yards on 22 totes, but Wyomissing’s big 21-point second quarter was too much to overcome. The Spartans (15-0) will meet top-ranked Aliquippa (15-0) at Hersheypark Stadium Saturday.
TWO BUCK SHUFFLE: Dunmore’s two-headed monster at running back was at it again Friday as Daiqwon Buckley and Austin Seamon combined for 386 ground yards and six touchdowns in a 40-19 drubbing of District 6 champion Bellwood-Antis.
Buckley’s 223 yards came on just 22 carries as the Bucks (14-1) attempted just three passes behind their brutish offensive line. The prize for skipper Jack Henzes and his arsenal is a championship date with WPIAL phenom Clairton, winners of 62 straight and angling for its fourth straight PIAA title.
BODAMER, GATORS BOW OUT: While District 9 challenger Port Allegany became just another notch in Clairton’s club Friday, it’s logical to revisit the career of Gators QB Matt Bodamer. The 6-1, 180-pounder threw for nearly 4,000 yards and exactly 51 touchdowns this season, capping a brilliant record-setting performance. Bodamer will go down as Pennsylvania’s most prolific passer with 10,755 career yards and 136 TDs. All those stripes are more than 1,000 yards ahead of No. 2, Brockway’s Derek Buganza (9,752)
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