This is the way it is !!!

[THE CHOPS]

P.I.A.A. Semifinals Updates:

Rochester has clinched a spot (again) in the PIAA Class (A) Championship game in Hershey next Friday afternoon while Thomas Jefferson will be playing for it's first ever state football title next Friday night.

Here are the final scores in the PIAA Class (AAA) and Class (A) Semifinals on Friday night.

P.I.A.A. CLASS (AAA) SEMIFINALS:

Thomas Jefferson Jaguars 21 - Erie Strong Vincent Colonels 20
{FINAL}

Manheim Central Barons 16 - Berwick Bulldogs 13
{FINAL}


P.I.A.A. CLASS (A) SEMIFINALS:

Rochester Rams 20 - Curwensville Golden Tide 12
{FINAL}

Southern Columbia Tigers 42 - Camp Hill Lions 30
{FINAL}


"THE CHOPS".

[THE CHOPS]

Semifinal Capsules:

Here we are, in the penultimate weekend of P.I.A.A. football action for the 2004 season. Sixteen teams remain in what appear to be eight very good games. Here are the capsules:

Class (AAAA)

Western Final, Altoona Mansion Park Stadium, Saturday 12/4, 1:00
Bishop McDevitt (District 3; 10-2) vs. Pittsburgh Central Catholic (District 7; 14-0)

Fantastic match-up, pitting the W.P.I.A.L. champ Central Catholic Vikings against the District# 3-(AAAA) champion Bishop McDevitt Crusaders. Two outstanding running backs in senior Eugene Jarvis for Central Catholic and LeSean McCoy for McDevitt. Jarvis set the W.P.I.A.L. Class (AAAA) championship game for rushing yards two weeks ago and "221" yards last week against Erie McDowell. McCoy has been nothing less than spectacular in the playoffs, averaging over 300 yards a game. Don't sleep on the QB play though, both teams have more than competent signal-callers in Shane Murray for Central and Jeremy Ricker for McDevitt. Murray likes to spread the ball around, but hooks up with TE John Pelusi a lot. Ricker's favorite target is junior wideout Aaron Berry. This game will be televised live locally on Fox Sports Pittsburgh as well as the Fox Sports College Atlantic station on digital and satellite services, check your listings for replays as well.

Eastern Final, Bensalem Memorial Stadium, Saturday 12/4, 1:00
Easton (District 1; 13-0) vs. Neshaminy (District 11; 12-1)

Easton will be looking to win their third game in ten days after beating Philadelphia Public League champ George Washington on Saturday after beating their archrival Philipsburg (NJ) on Thanksgiving Day. Easton was unable to achieve this feat last year so fate might be on their side although I would think they have to be exhausted right now. For the Redskins of Neshaminy, they are looking to win another PIAA title like the one they won back in 2001 on the back of running back Jamar Brittingham. This year, the load for Mark Schmidt's club goes to George Coleman, a senior be recruited by several small Division 1-A schools. The 6' 180-pound RB has 1,873 yards and 22 TDs on 290 carries. The Red Rovers have a pretty good tailback of their own in Ovid Goulbourne (246 carries, 1,272 yards and 17 TDs).

Class (AAA):

Western Final, Thompson Stadium, Slippery Rock University, Friday 12/3, 7:00
Thomas Jefferson (District 7; 12-2) vs. Erie Strong Vincent (District 10; 11-1)

Mario Henry is the go-to guy in the Colonels' Wing-T attack that not many WPIAL teams see during the regular season and can be very difficult to practice for. Strong Vincent's tough defense is led by senior DE Christian Fleming (6'5", 235) who has 84 tackles and 10 sacks. This unit keep Pittsburgh City Champ Perry off the scoreboard in the quarterfinals and held the Commodores to only 121 yards. For the Jaguars some might say Brad Dawson is the leader on both sides of the ball. He is 113-for-223 passing for 1991 yards and 18 TDs and plays great from his safety position on defense, making a key INT in the quarterfinal game against Selinsgrove. TJ is game but SV is the probably the best team they have faced thus far. The Jaguars will need to play mistake-free football to triumph over the Colonels.

Eastern Final, Shamokin Kemp Memorial Stadium, Friday 12/3, 7:00
Berwick (District 2; 12-1) vs. Manheim Central (District 3; 12-1)

Two teams with a storied past of meeting each other in the state playoffs square-off yet again in the game they may pit the two best teams of any classification against each other. For Manheim Central, the defending state champs at (AAA) following their dramatic overtime win against Pine-Richland last year, QB Tyler Reifsynder sets the pace with 1,860 yards and 22 TDs passing. For legendary coach George Curry's Berwick squad, the ground game suits him best and Brant Quick is the leader there with 2,302 yards and 34 TDs. QB Christian Force's numbers aren't much to brag about (58-for-124, 823 yards, 8 TDs) but there is enough skill there to keep opposing defenses off-balance. This game will be televised live, locally on WGAL.


Class (AA)

Western Final, State College Memorial Field, Friday 12/3, 7:00
Tyrone (District 6; 12-1) vs. Grove City (District 10; 10-2)

Grove City is coming off a victory over District #9-(AA) champ Brookville while Tyrone pulled off what many, including yours truly, considered a huge upset of W.P.I.A.L. (AA) champ Seton LaSalle. Whatever John Franco did schematically against the Rebels' high-powered passing offense sure did the trick and this blogger would love to know the secret that no other coach in the W.P.I.A.L. could figure out this year. The Golden Eagles are the only program from District #6 to ever win a P.I.A.A. title at any classification (they were the Class (AA) champs in 1999) and they appear to be well on their way to their second triumph at Hershey.

Eastern Final, Coatesville Mutli-Purpose Stadium, Saturday 12/4, 1:00
Lansdale Catholic (District #1; 12-1) vs. Littlestown (District #3; 11-2)

Littlestown is led by RB Brent Stoops who has over 1,700 yards rushing this year and QB Zach Beaver who has thrown for more than 1,600 yards in '04. Lansdale Catholic on the other hand, is led by RB R.C. Lagomarsino who had a big game last week and will be the player that Littlestown's defense will need to key on. They mustn't sleep on QB Mike Adams and his ability to throw though. On paper this looks like a pretty even match-up in what I believe will be the game to determine who will ultimately go down to Tyrone in the PIAA finals next week.


Class (A):

Western Final, Memorial Stadium, Clarion University, Friday 12/3, 7:00
Rochester (District #7; 11-3) vs. Curwensville (District #9; 12-0)

The story the past few weeks has been the Curwensville Golden Tide's running attack which is led by the Sipes Brothers. Nate and Nick have both had back-to-back over 100-yard rushing games in the last two weeks. The Rochester Ram offense will look to jump ahead early, rather than repeating their sluggish start against Berlin Brothersvalley last week, and make Curwensville play catch-up. Passing is not the Golden Tide's forte. In the last two weeks they have no yards passing and 2 INTs. Brent Whiteleather has led the rushing attack this season, putting up 211 yards and 3 TDs a week ago. Look for QB Corey Schleyer and the Rams' passing attack to possibly copy a page or two from the St. Louis Rams playbook and go up big early.

Eastern Final, Selinsgrove Bolig Memorial Stadium, Friday 12/3, 7:00
Southern Columbia (District #4; 13-0) vs. Camp Hill (District #3; 12-1)

The Southern Columbia Tigers were 4 points shy of putting up an 80-spot in a P.I.A.A. quarterfinal game a week ago. Hopefully they saved some points for this eastern final match-up against District #3-(A) champ (Camp Hill). Sophomore FB Henry Hynoski rushed for a P.I.A.A. playoff-record "409" yards in the S.C. drubbing of Pius X a week ago. The Lions prefer to pass the ball but the S.C. attack might be too much for them. It appears it may be yet another Rochester-Southern Columbia P.I.A.A. Class (A) final.

"THE CHOPS".

[CRLionDawg]

How many championships have Berwick won?

Do they still have 20 year olds posing as Juniors?

[THE CHOPS]

Yea ! CRLionDawg,

I'd say they still have the '20" year olds playing. They probably even have the copy machine warmed up to press out the new & improved birth certificates too.

As far as winning state crowns, I'd have to look them up, but I'm not in the mood, :roll: right now.

"THE CHOPS".

[CRLionDawg]

Back in the 80s, as I recall. They ran off quite a few in a row until one of the players violated his parole. They got to looking into the team a little closer and more than one violator was found!