HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL

When the 2000 football season opened, two young, inexperienced teams were beginning what appeared to be a "long" season -- long in the sense that wins might be hard to come by. Instead, it has been a long season because Sharpsville and Rochester have advanced all the way to the Western Regional Class A Championship.

After the first few weeks of the year, neither team realistically could have imagined that they would be meeting at 7 p.m. Friday at North Allegheny High School with a trip to the state title tilt on the line.

In fact, Sharpsville was dominated in its season opener by Western Beaver, 29-7, a team that was supposed to be of marginal talent.

Meanwhile, the Rams went 1-2 to start the year, nipping a weak Quaker Valley team, 28-14, then losing to Clairton, 22-14, and Farrell, 20-15.

"We were a little bit young at the start of the season," said Gene Matsook, first year head coach of the Rams (11-2). "But like Sharpsville, we're definitely peaking at the right time."

"I thought we had a shot at the playoffs," said Blue Devils mentor Paul Piccirilli, reflecting on his thoughts at the start of the year. "But to get this far ...

"The amazing thing about this team is that we don't have a standout. There are two or three guys one quarter or one game that stand out, but we don't have that big star like some teams. We don't have a 1,000-yard rusher, we don't have a 1,000-yard passer. But we play as a team and just do enough to get by."

Rochester, however, has some big guns. Running backs Kirby Griffin and Jermaine Moye have rushed for 1,287 and 1,069 yards, respectively. Conversely, Sharpsville's top runners are Ron Haywood with 800 yards and Eric Major with 664.

Rochester likes to break the big plays, while Sharpsville plays more of a grind 'em out offense.

"Our offense is effective as long as we don't turn the ball over and we've done a good job of that since the Union City game in the playoffs," said Piccirilli. "We definitely need to eat up some clock against Rochester. They are sure to have some big runs, but we hope to keep their big plays at a minimum and keep them from scoring on the big plays.

"Hopefully, we can just stay in the game. We can't get down real early, then you have to scramble. If we're within one score, here or there, we've got a chance.

"I think we can move the ball. Once again, we want to get into the fourth quarter with a chance to win the game. Hopefully, if we can do that, we can make the right decisions on the sidelines to get us over the top."

Of course the "right decisions" could come from anywhere, according to Piccirilli. "We coaches always confer, but I make the last call. There is no blame on anyone when it comes to coaching. This has worked well for four or five years. My coaches coach, no one sits around and doesn't have a job."

Even the kids on the team contribute.

"There have been a couple of times at halftime the kids come to me.," Piccirilli said. "If they think it's going to work and if it's in our scheme, we go with what their input is. They're on the field, they know what's going on. I don't have a big ego like some coaches; I'm willing to listen to any ideas. In fact, if anybody in the stands has a play ..."

While Rochester concentrates on the run, the Rams also will put the ball in the air. "We try to mix it up a little bit," said Matsook. The Rams quarterback Adam Moore has connected on 41 of 85 passes for 688 yards.

Sharpsville's passing game is mostly for possession offense with Bill Stiger nailing 28 completions out of 83 attempts for 556 yards, but Stiger uses the pass to set up his running. Stiger's scrambling for big yards off passing plays has been a major factor in the Blue Devils success in the playoffs.

The Blue Devils defense has carried the team in recent weeks, which has impressed Matsook.

"Defensively (the Blue Devils) get after you," said Matsook. "They hustle to the ball."

"Maybe our kids aren't too smart," said Piccirilli with a laugh. "They aren't intimidated by anyone and they aren't afraid of anything. They'll put their heads through a wall. Another year in the weight room and these guys are going to be amazing,"

Besides the weight lifting, Piccirilli credits participation in other sports for keeping Sharpsville athletes in shape.

"At our school we preach that you have to play other sports," he said. "Our kids play two and three sports and do well at all sports. It's really nice to have a wrestling program to go along with the football team. I'm amazed at how some of the smaller guys, like Haywood, who wrestle, can move bigger guys around on the football field. We had wrestlers like (Cary) Kulka, (Mike) Germano and (Tom) McMath who weren't real big, but they were tough on the football field."

Piccirilli knows this will be his defense's toughest test. "This is the biggest and fastest team we've played all year," said Piccirilli. "They're big up front, 245 to 250, so they'll outweigh us by 40 or 50 pounds. And they have three guys in the backfield who are faster than anybody we have. But we're hoping our quickness can make the difference. We're hoping our line can get some penetration. The worst thing that can happen is if one of their backs gets one-on-one with one of our guys. We need to get two or three guys at the point of the attack."

But while the Blue Devils defense gets a lot of credit, Piccirilli said the offensive line play of his team -- Matt Holsopple, Ryan Kudelko, Michael Kulka, Adam Tarr, Blase Iorio and Shawn Taylor -- is sometimes overlooked.

"We're not a powerful offense, like Rochester," he said. "Our offense is designed to trap and down-block; we're not that big to ask someone to take on people head-on. But we have smart kids on the line and they are always in position. They shield you enough for the back to get through. And as quick as Haywood and Major are, they just need a little hole to get through."

If you look at the overall season, one might think that Rochester has played the tougher overall schedule of the two, considering the WPIAL's Big 8 Conference has had a representative in the state finals for eight of the last 10 years.

"Anytime you play in the Big 8, it prepares you for playoff action," said Matsook. "We feel we are playoff tested. Anytime you get that Big 8 label on you ... a lot of people know about the Big 8. The kids carry that with them; they know they have to carry that Big 8 reputation for other teams in the conference.

"But Sharpsville is a good team with good tradition up there. They won state in '97 and they are a well-coached team. Just like us, they are playing at the top of their game right now. They have a winning tradition up there and this is going to be a good game."

Obviously, Sharpsville's schedule isn't as tough as Rochester's, but Piccirilli isn't about to apologize.

"People laughed at a couple of teams on our schedule, but you can't play 10 games that are brutal," Piccirilli said. "When you play teams like Reynolds and Hickory, you have to play your best football. In fact, we made a couple of changes after the Reynolds game that made us a better team. Reynolds really helped us by playing their style of ball. West Middlesex was a lot better this year and of course there's Kennedy."

Rochester has won four WPIAL (District 7) championships in the 1990s. Matsook's older brother, Dan, was the head coach for the last three. Sharpsville has won District 10 titles three of the last four years.

Sharpsville won the PIAA crown in 1997 and Rochester followed the steps to the throne in 1998. When the final whistle blows Friday night, one of these teams will be shooting for another title next Friday in Hershey.

If Wilmington High football coach Terry Verrelli appears to be just a bit enamored of the children's story "Cinderella" lately, there's good reason.

Verrelli's Greyhounds are spinning a pretty darn good Cinderella story of their own this season.

Despite returning no offensive starters and one defensive starter from last season's District 10 Class AA runner-up, Wilmington (12-1) finds itself in the PIAA Class AAA state semifinals against WPIAL champion West Allegheny (12-1).

Add to that the fact the Greyhounds are a AA-sized school only seven boys above the Class A limit and it's easy to see why this has been a fairy tale season for Verrelli and his squad.

"For them to go to this level is just a tribute to a bunch of kids working hard," Verrelli said of his squad, which is scheduled to meet the Indians at 7 p.m. Friday at West Mifflin High School.

Among those kids who have been more than pleasant surprises are: running backs Brandon Whiting (1,497 yards, 28 touchdowns) and Jonathan Hall (818 yards, 10 TDs), quarterback Matt Coad (47 of 100 for 754 yards and 5 TDs) and wideout Matt Krawchyk (23 catches, 401 yards). A line, including Jeremy Lewis, Jason Lane, Brian Knox, Clayton Gruber and Clint Buckwalter, that averages 255 pounds tackle-to-tackle, as well as a superb defensive unit, have also been instrumental in the team's success.

"Wilmington has scored a ton of points," said sixth-year West Allegheny coach Bob Palko (55-17 overall, 46-4 the past four years). "They are a very talented group of kids and Coach Verrelli has done a good job. They're sound, not weak in any areas, and you're not going to out-coach Verrelli. They're a well-oiled machine, they do what he knows best and they execute. They're a very good football team and it's no secret their strength is running the football."

Whether players are young or old, experienced or inexperienced, Verrelli says his philosophy never changes. And that, more than any one factor, perhaps, has been a key to his team's surprising success.

"If you believe in the kids you're teaching, that's really what makes a difference, especially if they buy into what you're saying," Verrelli said. "I have not coached any differently this year than when our teams had great skill people. You always coach as if you're planning to be a playoff team. We want the kids to practice and work just as hard as if they were going to be a championship team and not just as if we're only putting a team together."

Which is exactly what Verrelli and his staff were essentially doing more than 15 weeks ago.

"Thinking back to camp we were looking for people just to fill in some spots and not even thinking about winning," Verrelli said. "But the kids came and worked hard. And there were a few I didn't expect to be in spots, but they weren't going to be denied."

Neither apparently are the Greyhounds, although they do enter the game a slight underdog, especially based on the fact West Allegheny advanced to the state championship game in 1999 before falling 21-7 to Strath Haven.

"It's always nicer to be considered the underdog," Verrelli said. "Nobody's expecting us to win, but we certainly believe we can. And there's always a little more pressure when you're the favorite.

"It is somewhat of an advantage when you have seen something or been there before. Those are always a little bit of an advantage, but they only go so far. When the game starts, that type of thing is over with. Maybe it gives you a little advantage, but I can remember back when we won our first WPIAL championship (in 1987). We had never been in the playoffs before and nobody was picking us to win, but we did it. I would like to have that advantage, but it doesn't guarantee you anything."

Except, perhaps, back-to-back WPIAL championships, and three of the last four, as the Indians have been able to attain.

"Obviously there's some kids who played on those (WPIAL title teams), but to say that gives us an advantage I don't buy all that," Palko said.

West Allegheny is an experienced-laden team that starts seven seniors offensively and five defensively. But most experts say the cornerstone of this squad is 6-2, 225-pound junior quarterback Tyler Palko, who has had major college recruiters drooling over him since his freshman season.

Palko, the son of the coach, doesn't throw as often as some would expect, but when he does Palko is extremely effective and efficient, as his numbers -- 80 of 139 for 1,159 yards, with 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions -- clearly attest. In the Indians' 21-7 victory over West Mifflin in the WPIAL title game, he was 6-for-6 for 136 yards, including touchdown strikes of 13, 30 and 19 yards.

The latter two of those scoring passes were hauled in by another big WA offensive threat, wideout Joe Slappy, who has 38 receptions for 557 yards and nine touchdowns. Slappy had three catches for 112 yards in the title game.

But West Allegheny is far from a one-dimensional team as the one-two punch of running backs Jamie Fitzgerald (1,019 yards, 6 TDs) and Kellen Campbell (902 yards, 19 TDs) would illustrate. Campbell also has 14 catches for 235 more yards, while Palko has an additional 452 yards on the ground.

"You need to stick with the things that you know a little bit about," Coach Palko said. "It's easy to say we want to throw the ball more, but it better fit into your philosophy and the talent you have. Fortunately we have a quarterback that can do both."

Verrelli would certainly agree.

"They're a well-balanced team, but you have to expect that at this level," Verrelli said. "They have a great quarterback who is a Division I prospect, a great wide receiver, a couple of good running backs and a huge line."

Which boasts bookend senior tackles, 6-2, 290-pound Adam Triscila and 6-2, 275-pound Dustin DeLuca.

"They're no less than what we expect at this level, but our guys have beaten some darn good football teams," Verrelli said. "And this is just another great opportunity."

Although a bit leary of West Allegheny's strong passing game, especially following in the footsteps of the numbers put up by Pittsburgh Perry two weeks ago against his 'Hounds, Verrelli said he expects to make no significant changes in his defensive game plan.

"They're too well-balanced to do that," Verrelli said. "They're a running team, not a passing team, and that's what we are. You've got to control the line of scrimmage and run the football to get any distance in the playoffs. You have to be able throw too, yes, but they admit they're a smashmouth team. But they mix it in and that makes them more dangerous."

What also makes the Indians dangerous is a solid defense that compares favorably with the Greyhounds, at least statistically.

"The thing we try to stress here is if you want to win a championship, you have to play great defense," Palko said.

In the other PIAA AAA semifinal Friday, defending champion Strath Haven (13-0), which ousted No. 1-ranked Berwick last week, squares off with Manheim Central (13-0) at 7 p.m. at HersheyPark Stadium.

Here's a secret if you're interested in the key to Saturday's PIAA Class AA Western Regional championship game between Sharon's Tigers and undefeated Aliquippa: There are no secrets.

"If you do all the things that ... you media types love (field position, special teams play, turnover ratio, penalties), yeah. But,'' Aliquippa head coach Mike Zmijanac said. "You know what it comes down to? Whoever plays better on that day. And it's not always the better team. It's whomever comes up with the big play. ... If Jim (Wildman, Sharon's head coach) or I told you we knew (what dictates the outcome of games), we'd both be lying.''

Both teams have big-play capability and NCAA Division I-bound athletes, so there would appear to be no decided edge for either entry in the 1 p.m. affair at Erie's Veterans Memorial Stadium. Aliquippa (13-0) annexed its 11th WPIAL crown with a 14-6 win over Waynesburg when back-up quarterback Quanear Gaskins threw a 27-yard, fourth-quarter touchdown pass. Sharon (12-1) edged defending state titlist Tyrone in overtime, 21-14, on Carmone Parchman's 10-yard run and a goal-line defensive stand.

Aggregately, Aliquippa has outscored opponents 449-100; Sharon, 510-85. Paced by Parchman's 2,038 yards rushing and a defense that has mauled 12 of 13 foes, Sharon has a 209.4 to 112.1 edge on the ground. The Indians' Gerris Wilcox -- a Beaver Falls transfer -- has rushed for 1,771 yards and Aliquippa has amassed 3,388 yards rushing while allowing an average of only 117.5. Sharon stifles opposing offenses, having pitched seven shutouts; Aliquippa answers with four whitewashings and the 'Quips have picked off 18 opposing passes.

So with two teams so evenly matched, what's the key? Bernard "Josh'' Lay.

He's Aliquippa's senior standout, who has passed for 1,201 yards and 19 touchdowns (35 spanning the last two years) and rushed for 525 yards and four scores, plus 16 extra-points. Defensively, he's intercepted four passes, including a pair in last week's win over Waynesburg.

However, Lay -- who broke his right (throwing) hand while making a touchdown-saving tackle last week -- may not play, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, or he may line up at wide receiver, if you talk to Wildman.

"It's football; injuries are part of the game,'' Zmijanac said. "We'll see what the doctor thinks ... but if it's something that's going to jeopardize his future, no way.''

Lay is being courted by both Pittsburgh and Penn State for football and is an all-state basketball player. In Wednesday's edition of the Post-Gazette, Lay was quoted as saying, "I'm not going to be depressed about it. This game is important, but it's not that important to get myself hurt.''

But no one can say with absolute certainty whether or not or how much, if at all, he will play and that has a huge impact on both teams' game-plan preparations.

"This is the way you deal with it,'' Wildman said. "Essentially, I don't think you can change an offense in two or three days; you can change personnel and limit what you do. But we're going into the game with the idea that if it's not Josh Lay at quarterback, it's another athlete (Gaskins) who may not be able to throw the ball as well down the field, but who still will be able to create some things.

"Josh Lay's going to be on the football field,'' Wildman said. "Whether it's defensively ... and offensively, if he can't play quarterback, I would not be surprised if he lines up at receiver or in the slot, so they can make him a threat. He's a threat when he steps on the field. You have to know where he is and cover him. So I think they'll put in a few wrinkles; get him the ball whether it's on a reverse, a quick screen. Obviously, he can catch the ball.

"He's not saving himself for basketball,'' Wildman added. "He is the key for their club, because sometimes their best running play is a designed pass play; sometimes, maybe a bootleg run turns into their best pass play. ... Our approach is we have not talked about whether Lay's not gonna play. We've told our kids, 'Just don't believe what you read in the papers.' But we're not playing Josh Lay; we're playing Aliquippa. That's, kind of, been our attention all week.''

However Lay's absence under center during the second half of last week's win and its emotional significance were not lost on Zmijanac.

"Moreso than anything, it was winning without him. He's, obviously, the athlete of the year in western Pennsylvania, so when you win without a guy like that, it's a very emotional experience for us. Hopefully, we won't have a letdown.''

That would not appear likely, given the 'Quips' collective response in the win over Waynesburg.

"Defensively we did. (The Indians) knew at halftime he wasn't coming back, so it was like, 'Hey, they don't score, we can't lose.' That was the whole idea,'' Zmijanac said. "We played field position and held onto the ball and waited for a break and got it, but we made our break and took advantage. If you're not going to be a great offensive team, you have to do that, and great teams find a way. But it's typical of Aliquippa kids. You never underestimate them; you never know what they're going to do. I've been here 37 years and I've learned, you never underestimate what they're capable of doing or what they're going to do. But I'm very proud of them, no matter what happens (on Saturday).

Very proud of a team that for the most part has had to deal with myriad problems that come along with high expectations, kind of like the Tigers.

"We thought we'd be pretty good,'' Zmijanac said. "Sometimes the worst thing that can happen to you is you're supposed to be good, and I'm sure Sharon's in the same boat. A lot of people have said (a Sharon-Aliquippa western finale) was predicted from the beginning of the year. ... So far they have (handled the pressure); obviously, so have Sharon's kids.

"They're extremely talented. They have three D-I kids who're already signed. They're quick. Jim Wildman and I are old friends, so I know they're extremely well-coached. It'll be a helluva game. I expect this to be one for the ages. If anyone runs away with this one, I'll be shocked.''

Wildman agreed.

"They're a talent-laden football team with a rich tradition,'' Wildman said. "Their offense is explosive -- I don't care who plays quarterback, and the quarterback's not their only weapon. They have a strong offensive line and a good running game. In the second half last week they took an all-state linebacker (Monroe Weekley) and put him in the backfield as a power back. Defensively they don't give up a lot of points and they don't hurt themselves in the kicking game.

"They deserve to be ranked No. 1, I guess by some,'' Wildman said, noting Aliquippa's skill-position talent matches Sharon's speed, athlete on athlete.

"You always put in a few wrinkles here and there, maybe try to get in some formations they have or have not seen,'' Wildman said. "But I would think their concentration this week might be two-fold: No. 1, concentrate on building an offense around a guy who may or may not be there. And at the same time, concern themselves with defending a team (Sharon) that has done what some others haven't done.''

Wildman (199-73-6 since 1977) has known Zmijanac for 2-plus decades.

"He's an Aliquippa guy; I'm a Sharon guy. It'll be a healthy form of competition because there are two people in charge of programs that, maybe, understand the diversity of the kids you have on your team. Socioeconomically, backgrounds, you know how important chemistry is," Wildman said.

"But hey, you know it's still a game of blocking and tackling. The one time you give up a big play, you look at a missed tackle; when you look at a big run, you look at a key block. It's a game of fundamentals and being mentally tough, trying to find that resolve that's going to carry you on to give you a chance to make one more bus trip.''

Aliquippa quarterback-defensive back Bernard "Josh" Lay has a broken bone in his right hand and has said he won't play in Saturday's PIAA Class AA semifinal against Sharon in Erie. However, Sharon coach Jim Wildman won't be surprised if Lay is in uniform and on the field.

"If I was a betting man, I'd put a quarter on it that he plays," Wildman said.

Lay, a 6-2, 190-pound senior, is a Division I college prospect at defensive back. If he plays, he will be just one of a number of future Division I college players on the field. Aliquippa linebacker Monroe Weekley has been offered scholarships by Division I colleges. Sharon receiver-defensive back Marlin Jackson has committed to Michigan, receiver-defensive back Terrance Phillips is headed to Penn State and tackle Kevin Harris will attend Pitt.

WPIAL champion Aliquippa (13-0) and District 10 champion Sharon (12-1) are not strangers. At one time, they were members of the Midwestern Athletic Conference and met every year. The last time they played was 1983.

The Aliquippa-Sharon winner will play the winner of Friday's Mount Carmel-Marian Catholic game at Shamokin for the PIAA title.