Published Friday, Nov. 7, 1997
BACK TO HERALD...
It's Sharon-Wilmington II
'Hounds try for 2nd win over Tigers
REMATCH SHOULD DRAW BIG CROWD TO HICKORY FIELD
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Hermitage announces parking plan for Sharon-Wilmington Because of a huge crowd expected for the Sharon-Wilmington playoff game Friday night at Hickory High Stadium, the City of Hermitage has established several parking areas and will provide shuttle bus service to the game site. Parking lots are available at the school, National Guard Armory, municipal building, MCAR and Hermitage elementary and middle schools. People will also be able to park on the west side of the Shenango Valley Mall near Sears and Route 18. Two Mercer County Regional Council of Government buses will shuttle people to and from the mall, starting at 5:30 p.m. Buses will be available behind the stadium to drop people off during the game. Hermitage police Capt. Ed Stanton said no parking will be permitted on Route 18, Highland Road or McConnell Road. |
Herald Assistant Sports Editor
The fact that Sharon and Wilmington find themselves in a District 10 championship game isn't all that unusual. The Tigers are making their 10th trip in the 13-year history of the district playoffs, while the 'Hounds are making their fourth appearance in four tries.
What is unusual this year is that they find themselves facing each other in the Class AA finals. On the line is a berth in the PIAA playoffs.
In fact, in his 21 years at the helm, Sharon coach Jim Wildman reported he has never had to face a team in the postseason after having played that team in the regular season.
He and his Tigers have to this year, and what a team they must face in the Greyhounds (10-0), who already own a 26-12 victory over the Tigers and are ranked No. 1 in the state by the Harrisburg Patriot-News and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
``They've made it evident why they're the No. 1 team in state,'' said Wildman. ``It's going to take a great effort on our part for 48 minutes _ not 42 minutes _ to play with them.''
``Play with them'' the 7th-ranked Tigers (8-2) did in their first meeting two weeks ago. Sharon led 12-6 late in the game played at Youngstown State University's Stambaugh Stadium before the 'Hounds rallied for 20 points in the final six minutes to secure the victory and the Mercer County Athletic Conference Class AA championship.
It was Wilmington's third consecutive win over Sharon.
As far as having already played Wilmington once this season, Wildman isn't too sure whether it provides an advantage or not for his team, but he said it hasn't hurt, either.
``Going into the first game there might have been some doubt whether we could play with Wilmington,'' Wildman said. ``But when the game ended, (our kids) knew they could play with them. They just shot themselves in the foot. Our confidence level is greater; we just have to execute.''
While Wildman has never faced a situation of meeting the same team in the playoffs following a regular-season encounter, Wilmington head coach Terry Verrelli is somewhat of a grizzled veteran at it. This will be the fifth time in the last decade his teams have had to face an opponent both in the regular season and in the postseason.
In two of those meetings _ Farrell in '88 and Grove City in '95 _ Wilmington swept both games, while in the other two _ Monaca in '87 and Mercer in '94 _ the 'Hounds lost the regular-season matchup only to come back and avenge the defeat in the playoffs.
And what kind of an effect will that have on Wilmington as it prepares for the Tigers? Not much, according to Verrelli.
``If it were the final game and that was it, it might have a different implication,'' Verrelli said. ``In our situation, we're trying to move down the road.
``It's not a major issue that we're playing Sharon again. They're a good football team and we wouldn't expect anything different in a District 10 championship game.''
Although Verrelli and the 'Hounds are in line for a fourth title in their fourth season in the district, he and his squad have, this season, been focused far beyond that level.
``It's remarkable to be able to do something like that,'' Verrelli said. ``It's not just something we're shooting for. We just want to keep winning and get into the state playoffs, even though (the D-10 titles are) a wonderful acomplishment. But it's another game. We're in the playoffs and you've got to go the whole way.''
It's that ``way'' that continues for both teams tonight at Hickory High Stadium.
As far as the change in surface from artificial turf, which was featured at YSU, to the grass field of Hickory, Wildman would only say he was ``just happy not to have to ride 90 minutes to play. I'm happy where it is.''
Verrelli also downplayed the change in playing surface.
``You've got to be positive,'' Verrelli said. ``If you have your choice, you'd like to play at a certain place,'' before quickly adding with a laugh, ``I like the carpet because I don't want to get muddy; I don't know about the kids.
``But I understand why the game's here and Hickory has a beautiful facility. It's a great place to play.''
Notes: Several players are on the brink of milestones. Sharon junior T.J. Phillips needs 73 yards to become the seventh Mercer County back to reach the 2,000-yard plateau in a season. He is 94 yards shy of becoming the fourth county back to record 4,000 yards for a career. Tiger junior quarterback Jeff Valentino (128-of-268 for 1,864 yards with 21 touchdowns and 17 interceptions) needs 136 yards to reach 2,000 career yards. ... For Wilmington, senior quarterback Todd Smargiasso (142-of-232 for 2,834 yards, 32 TDs, 2 INTs) is 166 yards shy of 3,000 for his career. Senior wideout Demetrious Rich (29-854) can become what is believed to be the first county player to record a 1,000-yard receiving season with 146 more yards. Senior running backs Doug Dudash and Jon Tekac also have been wreaking havoc on offenses for more than two years. Dudash has carried 299 times for 2,503 yards and 41 touchdowns in three seasons, while Tekac has 1,520 yards on 131 carries and 26 TDs in his last two seasons.
Greenville-Grove City starters GROVE CITY Offense No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr. 5 Steve O'Brien......SE 6-2 170 10 53 Glenn Cornelius.....T 6-0 230 12 73 Nick Graham.........G 5-8 165 11 60 Dan Kocher..........C 5-10 185 11 68 Joe Rendos..........G 5-11 200 11 62 Tanner Kolb.........T 5-11 225 11 89 Mike Schuessler....TE 6-5 265 12 32 Anthony Errera.....HB 5-9 160 12 36 Jason Russell......FB 5-11 240 12 20 Rickey Currence....HB 5-7 150 11 12 Justin Bell........QB 6-0 180 12 36 Jason Russell......PK 5-11 240 12 Defense No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr. 65 Chris Reiber........E 6-2 175 10 89 Mike Schuessler.....T 6-5 265 12 78 Josh Broerman.......T 6-3 290 12 68 Joe Rendos..........E 5-11 200 11 77 Matt Tomeo.........LB 6-1 175 12 45 Matt Barnes........LB 5-8 160 12 33 Don Lewis..........LB 5-9 175 10 25 Jason Kostelansky..LB 5-10 185 11 22 Paul Como..........CB 5-10 160 12 32 Anthony Errera.....CB 5-9 160 12 9 Jon Chanadet........S 5-9 155 11 9 Jon Chanadet........P 5-9 155 11 GREENVILLE Offense No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr. 88 Casey Young.......TE 6-4 270 12 71 Gary Miller........T 6-2 280 10 72 Joe Myers..........G 5-10 255 12 67 Matt Olsen.........C 5-10 190 11 58 Chad Baker.........G 6-0 210 11 54 Jeremy Beh.........T 5-9 190 11 7 Tim Strausser.....SE 5-11 150 12 84 Matt Korcinsky....WB 6-3 220 11 4 Lucas Martsolf....FB 5-10 190 10 25 Joe Korcinsky.....TB 5-11 180 12 9 Cliff Mason.......QB 5-11 170 11 10 Jon Titzel........PK 5-10 150 12 Defense 84 Matt Korcinsky.....E 6-3 220 11 87 Marc Carter........T 6-3 215 12 66 Mike Steele.......NG 5-11 195 11 88 Casey Young........T 6-4 270 12 86 Tim Brown..........E 6-1 170 12 54 Jeremy Beh.........T 5-9 190 11 63 Ben Colaiaco........ 5-10 200 11 7 Tim Strausser.....CB 5-11 150 12 25 Joe Korcinsky.....CB 5-11 180 12 30 David Ryhal........S 5-10 175 12 11 Craig Greenfield...S 5-9 175 12 25 Joe Korcinsky......P 5-11 180 12 Wilmington-Sharon stats TEAM WILMINGTON SHARON OFFENSE 2274.......Rushing yards..........2585 227.4..........Per game..........258.5 1357.......Passing yards..........1126 135.7..........Per game..........112.6 89-58-1.....Att-comp-int......148-79-8 3631..........Total yards.........3711 363.1..........Per game..........371.1 439..........Points scored.........339 43.9..........Per game............33.9 DEFENSE 823....Rushing yards allowed......1121 82.3..........Per game...........112.1 638...Passing yards allowed.......1107 63.8..........Per game...........110.7 111-47-10..Opp. Att-comp-int..186-73-9 1216...Total yards allowed........2228 121.6..........Per game..........222.8 67..........Points allowed.........162 6.7..........Per game.............16.2 INDIVIDUAL RushingWILMINGTON _ Doug Dudash 92-966; Jon Tekac 73-874; Todd Smargiasso 24-132. SHARON _ T.J. Phillips 273-1927; Jeff Valentino 40-195; Marlin Jackson 32-119. Passing WILMINGTON _ Smargiasso 78-54-1-1333, 19 TDs. SHARON _ Valentino 145-77-8-1128, 10 TDs. Receiving WILMINGTON _ Demetrious Rich 29-854; Dudash 8-146. SHARON _ Marty Barnett 26-428; Bear Shimrack 22-230; Ralph Odem 13-124; Phillips 10-154. Scoring WILMINGTON _ Dudash 19 TDs; Rich 16 TDs; Tekac 13 TDs; Judd Campbell 47 PATs. SHARON _ Phillips 28 TDs; Valentino 7 TDs; Barnett 4 TDs, 21 PATs.
Game-by-game scores WILMINGTON (10-0) 28...Laurel................6 45...West Middlesex.......10 55...Slippery Rock.........0 49...Hickory...............0 13...Sharpsville (OT)......7 56...Grove City............0 56...Mercer...............19 56...Reynolds.............13 26...Sharon...............12 DISTRICT 10 AA PLAYOFFS 55...Ft. LeBoeuf...........0 SHARON (8-2) 28...Youngstown Ursuline..22 25...Grove City...........14 7...Erie Prep............28 24...Slippery Rock.........0 63...Hickory...............6 57...Reynolds.............19 50...Campbell Memorial.....3 44...Mercer...............16 12...Wilmington...........26 DISTRICT 10 AA PLAYOFFS 29...Northwestern (3 OT)..28
