Published Friday, Nov. 14, 1997
BACK TO HERALD...
Trojans, Gremlins both no strangers to post-season play
By Ed Farrell
Herald Sports Writer
Regardless of the outcome of Saturday's PIAA Class AAA interdistrict opener between the Greenville High School football team and Pittsburgh City League champion Perry, one thing's for certain: The District 10-titlist Trojans will not sneak up on veteran head coach Gus Catanese.
``Obviously, they're a quality team,'' Catanese said of Greenville (11-0). ``They're extremely well coached. Coach Bob Stone and his staff have done a tremendous job over the years.
``The tendency for people in Pittsburgh is to not realize what kind of football's being played up north. But for those of us in the business, we're very much aware of what's going on in Greenville and the surrounding area,'' Catanese assured.
Greenville has won three D-10 titles in the last five seasons, advancing to the state's Final Four last year before bowing to Blackhawk. However, Perry Traditional Academy is no stranger to the postseason, either. Catanese (134-45-4 in 18 seasons) has led the Commodores to a handful of City League championships, and his '89 squad bested Berwick (20-8) for the PIAA AAA crown.
This season, Perry (11-0) has outscored foes by a composite 518-32 margin, pitching eight shutouts. Two wins, including the City League title tilt, have come at the expense of Schenley, ranked among the state's top 10 Quad-A clubs.
``Obviously, any time you're 11-0, you're delighted with the season,'' Catanese asserted. ``Our kids have played up to our expectations. You can't ask for much more out of them that they've already given us.
``This whole group of kids almost all were starting as either freshmen or sophomores so we, pretty much, knew this was gonna be a fairly successful season for us,'' Catanese said. ``Toward the end of last year, we realized it was gonna be a pretty special group of kids.
``Winning a city championship was certainly our primary focus for the year,'' Catanese conceded, quickly adding, ``but we had other dreams and aspirations, too.''
Catanese's Commodores are led by junior quarterback Rod Rutherford, whom Brashear coach Ron Wabby likened favorably to former West Virginia University star Major Harris. Rutherford has completed half of his 86 aerials for 868 yards and 15 touchdowns and also rushed for better than 500 yards and 15 TDs. Last week against Schenley, the lone pass he completed was a 60-yard scoring strike to Rob Butler.
``I think it's pretty accurate,'' Catanese said of the Harris-Rutherford comparison. ``Both have very strong arms and are very athletic-type kids. both played more than one sport _ Rutherford and Harris play basketball _ and Rutherford also plays baseball. I think the key difference is Rutherford's about 6-3, whereas Harris was about 6-foot.''
``This kid's a good athlete,'' Greenville head coach Bob Stone (164-40-6) acknowledged. ``He can throw ball a mile. But the thing that bothers me the most is, if you flush him out when he goes back to pass, he'll kill you running the ball, too. His ability to run bothers me as much as his ability to throw.''
Perry's offense is not predicated solely on Rutherford, as the Commodores' diverse 1-back attack features tailback Chuck Griffy, who has rushed for 1,517 yards; multi-dimensional Corey Oaks, who has accounted for more than 600 yards rushing, receiving and returning, and Rob Butler on the other flank.
Butler, another weapons has tallied 9 TDs.
``We kind of spread it around with the kids we have. They're all excellent runners and receivers,'' Catanese said. ``Since I've been coaching, you always end up with one or two or three kids who are decent. Just to have one kid who's a game-breaker, that's something. But it's not often all four kids are capable of making a simple off-tackle play look like it should be in a highlight film.''
Sulaiman Akbar, a 255-pound nose guard, anchors a defense that alternates between 5- and 4-man fronts.
The query was posed to Catanese: `What are the club's strong suits _ Speed? Athleticism? Myriad offensive weapons?'
``All of the above,'' he responded. ``This is one of the fastest teams we've ever had _ and we've had some quick kids. Our receivers are good and they get open. We're blessed with good speed. Also, our linebackers (Nate Brown and Ray Miller) are aggressive and have a knack for getting to the ball. And the fact that Rutherford's in the secondary, and he's being recruited by Division I as free safety already, and Corey Oaks and Rob Butler are also in the secondary and they've done an outstanding job.''
Catanese hedged when asked how this year's version compares with his '89 squad.
``I guess I'd say the '89 team did it all, and all we can say about this year's team is it's as good as the '89 team _ to this point. Both won city championships, and if we're fortunate enough to win on Saturday, then I might be able to make a little better comparison.
``Our '89 team won the state championship, and we always said we'd like to get back into a title game. But we're delighted to be in the state playoffs as the (District 8) AAA representative.'' We've been there before _ we won one against Greensburg Salem; lost to Seton LaSalle, then lost to Lock Haven _ but we're just glad to be back.''
Winning Saturday is Catanese's immediate concern. Of Greenville (11-0), he offered:
``Frankly, they're quite impressive. I think (Stone's) getting the most out of the players he has. He has a group of VERY large young men and is getting the most out of them. He has some very good `skill' kids, obviously. (Joe) Korcinsky ... and (Tim) Strausser, he's a very acrobatic kid and has made some great catches. And I'm always impressed with a quarterback whose willing to become to a blocker _ it's not too often you see that _ and (Cliff) Mason fits that mold. He seems like a real tough kid. And (Todd) Shimshock has done a great job, especially the game the week before against North East.
``To me, it's fairly obvious: We're going to have to stop Joe Korcinsky somehow, and we're gonna have to keep their offensive line under control,'' Catanese said of The Herald coverage area's all-time leading rusher (5,164), who runs behind a line that averages approximately 233 pounds.
``We just can't let them blow us off the ball. I think that's one of the keys,'' Catanese said. ``And the other key is how successful we can be offensively. Can we move or throw the ball on a rough, aggressive defense?
``Turnovers and special teams usually play a significant role in a game like this,'' Catanese continued. ``We can't do what Grove City did _ turn over the ball seven times _ and expect to win against a team like Greenville; it's just not going to be possible.
``At this time, all teams are pretty good. You don't get to be 11-0 by making too many mistakes.''
``Turning the ball over could be a killer,'' Stone concurred. ``The most important thing against them is to stop the big play. If they're gonna score, we have to hope they have to earn it, rather than giving them a 75-yard pass or run.''
The Trojans' time-consuming, ball-control offense would seem to be ideal means of keeping Perry's explosive offense sidelined.
``I'm not sure we're going to be able to do that, but we'd like to run the ball and play ball-control,'' Stone admitted.
The 1 p.m. matchup on South High Stadium's turf will provide an interesting style contrast.
``I think that's an accurate description, at least on film,'' Catanese concurred. ``From what I've seen so far, that might be what might happen on Saturday. I think, just going by the film, it's going to be pretty tough to stop Greenville, and I'm sure we probably will cause a few problems for coach Stone and his staff.''
``All teams have their strong points, things you have to concentrate on stopping. Their's is a little different,'' Stone said. ``They have a great quarterback, a running back that averages 11, 12 yards every time he touches the ball, and they have a wide-open offense and try to spread you out to make it more difficult. It's a challenge and I guess that's what it's all about.
``I know people that I've talked to who've seen them think this Perry team is a great, great football team, that they're even talking in terms of going a long, long ways in the playoffs. It remains to be seen how good we are and how good they are,'' Stone concluded.
Notes: According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Perry is the only City League team to win a state playoff game and had a 3-year run ('89-90-91) of PIAA playoff appearances ... in its City League semifinal victory, Perry outgained Brashear 281-71, including 256-41 rushing, then in its title tilt with Schenley, the Commodores posted a 216-133 advantage on the ground and harrassed Mark Miller into a 2-for-11 performance that included just 65 yards passing and sacked him six times for 56 yards in losses Korcinsky scored 13 TDs as a sophomore, 41 as a junior and has 35 this season for 551 career points, another Herald-coverage-area career best.
Greenville-Perry starters
GREENVILLE (11-0)
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........LB 5-9 190 11
63 Ben Colaiaco......LB 5-10 200 11
7 Tim Strausser.....CB 5-11 150 12
25 Joe Korcinsky...CB/K 5-11 180 12
30 David Ryhal........S 5-10 175 12
11 Craig Greenfield...S 5-9 175 12
PERRY (11-0)
Offense
No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr.
Mike Dusak.........TE 6-1 210 12
Chuck Linhart.......T 6-3 195 11
Adam Hughes.........G 6-1 190 12
David Ariet.........C 5-8 220 12
Jay Bryant..........G 5-10 210 12
Sulaiman Akbar......T 6-3 255 12
Ramon Edison.......SE 6-1 170 12
Rod Rutherford.....QB 6-3 190 11
Chuck Griffy.......TB 5-9 165 11
Rob Butler.........FL 6-0 180 11
Corey Oaks.........FL 6-0 170 12
Jared Pauli........PK 5-9 175 12
Defense
Anthony Evans.......E 5-9 210 11
Kevin Williams......T 6-0 250 12
Sulaiman Akbar.....NG 6-3 255 12
John Jones..........T 5-10 235 11
Jay Bryant..........E 5-10 210 12
Ray Miller.........LB 6-0 205 12
Nate Brown.........LB 6-2 185 11
Corey Oaks.........CB 6-0 170 12
Rob Butler.........CB 6-0 180 11
Micah Riley.........S 5-10 170 12
Rod Rutherford......S 6-3 190 11
Greenville-Perry stats
TEAM
GREENVILLE PERRY
OFFENSE
2881.........Rushing yards.....N/A
261.9.........Per game.........N/A
944.........Passing yards......N/A
85.8.........Per game..........N/A
111-55-5.....Att-comp-int......N/A
3813.........Total yards.......N/A
346.6.........Per game.........N/A
371.........Points scored......518
33.7.........Per game..........47.0
DEFENSE
814.....Rushing yards allowed.N/A
74.0.........Per game.........N/A
659....Passing yards allowed..N/A
59.9.........Per game.........N/A
139-57-13..Opp. Att-comp-int..N/A
1401...Total yards allowed....N/A
127.3.........Per game........N/A
58.........Points allowed......32
5.3.........Per game..........2.9
INDIVIDUAL
Rushing
GREENVILLE _ Joe Korcinsky 264-1853;
Todd Shimshock 100-525; Lucas Martsolf 44-188.
PERRY _ Chuck Griffy 128-1517;
Rod Rutherford 500-plus; Corey Oaks 17-326.
Passing
GREENVILLE _ Cliff Mason 109-54-5-949, 13 TDs.
PERRY _ Rutherford 86-43-868, 15 TDs.
Receiving
GREENVILLE _ Tim Strausser 24-552;
Korcinsky 12-148.
PERRY _ Oaks 15-290.
Scoring
GREENVILLE _ Korcinsky 35 TDs, 1 2-pt., 3 PATs, 215;
Strausser 7 TDs; Jon Titzel 39 PATs, 1 FG 42 points.
PERRY _ Griffy 22 TDs; Rutherford 15 TDs, 8 PATs;
Oaks 14 TDs; Butler 10 TDs.
Game-by-game scores
GREENVILLE (11-0)
27.........Reynolds.....0
27.........Meadville....6
32.........Franklin.....6
27.........Warren.......0
41.........East.........6
24.........Titusville...7
46.........Hickory.....14
28.........Oil City.....6
41.....Strong Vincent...0
DISTRICT 10 PLAYOFFS
43.........North East...7
35.........Grove City...6
PERRY (11-0)
47.........Oliver.......0
47.........Peabody......0
59.........Allderdice...0
28.........Schenley....12
49.........South........0
39.....Westinghouse.....0
43.........Brashear.....0
61.........Carrick......0
52.........Langley.....14
CITY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
59.........Brashear.....0
34.........Schenley.....6
