Published Sunday, Nov. 30, 1997
BACK TO HERALD...
Eagles 33, Greyhounds, 7
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Wilmington stopped short of state championship game
Herald Sports Writer
PITTSBURGH _ South Park is getting used to the playing the role of spoiler.
Last week it was a 38-6 romp over Shady Side, the WPIAL's No. 1 team, in the WPIAL finals. Saturday it was a 33-7 spanking of the state's No. 1 team _ Wilmington _ in the PIAA Class AA semifinals at Pitt Stadium.
``We're not too concerned about the other team as much as we are about ourselves,'' said South Park coach Thomas Loughran. ``We want to make sure we take care of our own house.''
Wilmington running back Doug Dudash (25) lays the ball on the turf as Willie White (55) dives to recover it.
(Jean Neice/Herald)South Park (12-1) will play South Williamsport (14-0), a 40-28 winner over Northwestern Lehigh, Saturday at noon at Mansion Park in Altoona in the state finals. Wilmington finishes the season with a 13-1 slate.
``It was a great year, what can I say,'' said Wilmington coach Terry Verrelli. ``You get to this level, all the teams are good. Today it wasn't in the cards.''
Greyhounds quarterback Todd Smargiasso readies to unleash one of the last passes of his outstanding scholastic career. Smargiasso finished one of the most remarkable seasons in county annals, finishing the year 83-of-126 (.659) for 1,846 yards with a Herald coverage-area record 24 touchdown passes and only 5 interceptions.
(Jean Neice/Herald)
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Three of the turnovers came on the 'Hounds' final four possessions the in the game as they were trying to come back from a 26-7 deficit. Smargiasso's final interception led to a 5-yard TD run by Tita Atte to cap the game with 1:45 left, 33-7.
Smargiasso finished the game 12-of-18 for 163 yards, 77 of which came on a Demetrious Rich touchdown pass. South Park's defense also limited the 'Hounds to just one first down in the second half. It came with 4:21 remaining in the game.
``It becomes difficult to run your offense when you're down so far,'' Verrelli said. ``That killed us.''
Wimington's defense also had an uncharacteristical outing, yielding 344 total yards. Quarterback Ken Pryke was a near-perfect 5-of-6 for 108 yards with all of the completions coming in the first half.
On the ground, the Eagles amassed 236 yards, led by Brian Guzek's 144 yards on nine carries. Seventy-six of the yards came on one scoring run in the first quarter as South Park led 19-7 after one frame.
Chad Morris added 56 yards on eight carries and had the Eagles' first two TDs.
Penalties were also a problem for the 'Hounds. Wilmington suffered four penalties for 40 yards, one of which negated a 60-yard scoring run by Jon Tekac in the first quarter that would have tied the game at 13-all. South Park committed just one penalty.
The 'Hounds Hammer was nothing more than a ball-peen in the first half as the Eagles put up 247 yards of total offense. Pryke was a 5-of-5 for 108 yards. Graig Marx caught four of the passes for 95 yards.
Marx's final reception came on fourth-and-1 at the 18. He caught a quick slant and beat Tekac to the end zone to make it 26-7, a lead that South Park carried into the half.
Morris got South Park on the board on its first possession, scoring his first TD on a 1-yard dive four minutes into the game. Pryke set up the score with a 21-yard pass to Marx that got the Eagles down to the 10-yard line.
Wilmington immediately answered by scoring its only TD on the next play from scrimmage. Smargiasso hit Rich on a crossing pattern and Rich did the rest by breaking tackles and cutting to the outside for a 77-yard score. With the reception, Rich surpassed the 1,000-yard plateau for the season. He finished with 39 catches and 1,057 yards.
Morris had his second TD of the quarter on South Park's next possession, capping a 7-play, 66-yard drive with another 1-yard run. As in the first drive, Pryke connected with Marx prior to the score. The first was a 23-yarder; the second a 33-yarder. Rich blocked the extra point and Wilmington was down 13-7.
It appeared Wilmington would answer yet again, but a holding penalty negated Tekac's 60-yard run. The Eagles defense held, however, and forced the 'Hounds to punt.
On South Park's second play from scrimmage on its ensuing drive, Brian Gruzek broke through the line and went 76 yards for the score. The 2-point pass failed, but the Eagles led 19-7 at the end of the first quarter after putting 169 total yards on the board.
Loughran said his team was still pumped up from the opportunity to play at Three Rivers Stadium last week.
``I think the fact that we're playing at Pitt Stadium, that venue kept the kids (pumped) up,'' Loughran said. ``When you come off the Stadium game there's always the question, `Are we going to let down?' I thought the fact that we're playing at Pitt Stadium rather than a high school venue kept the kids up all week.''
Turnovers then became a problem for the 'Hounds. Dudash fumbled the kickoff but was able to recover. Six plays into the drive, Smargiasso threw an interception, but Matt Szmyd coughed up the ball and Rich recovered for Wilmington.
The 'Hounds got down to the Eagles 25, but on fourth-and-5, Smargiasso was hit from behind and fumbled. South Park then embarked on an 11-play, 67-yard drive which Marx capped off with the 18-yard TD to close the half.
Then the South Park defense, which hasn't allowed more than 13 points in a game since the second week of the season, took over.
Notes: Seniors playing in their final game for the Greyhounds were: Smargiasso, Tekac, Rich, Dudash, Shawn Bauer, Brad Patton, Brad Shaner, Judd Campbell, Justin Koi, Ryan Gargasz, Brian Meese, Rob Foster, Jay Ferrese, Mark Hall, Jamie Hake and Shawn Fuhr.
PIAA Class AA Semifinals WILMINGTON 7 0 0 07 SOUTH PARK19 7 0 7 33Scoring plays SP _ Morris 1 run (Vrabel kick) Wi _ Rich 77 pass from Smargiasso (Campbell kick) SP _ Morris 1 run (kick blocked) SP _ Guzek 76 run (pass failed) SP _ Marx 18 pass from Pryke (Vrabel kick) SP _ Atte 5 run (Vrabel kick) Team stats WILMINGTONSOUTH PARK 8.......First downs.......10 68.......Rushing yards.......236 163.......Passing yards.......108 19-12-2.......Att-comp-int.......6-5-0 4-7.......Sacks-yards lost.......1-10 231.......Total yards.......344 4-3.......Fumbles-lost.......2-2 4-40.......Penalties-yards lost.......1-5 Individual stats Rushing: WILMINGTON _ Tekac 8-38, Smargiasso 9-11, Dudash 5-10, Rich 2-9; SOUTH PARK _ Guzek 9-144, Morris 8-56, Atte 14-25, Gaetano 7-14, Pryke 5-(-3). Passing: WILMINGTON _ Smargiasso 18-12-2-163, M. Robison 1-0-0-0; SOUTH PARK _ Pryke 6-5-0-108. Receiving: WILMINGTON _ Tekac 6-63, Dudash 3-12, A. Robison 2-11, Rich 1-77; SOUTH PARK _ Marx 4-95, Krusienski 1-13.
