Published Thursday, Nov. 27, 1997
BACK TO HERALD...
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Sharpsville focuses eyes on finals trip
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BLUE DEVILS ARE BANGED UP, BUT STILL DETERMINED
Herald Sports Writer
Riverview High School head football coach Jake Cappa is a western Pennsylvania guy, born and bred on WPIAL football. He played scholastically at Connellsville and coached previously at Verona. So his observation leading up to Saturday's PIAA Class A western regional championship game with Sharpsville is an interesting one:
``We've gotten everything we wanted to attain. This game this week is nothing but a bonus,'' Cappa told The Herald via telephone Tuesday evening in anticipation of Saturday's 2 p.m. west title tilt at Veterans Memorial Stadium, Erie. ``If you're a WPIAL person, winning this title is the ultimate,'' Cappa, now in his 13th year at the Riverview helm, continued. ``That's why the WPIAL teams don't fare well in the state tournament. They're all set to end the season.
``I don't know how they feel about winning the district championship up there,'' Cappa continued, referring to Mercer County. ``I don't know if it means as much up there. But growing up in western Pennsylvania, it (the ultimate goal) was winning the WPIAL title and there was nothing else. Monday (following the game), you had a team meeting, and Wednesday, you'd turn in your equipment.
``But there's only 16 teams left in the state of Pennsylvania, I know that,'' Cappa said.
After a mediocre 3-3 start and a call from Cappa to ``get back our respectablity,'' the Raiders rolled, commencing with a midseason win over then-unbeaten and state-ranked Clairton. That ultimately led to Riverview's third appearance in the WPIAL championship game in the last four years, where it disposed of Fort Cherry. Two-time defending PIAA champion Farrell was eliminated by Fort Cherry a week earlier in the WPIAL semifinals.
``We just kept getting better and better,'' Cappa explained, recalling wins over Clairton, Greensburg Central Catholic, Leechburg, Brentwood, California and South Side Beaver and Fort Cherry.
Having won seven straight games by an aggregate 175-60 margin, Cappa understated, ``We're not the team we were when the season started. We've improved tremendously, and did that right through the playoffs.''
Although Cappa believes the season already is long enough, he promised, ``We're gonna make a great effort. We're gonna focus on the task at hand. That Sharpsville team is very, very good.''
After expounding on the Blue Devils' 13-7 overtime setback to Mercer County Athletic Conference and District 10 champion Wilmington, which will play for the AA western regional crown on Saturday against WPIAL titlist South Park, Cappa said of Sharpsville, ``They're a very solid team ... clearly, the favored team.''
Offensively, Cappa said his club is tailback-oriented, alternating between T- and I-formations, though quickly adding, ``but we're not a wing-T.''
Riverview's running game is led by Lucas Heakins, who has gained 1,965 yards on 209 trips, while fullback William Anderson complements him with 509 yards on 103 attempts. Heakins sustained a preseason injury and got a limited number of training camp snaps, which may have contributed to Riverview's slow start, Cappa noted.
Quarterback Justin Dudczak has turned in a 53-for-101 passing performance, good for 943 yards and 10 TDs, but has been intercepted eight times. His go-to guys are Chad Benyon (19 catches, 328 yards) and Matt Geppert (18-339).
``We probably mirror each other,'' Cappa said of the clubs' similarities. ``But defensively, moreso than offensively, although we use a lot of formations. Our's are a little different than their's (Sharpsville). They show a more wide-open, more spread out look.''
Defensively, Cappa said Riverview, which has won the Eastern Conference four times this decade, will use both odd- (5) and even-numbered (4 and 6) fronts.
In assessing Sharpsville, Cappa offered:
``I'm very impressed with them. They're really good. The key, to me, obviously, is to shut down their quarterback (John Napotnik). They seem to really rely on him, though they have a 1,000-yard rusher (Justin Napotnik). They like to run, but they throw it well, too. (John Napotnik's) a good football player. We have to contain him or neutralize him. But even if we do, he's gonna throw the ball and complete his passes, I'm sure.
``I will tell you they do have something we have: real good team speed,'' Cappa added.
Size-wise, Cappa views the clubs as being evenly matched, so he said the determining factor will be,
``We're gonna have to play very physical. If our kids want to win, we're gonna have to turn it into a war. We just have to go up there and pound them, if that's possible. They may do that to us, but our kids are physical and like to play that way.''
The MCAC- and District 10-champion Blue Devils also enjoy being physical, but that style may be more difficult this week. Head coach Paul Piccirilli related that standouts Reggie Burns (probable torn medical collateral knee ligament) and Chris Cusick (severe ``stinger'') already have been scratched from Saturday's contest, while Josh Hamder and Jim Tucker are academically ineligible.
Also, noseguard Tom McMath's knee, in which he sustained MCL damage, became inflamed. Piccirilli said McMath and Mike Germano (bruised shoulder) both ``should be okay'' come game day.
``Offensively, we're still intact,'' Piccirilli observed, ``but we might have to outscore them. Defensively, I'm concerned. We've just lost too many people.''
Sharpsville can ill afford to become outmanned against a team like Riverview, as Piccirilli noted,
``Myself and the rest of the coaches agree: (Riverview) looks like the same team we played last week _ Bellwood-Antis. They're strong, the tailback's a heckava runner, they have a big fullback, 230 pounds. They just try to pound it down your throat, and they have to every team they've played this year. And after they lull you to sleep, they'll throw it.
``Anybody coming from the WPIAL is gonna be tough,'' Piccirilli acknowledged.
Piccirilli and Cappa are in agreement one point: How vital the line of scrimmage will be in determining the outcome.
``The key first of all, is we've been very successful at stopping teams running the ball,'' Piccirilli said. ``That definitely has to be our number one key. We'll stack the line as much as possible to stop the run and force the pass. That's ben our philosophy all year: Stop the run and react to the pass.
``But offensively, we've got to score points any way possible,'' Piccirilli admitted.
``Defensively, as banged up as we are, we're hoping they can hold their own and do an adequate job. But offensively, we're still intact. We still have a lot of good players on offense, so the ofense has to pick it up this week.''
In spite of those missing in action, Piccirilli was emphatic when he said,
``As far as the kids themselves, they can't wait. No matter what 11 guys we put on the field, we'll never have problems emotionally and with the intensity they carry.
``If we go down, we're going down fighting.''
Concluding, Piccirilli said, ``I definitely think we still have enough talent to win the game. The guys stepping in will have to hold their own. And as for the rest of the team that's been playing right along, I don't want them to try to be a hero, but they have to step it up one notch.''
Sharpsville-Riverview at a glance
Starting lineups SHARPSVILLE Offense No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr. 79 Andy Lewis..........OT 6-0 255 12 52 Bryan Weber.........OG 5-11 215 11 72 Josh Hamder..........C 6-0 210 12 56 Tony Petricini......OG 5-7 180 12 74 Jason Oman..........OT 6-4 305 11 12 Brad Sarchet........TE 5-10 150 12 9 John Napotnik.......QB 5-8 160 12 29 Justin Lucas........RB 5-10 170 11 32 Justin Napotnik.....FB 5-8 160 10 1 Brian Watson........FL 5-10 175 12 80 Mark Ramsey.........SE 6-2 185 12 50 Aaron VanZanten.....PK 6-0 190 11 Defense 12 Brad Sarchet........DE 5-10 150 12 66 Russell Adkins......DT 5-9 160 12 24 Tom McMath..........NG 5-7 150 12 72 Josh Hamder.........DT 6-0 210 12 1 Brian Watson........DE 5-10 175 12 22 Mike Germano........LB 5-5 140 12 39 Jim Tucker..........LB 5-11 175 12 32 Justin Napotnik.....LB 5-8 160 10 25 Brad Watson.........CB 5-10 160 11 28 Willie Friday.......CB 5-7 175 12 9 John Napotnik.......FS 5-8 160 12 RIVERVIEW Offense No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr. 8 Steve Sikon..........TE 5-9 160 12 70 Garrett Moore........OT 5-10 215 11 56 Sam Glover...........OG 6-0 200 12 50 Jerry Sabatini........C 5-9 180 10 51 Bob Pica.............OG 6-0 205 12 74 Ethan Gigler.........OT 6-0 235 11 15 Justin Dudczak.......QB 5-9 180 12 1 Lucas Heakins........TB 5-10 170 11 3 Matt Geppert.........RB 5-9 155 12 31 William Anderson.....FB 6-0 210 11 80 Chad Beynon..........SB 6-3 180 12 Defense 56 Sam Glover...........DE 6-0 200 12 66 Charlie Steffy.......DT 6-2 275 12 74 Ethan Gigler.........DT 6-0 230 11 75 Rich Gilbert.........DE 6-1 205 10 2 Josh Walsh...........LB 5-10 170 11 15 Justin Dudczak.......LB 5-9 180 12 8 Steve Sikon..........LB 5-9 160 12 51 Bob Pica.............LB 6-0 205 12 80 Chad Beynon..........CB 6-3 180 12 3 Matt Geppert.........CB 5-9 155 12 1 Lucas Heakins.........S 5-10 170 11
TEAM SHARPSVILLE RIVERVIEW OFFENSE 2672..........Rushing yards..........3302 205.5..........Per game..........254.0 1815..........Passing yards..........943 139.6..........Per game..............72.5 191-120-8..........Att-comp-int......101-53-8 4447..........Total yards..........4245 342.1..........Per game..........326.5 428..........Points scored..........356 32.9..........Per game..............27.3 DEFENSE 1355..........Rushing yards allowed..N/A 104.2..........Per game..............N/A 1075..........Passing yards allowed..N/A 82.7..........Per game...............N/A 195-82-19..........Opp. Att-comp-int.N/A 2392..........Total yards allowed....N/A 184.0..........Per game.......... N/A 118..........Points allowed........150 9.1..........Per game..........11.5
INDIVIDUAL Rushing SHARPSVILLE _ Justin Napotnik 161-1010; Reggie Burns 139-817; John Napotnik 57-329. RIVERVIEW _ Lucas Heakins 209-1965; Will Anderson 103-509; Matt Geppert 38-324, Justin Dudczak 101-232. Passing SHARPSVILLE _ John Napotnik 179-115-8-1733, 18 TDs. RIVERVIEW _ Dudczak 101-53-8-943, 10 TDs. Receiving SHARPSVILLE _ Brian Watson 31-532; Mark Ramsey 28-360; Justin Napotnik 26-445. RIVERVIEW _ Chad Beynon 19-328; Geppert 18-339. Scoring SHARPSVILLE _ Justin Napotnik 23 TDs, 138 pts; Burns 9 TDs, 54 pts; JohnNapotnik 7 TDs, 44 pts; Ramsey 8 TDs, 48 pts; Brian Watson 7 TDs, 42 pts. RIVERVIEW _ Heakins 17 TDs; Anderson 10 TDs; Beynon 5 TDs.
Game-by-game scores SHARPSVILLE (12-1) 38..........Union City........0 35..........Conneaut Lake.....0 47..........West Middlesex....0 31......Kennedy Christian.....7 7..........Wilmington (OT)..13 43..........Mercer...........16 29......Cambridge Springs....14 53..........Saegertown.......24 56..........Cochranton.......8 DISTRICT 10 A PLAYOFFS 31..........Linesville.......8 14....Cambridge Springs......7 PIAA A PLAYOFFS 27..........Clarion..........6 17......Bellwood-Antis......15 RIVERVIEW (10-3) 14..........Monaca..........21 34..........Rochester........7 22..........Duquesne........24 41..........Springdale.......7 61..........Serra...........19 9..........Wilkinsburg......12 24..........Clairton........13 28..........Greensburg C.C..14 39..........Leechburg........6 WPIAL A PLAYOFFS 22..........Brentwood........0 29..........California.......7 14......South Side Beaver....6 19..........Fort Cherry.....14
