Tyrone/Grove City Stat Pack
Tyrone (12-1, District 5-6 champion) vs. Grove City (10-2, District 10 champion)
PIAA Class AA Western Final
Saturday, December 4, 2004
Memorial Field, State College 1 p.m.
What’s at Stake: The winner captures the 2004 District 5-6 Sub-regional championship and advances to the PIAA inter-district playoffs against the WPIAL champion.
How They Got Here: TYRONE – defeated WPIAL champion Seton-LaSalle 28-7 last Friday at East Allegheny’s Churchman Stadium in the PIAA quarterfinals. The Eagle defense limited LaSalle’s top-rated passing tandem of Carmen Connolly and Bill Stull to four connection for 40 yards, while Brinton Mingle ran for 120. GROVE CITY– defeated Brookeville 28-12 last Friday at N. Kerr Thompson Stadium on the campus of Slippery Rock University. Jack Vallely ran for 115 yards on 17 carries.
Last Meeting: this is the first meeting between the two schools.
Schedules: TYRONE – def. Bellwood-Antis 40-13; def. Huntingdon 27-7; def. Lewistown 40-0; def. Bald Eagle Area 35-6; lost to Philipsburg-Osceola 7-6; def. Bellefonte 35-13; def. Bishop Guilfoyle 34-0; def. Indian Valley 41-12; def. Penns Valley 40-6; District 5-6 playoffs – def. Purchase Line 56-13; def. Philipsburg-Osceola 34-0; def. Bishop McCort 15-6; PIAA playoffs – Def. Seton-LaSalle 28-7.
GROVE CITY – Lost to Harbor Creek 34-21; lost to Greenville 21-14; def. Reynolds 41-0; def. Slippery Rock 24-0; def. Hickory 21-14; def. Wilmington 21-0; def. Mercer 42-0; def. Sharon 47-0; def. Brookeville 28-0; District 10 playoffs – def. North East 30-27 (OT); def. Harbor Creek 33-7; PIAA playoffs – def. Brookeville 28-12.
PIAA playoff history: TYRONE – the Golden Eagles are 8-5 in PIAA playoff games. In their last PIAA game against a team from District 10, the Eagles lost 28-14 to Slippery Rock in the 2003 AA quarterfinals. Tyrone has advanced to the Western Finals three times, winning twice in 1996 and 1999. The Eagles’ only loss was to Burrell in 1995. GROVE CITY – Grove City captured the school’s first outright District 10 championship two week’s ago with a 33-7 win over Harbor Creek and is making its first PIAA playoff appearance. The Eagles are 1-0 in PIAA playoffs following last week’s victory.
TYRONE: registered three interceptions for the second straight week by intercepting Stull three times in the second half last week … has recorded 28 takeaways while turning the ball over only six times … has not turned the ball over since Week 6, when the Eagles lost two fumbles to Bellefonte … is 3-3 all-time versus schools from District 10 … is allowing just 148 yards and 6.5 points per game in the playoffs.
Hidden Stat: Tyrone has played in more PIAA playoff games under coach John Franco (13) than Grove City has played games this season (12). Hidden Stat No. 2: Tyrone has scored on its first possession in 11 of 13 games this season.
Players to Watch: Brice Mertiff, RB, 246 carries, 1,914 yards, 9 receptions, 172 yards, 32 total touchdowns … Terry Tate, OL-DL, 20 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, 2 takeaways … Tad Chamberlain, TE, 13 receptions, 186 yards, 1 touchdown … Brinton Mingle, FB-LB, 149 carries, 846 yards, 19 rushing touchdowns… Leonard Wilson, QB, 1,335 total yards, 10 touchdowns passes, 2 rushing touchdowns, 1,038 passing yards, 2 interceptions in 150 attempts.
Coach John Franco: “We been talking about Slippery Rock all year and this week, telling the players how they compare to Grove City. They’re very similar, so they’ve been on our lips all week. That’s a big motivator because they made us look bad last season.”
GROVE CITY: has recorded six shutouts this season … did not allow a point from Week 6 through Week 9 … C-DT Tony Aloisio measures 6-5, 351 … has won 10 consecutive games after starting the season 0-2 … has allowed only 60 points during 10-game win streak … has three running backs with more than 400 yards … K Andy Hay made two 40-yard field goals in the District 10 championship.
Hidden Stat: Of the 115 points the Eagles have allowed this season, 41 came in two games against Harbor Creek.
Players to Watch: Jim Jaskowak, QB, 79-of-167, 1,528 yards, 12 touchdowns, 9 interceptions … Jack Vallely, RB, 141 carries, 815 yards, 10 touchdowns … Jesse Alfreno, WB, 1,218 total yards, 84 carries, 546, 32 receptions, 672 yards, 12 total touchdowns … Dan Wise 90 carries, 430 yards, 5 touchdowns.
Coach Jeff Bell: “We’re one game away from the state finals, but we’re not playing someone that just slipped into the playoffs. They’re one of the best teams in Pennsylvania. We know it will be a big challenge and a big crowd and we look at this as a chance for us to make our mark.”
