Tyrone’s win last Friday over Seton-LaSalle in the PIAA quarterfinals secured the Eagles’ spot in the Western Finals for the fourth time under coach John Franco.
It also guaranteed that they would play – for the second consecutive week – the hottest team in Western Pennsylvania.
That was a title the Rebels held until a week ago, having won 13 straight games before being disposed of in workmanlike fashion by Tyrone (12-1) at East Allegheny High School’s Churchman Stadium, 28-7.
The distinction now belongs to the Grove City Eagles (10-2), the District 10 champion who, after back-to-back losses to start the season, has won 10 in a row and placed itself four quarters from the school’s first trip to Hershey.
The game kicks off Saturday at 1 p.m. at Memorial Field in State College.
“We had some high expectations to start the season and after the first two games, the kids were down,” said Grove City coach Jeff Bell. “It was just a matter of us pulling together as a team. We made some personnel changes and some defensive adjustments and after we won our third game of the season the players began trusting in the coaches and the system and believing in each other.”
The team’s resolution has it in unfamiliar territory. Grove City had never even won an official District 10 championship before this season, although they were awarded a mythical version of the District championship in 1961. But according to Bell, after a season of overcoming obstacles – the least of which was an 0-2 start – his players believe they’re ready to take the next step.
Grove City was inches away from being shut out of the playoffs late in the season, thanks to District 10’s archaic system of selecting postseason participants. The District is divided into two regions, with the regional champions and two at-large teams each qualifying for the playoffs. The Eagles found themselves at 7-2 along with three other teams at season’s end, and until a late meeting between District 10 officials feared their season might be over.
“We understand the kind of opportunity this is, especially after almost not making the playoffs,” Bell said. “Who knows if this opportunity will ever come up again?”
But the path to playoff elimination is paved with teams who harp on carpe diem themes in the locker room. That’s not what concerns Franco.
Instead, Franco is alarmed by this team’s similarity to a playoff opponent from 2003: the Slippery Rock Rockets, who in the PIAA quarterfinals last November made their 28-14 victory over Tyrone look downright easy. Like the Rockets, Grove City runs the Wing-T – albeit a more traditional version than the Jet Series run by Slippery Rock – and it’s inside running game and deep passing game are formidable.
“Their offense is actually more challenging for us than Seton-LaSalle,” said Franco. “They’re more varied and they’ve been very hot lately. They do a great job with the option game and the inside counter game and they throw the deep pass better than Seton-LaSalle did.”
Like most Wing-T teams, Grove City gets contributions from a variety of players offensively, but the players who set the table are quarterback Jim Jaskowak and fullback Jack Vallely. Along with being a threat to run on the option, Jaskowak has also thrown for over 1,500 yards and 12 touchdowns (79 of 167, 9 interceptions). On 141 carries, the bruising Vallely has run for 815 yards and 11 scores to lead a rushing attack that features three players with more than 400 yards.
Establishing a solid running game has been easier for Grove City than most teams thanks to the size of their interior line, which includes mammoth center Tony Aloisio (6-6, 351) and tackle Ian Turner (6-3, 245).
According to Bell, running the ball is his team’s top priority this week, but he understands the enormity of the challenge, facing a Tyrone defense that allows just 73 yards per game.
“We have to be able to put drives together, run the football and move the chains,” Bell said. “And when we get opportunities to score, we have to score.”
That, too, has been easier said than done against Tyrone. The Eagles are surrendering just 6.9 points per game – sixth in Pennsylvania among all classifications – and have never allowed a team to score more than 13 points in any one game. In four playoff games, Tyrone has allowed 6.5 points per game and is coming off a dominant performance against a record-setting LaSalle passing attack, limiting the Rebels to just 103 yards through the air.
“We have to shut down their running game,” Franco said. “Everything is built around their fullback and then their quarterback with the option. Then we have to defend the deep passing game.”
Tyrone, ranked No. 1 in Pennsylvania by both the AP and the Pennsylvania Football News, will look for more of the same from its offensive unit, a group that has played with enough consistency this season to take its place alongside some of Franco’s best. In 13 games, the Eagles have scored on their opening possession 11 times, and have started each playoff game with a touchdown.
According to Franco, the key has been the team’s balance. The Eagles have gained 3,446 yards on the ground and passed for 1,047, which doesn’t sound even at all. But it’s been Tyrone’s ability to pass when it chooses, behind junior quarterback Leonard Wilson, that has made all the difference.
“Once teams know you can pass, they can’t play the same defensive scheme anymore,” Franco said. “That’s when you can go to your strength, which for us is the inside running game.”
Brice Mertiff and Brinton Mingle lead the way on the ground for Tyrone. Mertiff is on the threshold of a 2,000-yard season, with 1,914 yards on 246 carries, while Mingle has 846 yards on 149 carries. The duo has combined for 51 total touchdowns.
Bell said he is concerned with Tyrone’s efficiency and balance on offense, as well as its knack for limiting mistakes. The Eagles have turned the ball over only six times this season, and haven’t coughed it up once since Week 6 against Bellefonte.
“They’ve had six all year, and we had five in one playoff game,” Bell said. “In a big game, you’d like to say a turnover could turn the game for you, but they just don’t do it.”
Everyone Does More
Tyrone’s playoff run has been made all the more remarkable by the number of injuries the Eagles have been forced to overcome along the way.
Ben Gummo (23 receptions, 379 yards, 87 points) tore the meniscus in his left knee before the District championship game, and since has kicked three field goals and four extra points and scored a touchdown. Starting defensive end Doug Morrow injured his knee and was forced to sit out of last week’s game against LaSalle.
While Franco could do without the nicks, bumps and serious injuries, the team’s run of health problems has allowed it to refocus around a common theme.
“We need everybody to do something extra, players, coaches, fans, everybody,” said Franco. “We have a ton of injuries, but that means we need everyone to step up and do something more.”
In reflecting on the team’s current health issues, Franco recalled players from the past who endured injuries to compete at a high level.
“Mike McNelis in 1999 played the entire playoffs with torn cartilage in his knee and never told anyone except his brother,” he said. “Mark Wyland played a whole season (1997) with a torn ACL and rushed for 1,300 yards.
“We have had some tough kids here.”
Wilson Joins the Club
Wilson joined a special club when Franco named him the starting quarterback three games into his 10th grade season: he became only the second sophomore, along with Jarrod Anderson – to hold the position for Franco at Tyrone.
When you consider some of the names that have held the spot – names like Mertiff, Hoover and Sharer – that’s pretty exclusive company.
With 74 yards passing against LaSalle last week, he joined another club – the 1000-yard passing club.
Wilson now has completed 71 of 145 passes for 1,038 yards and 10 scores. He becomes the fifth signal caller during Franco’s tenure to accomplish the feat, along with Anderson (1995-96), Matt Sharer (1997), Brandon Hoover (1999-2000) and Tyler Mertiff (2001-02).
Site Change
The game was originally set to be played at Mansion Park in Altoona, the traditional venue for regional playoff games held at District 6 sites. However, the PIAA changed the location Saturday to State College, which is easily accessible for Grove City from I-80.
The move was in contrast to a PIAA playoff pairing earlier this season that sent Johnstown to Selinsgrove, to play on Selinsgrove’s home field.
It upset Franco, but he said it’s not a distraction.
“A representative from District 10 told (PIAA executive director) Brad Cashman that Highlands High School (in Natrona Heights, Allegheny County) would be the best location because it’s halfway between the two schools,” Franco said. “That’s ridiculous. Is what District 10 says going to be what the PIAA goes by? But whatever. We’ll play wherever, whenever. It doesn’t matter to us.”
