Tyrone (9-1) Vs. Philipsburg-Osceola (7-3)
District 6-AA semifinals
Seedings: Tyrone, No. 1; Philipsburg-Osceola, No. 5
What’s at Stake: The winner advances to the District 6-AA championship game on Saturday, November 15, against the winner of Saturday’s game between Forest Hills and Central Cambria.
Series History: Tyrone leads the all-time series against Philipsburg-Osceola with 69 wins and 25 losses, including games between Tyrone and the former Philipsburg and Osceola Mills High Schools. The teams have tied 5 times.
Since the consolidated Philipsburg-Osceola High School opened in 1955, the Eagles lead the all-time series 28-18.
The Eagles and Mounties have faced each other one other time in the postseason, with Tyrone defeating P-O 14-6 in the District 6-AAA semifinals in 1986.
District 6 Playoff History: Tyrone has won six District 6 championships. The first came as a AAA school in 1987, while the other five were won with Tyrone playing as a Class AA school. The Eagles won three consecutive titles from 1995-97 and won two more in 1999 and 2000. They have advanced to the District 6 semifinals 10 times.
Philipsburg-Osceola has never won a District 6 championship and is in the playoffs for the first time since 1995.
TYRONE: Has recorded 22 quarterback sacks this season….is 6-3 in District 6 semifinal games….defeated P-O 24-7 in Week 7….has gained over 200 yards on the ground in seven games this season….has not lost to Philipsburg-Osceola since 1994…. has outscored the Mounties 286-42 since 1996.
Hidden Stat: Tyrone has scored first in all but one of its games this season (Bishop Guilfoyle, Week 6).
Players to Watch: Brice Mertiff, RB, 202 carries, 1,265 yards, 17 touchdowns….Leonard Wilson, QB, 45-91, 648 yards, 9 touchdowns….Max Soellner, TE-DE, 137 receiving yards, 11.5 sacks….Tommy Crowl, WR, 271 receiving yards, one kick returned for touchdown….Terry Tate, OL-DL, 3.5 sacks, one fumble recovery â€| Brandon Maceno, LB-DB, 6 takeaways.
Philipsburg-Osceola: Has been outscored 59-21 in two games this season when it was held under 100 yards rushing (Tyrone, Clearfield)….is surrendering 114 passing yards per game….has outscored opponents 60-34 in the fourth quarter….has not won at Gray Veterans Field since 1991 â€| is 7-0 this season when rushing for more than 160 yards.
Hidden Stat: P-O has won two games this season after trailing 14-0.
Players to Watch: Adam White, RB, 212 carries, 1,523 yards, 16 touchdowns, two kicks returned for touchdowns….Jeff Winters, QB, 40-93, 463 yards, 3 touchdowns, 7 interceptions….Lou LaFuria, WR-K, 13 receptions, 201 yards, 21-24 PATs, 3 field goals (long 31 yards)
Game Notes
• Tyrone sophomore quarterback Leonard Wilson is coming off his best day as a passer after completing 10 of 13 passes for 186 yards and four touchdowns against Penns Valley. His four scoring passes broke a TAHS playoff record set by Brandon Hoover against United in 1999.
• P-O has not lost since its defeat at the hands of Tyrone in Week 7. Of the Mounties’ three losses, two came to No. 1 seeds in the District 6 playoffs (AAA Huntingdon and AA Tyrone) while the other was to Clearfield, the No. 2 seed in District 9-AAA.
• The Mounties have allowed more than 200 yards rushing in all three of their losses, including a season-high 247 in a 35-14 loss to Clearfield. P-O’s season low in rushing yards allowed came in Week five, when it stuffed Indian Valley for minus-6 yards on the ground.
• The game marks the first time Tyrone has faced a Big 8 opponent in the postseason under coach John Franco. The Eagles have played conference foes three other times in the playoffs, losing just once to Huntingdon, 6-0 in the 1986 AAA championship. Tyrone has had one regular season rematch in the postseason under Franco. That came when the Eagles defeated Bellwood-Antis 28-3 in the 2000 AA championship.
