Avella 22, Fort Cherry 21
For more, click: http://www.observer-reporter.com/or/localsports/10-10-avella-fort-cherry-game
Is it:
1. The product of Avella being far superior to Eagles teams of the past 10 years? Certainly.
2. Leftover effects from last Friday's loss to Clairton, in which the post game events have been discussed in detail on this site? Quite possibly.
3. The biggest upset WPIAL small school football has seen in years? Can't immediately think of a bigger one.
Following the completion of the Mt. Lebanon at Peters Township game (a topic for later in this post), I called into the office to report the final score. That's when someone said, "Avella 22, Fort Cherry 21." Didn't believe it until someone in the sports department called back and said the same thing.
Amazing.
After taking an early 6-0 lead, Avella rallied from a 21-6 deficit and scored the game's final 16 points, including a 57-yard pass from Cameron Geresti to fullback Aaron Mangari. The final two came on a Jared Magon conversion run to take the 22-21 lead with 7:52 remaining.
Anyone else like the decision to go for two?
Great call. Great win for Avella.
The question remains, what becomes of the playoff picture in the Black Hills Conference with this upset and Frazier's win over Burgettstown?
Clairton is the clear-cut favorite and Serra Catholic eased back into second place when it looked like Fort Cherry had settled into that position. Chartiers-Houston, Fort Cherry, Frazier and Burgettstown are all tied for third, which should make for some interesting matchups during the final three weeks.
** Mt. Lebanon scored on four its first five touches during a 47-27 win at Peters Township. Never witnessed anything like it before.
Peters Township, which is 0-2 in the Great Southern Conference after opening the year with four straight wins, is a much improved football team over recent seasons. Where the Indians lack is run defense, though they did do a better job of tackling Blue Devils tailback Luke Hagy in the second half.
Came away impressed with the play of PT junior quarterback Austin Hancock.
After a shaky start, Hancock settled in and made a variety of throws - the type of plays college recruiters notice. The only throw he struggled to complete was an out pattern to the opposite sideline.
Also liked the toughness of Andrew Erenberg, the speed of Justin Miller and the pass-catching skills of the receivers.
** Speaking of playoff races, Carmichaels knocked the Tri-County South out of order with an impressive showing at California.
Read Mikes coach John Menhart's comments in the Observer-Reporter after the game. Sounds like he delivered one heck of a message to his players Friday night.
"I told the kids that if we lost this game, we were done, that we'd have no shot at the playoffs," said Mikes head coach John Menhart. "This game was for the season."
And if California is without quarterback D.J. Martinak, Wade Stinnett and Mike Evans for an extended time, the Trojans playoff chances take a big hit.
** Six teams in the Class AA Interstate Conference are within two games of each other. Mt. Pleasant (6-0) sits atop, Charleroi (5-1), Jeannette (5-1), McGuffey (4-2), Greensburg Central Catholic (4-2) and Washington (4-2).
Mt. Pleasant has games remaining against Jeannette and Charleroi. The Cougars back-ended schedule includes Washington and McGuffey. GCC has the easiest road with games left against two bottom-feeders and one versus Jeannette. Wash High has Jeannette, Charleroi and McGuffey. The Highlanders also play Waynesburg.
There's a possibility that only one team clinches heading into the final week.
** Really thought Trinity had a chance to win the remaining games in its schedule. Wrong again.
** May be a little premature to call a conference champion, but South Fayette sure went a long way in securing the Century Conference with its win over Seton-La Salle. The undefeated Lions have wins over Keystone Oaks, Sto-Rox and the Rebels.
** Got a feeling the winner of this week's game between Canon-McMillan and Mt. Lebanon finishes third in the Great Southern Conference. Don't think that's big? Could be the difference between playing a first-round game at McKeesport or Shaler.
42 comments:
i could definitely see the rangers having a letdown a week after an emotional game like they had with Clairton but a letdown would be losing to burgettstown or char houston or maybe frazier, not avella. that is beyond letdown, that is unfathomable. i cannot think of a bigger upset in sports at any level. i would love to hear from a fort cherry ranger or fan or parent that was at the game to help me understand what exactly happened. with fort cherry's size how do they lose to avella? did you have players suspended? injured? i just dont understand how that happens. i would love a breakdown of that game and i would be willing to buy a tape of that game from someone if someone is willing to make/sell me a copy. also, what was the reaction of the avella players after that game? i can only imagine they had to feel like the just won a championship. i would have loved to see that. if anyone does have a tape please respond with contact info (email address) and ill contact you.
Peters is in severe jeopardy of not making the playoffs. That would be a big let down considering how much speed they have.
a few of the key fc players were hurt during the game. I could tell it hurt them but i dont understand why they lost to avella. a key player quit on defense and you can tell that they are really missing him. not the whole reason they lost but just a fact
I think the reason avella pulled it together and won was A. it was homecoming and B. it was Fort Cherry, old rivals who seemed to fizzle out due to the lack of competition sports at avella. After winning against giebel first game and keeping up with a few other teams(char-houston and 1st quarter against serra), It gave them the motivation to give it all. I see avella trying to bring back the burgettstown rivalry aswell and making that game a must see.
The end of the third quarter/all of the fourth, the entire stadium was rocking and rolling as the Eagles fans stomped, clapped, chanted and screamed. Every time the Avella players even so much as looked at the sidelines, the entire community exploded.
Friday night, the Eagles were the heart of the community, and when the buzzer went off, the entire crowd rushed down on the field and celebrated with them as if they were champions.
Anyone that knows anything about high school AAAA football knew all along that Peters would not be playing in the playoffs this season.
Only the completely misinformed Peters Township fans believed that they would be there. All that speed? PLEASE!
One year from now, they MAY qualify for the playoffs as a 3rd or 4th place team, but this year they aren't even close.
One of the coaches that was involved in the conflict with Clairton was pushed to quit the program. Although it's tough to confirm, that seemed to be an emotional blow to the kids in the past week.
It may be a short term loss, but a long term gain in that behaving in that way is not the way to practice good sportsmanship. I think that standards are important, and need to be reminded of what they are.
That being said, congrats to Avella! Nice to see the program improve from last year.
I'm very surprised that Fort Cherry lost to Avella. I still expect Fort Cherry to make the playoffs. I can't see FC letting down the McDonald faithfull against Frazier, but then again Frazier is better than Avella. Fort Cherry is better than this.
1. I saw Peters play Ringgold and I didnt see much team speed - a case can be made that Ringgold was faster...Peters showed toughness and ran the ball down their throats in the 2nd half but I agree with the other poster - no team speed for Peters.....
2. Football is such an emotional sport and even when the talent level appears to favor a team, if that team doesnt work hard and want it, then thats how you have upsets.....Im guessing that FC put all its emotional strength into the clairton game - they lost - huge letdown - coach forced to quit....Dont lose sight of the fact that you're dealing with 16, 17, and 18 yr olds - definitely an age where distractions cause a loss of focus....I bet that the FC kids went through the motions at practice last week - couldnt get over the loss emotionally - they thought they were working hard but mentally, they were still going over the Clairton game in their minds- and you cant just turn it on like a faucet when the preparation was mediocre....If you ask the FC coaches about it, they'll say that the Avella game scared them and they knew going in that their team wasnt able to get past Clairton.
Avella won the game fair,fought hard, and were better that day, they beat the rangers up and down the field...At the game I talked to Fort Cherry fans and they said.. Fc had a coach quit, a starter quit, and a senior all-district linemen thrown out of the game. That hurt them but theres no excuse for Fc's loss...After watching this game I have no doubt that Avella will be competitive for the next few years..A good group of hardworking kids. Congrats to a tough Avella football team!
Fc came out throwing the ball in the rain 3 times ina row. Bad play calling but what can you do, Fc lost a main player on D and O. Fc also had anouther plaey get kicked out the game witch was big. I woul dhave to say that the kids thought they was going to win and avella came to play. Stupid blocks in the back and holding all day on Fc. No excuse just saying. A few players got hurt or were still banged up no excuse just saying. I was schocked by the out come of the game and schocked how the kids was playing.
** Got a feeling the winner of this week's game between Canon-McMillan and Mt. Lebanon finishes third in the Great Southern Conference. Don't think that's big? Could be the difference between playing a first-round game at McKeesport or Shaler.
posted by mike_kovak at 10:28 AM on Oct 10, 2009
It doesn't matter who CM plays in the first round of the playoffs(assuming they make them) they have proven they are incapable of beating "quality" AAAA teams so they will get crushed regardless of who they play. They have also proven they can't beat AAAA opponents on the road so it will be Mt.Lebo by 8 this week and Bethel by 20 next week. BP is the real deal and quite possibly be at Heinz defending their AAAA title.....and they do not have 2 Big 10 recruits on their team. CM has severely UNDERachieved this year and making the playoffs as a 3 or 4 from the section is pathetic & embarrassing.
I know this blog is for wash.county but is there a team here to blog about? You all should try to get out and travel to TJ CLAIRTON,MCKEESPORT or a WOODY HIGH game put some actoin in your friday nights or you can jump on the AVELLA bandwagon looks like another team of the year for AVELLA
Mike,
PT beat 4 AAA teams, 3 in dogfights, that got destroyed by other AAA teams in week 1. They will not win one AAAA game all year, one less than they won last year. They have no dominating players, QB and running back included. Glad your covering PT but, please, don't drink the PT parent Kool-Aid!
I don't recall talking to any player parents at Friday's game. Just sharing my observations.
Sarcastic Sword.
Please approach me at the next Ringgold football game. I know you know who I am.
"One of the coaches that was involved in the conflict with Clairton was pushed to quit the program."
"coach forced to quit...."
"Fc had a coach quit, a starter quit, and a senior all-district linemen thrown out of the game."
i thought no coach from fc pushed any clairton coaches? thats what was said in another thread earlier in the week. i thought fort cherry players did no wrong, why did one get "thrown out of the game"? if clairton didnt cause havoc and turmoil why did "a starter quit"?
"i thought fort cherry players did no wrong, why did one get "thrown out of the game"?". He was talking about the Ft. Cherry/Avella game i do believe.
PT beat Kiski a AAAA team
Kiski = one of the few AAAA teams worse than Peters. Peters also broke the longest AAAA losing streak in the WPIAL when they lost to Baldwin.
Hey, if you want to celebrate that HUGE win over Kiski, have at it. It is probably the only one they will have for a while.
October 12, 2009 8:12 PM
Yes the kid got thrown out of the avella game not the clairton game. And the coach wasnt forced to quit he ben around for a long time and hes a verry good coach. He didnt need kids parents telling him how to do his job and didnt need trouble parents brought to him, he has 3 boys all three of them went to D1 one for wrestling and the outher to for football one started as a freshman in college. He quit because people thought they knew what was best and they thought they could coach. as for the starter quiting i belive it was his dad who gave him trouble with that his dad dont like the coaches ect... And for the senior that was ejected they said he swung on some kid, hardly refs called every little thing on fc no excuse they lost but they was calling holding on some people that had clean open field block thats sad they call stuff like that just let the kids play. And for who ever said fc was beat all up and down the field, you have to be kiding Avella had 4 first downs ALL GAME GET SERIOUS and yes they still scored 22 points ohh and btw one of them first downs was on a 4th down attemp that FAILED but the refs yet again called some holding on the FC d witch set them up for the td
FCF
i dont care if he got thrown out of the clairton game or the avella game the point is we were all told by you people that fort cherry players do no wrong...how did one of them get kicked out of a game? did the big bad avella players provoke the fort cherry players into it? i mean because fort cherry can do no wrong, the only time they do something wrong is when they are provoked by other players. i was just curious.
The FC coach that quit was a product of the player that quit. Nothing to do with clairton game. The player thought he should be getting more time on Offense and the coach had it out with the kids dad at halftime of the clairton game.
The coach is from the old school and isn't used to kids complaining about PT and parents jumping them.
All this talk about the Friday night happenings, I like it. Congrats to Avella. Big step for them.
No mention of the ongoing meltdown on the hill? Trinity gets dominated by BELLE VERNON... and no mention by the posters? Has everyone thrown in the town on the Hillers?
I don't think anyone denied the coaches actions, just that he fed into the stuff from Clairton's actions.
The coach was pushed to quit because he RESPONDED to the level of the Clairton program.
That's simply not acceptable here, and why action was taken. Of course, acting that way is not only accepted, but required at Clairton.
Canon-Mac has not underachieved. They were overrated from the start. Thier offenssvie and defensive lines are not good. They've beaten the teams they should and lost to the teams they should.
Having two d-1 players on your team assures nothing.
There's no way Cm was going to beat PCC, WOodland Hills or USC.
That's not excuse but reality. They just are not an elite Class AAAA team and it begins up front.
Don't make more of this than you should.
I believe after Fort Cherry in week 6 losing to Avella, it should spark an interest in a new head coach for the Rangers. The Gary dynasty at Fort Cherry needs to be done with, and after this season Jim Gary should step down and away from Fort Cherry football. I believe a new head coach at Fort Cherry would spark a new interest in the minds of the players. What was Jim Gary thinking Friday night calling those plays? Why would any SMART coach call 3 passing plays in the pouring down rain to win the game?
I'm not sure why people want a new coach at Fort Cherry. Remember this team did beat Serra Catholic in Serra. This is still a good team. The only problem I see in McDonald is the youth and you are going to have growing pains. At what point in the game did Tanner throw 3 passes in a row? Your team is going to be fine in the short term and long term. The Rangers came out flat after playing a superemotional game against Clairton. Its hard to bring the same intensity when you know your next oppenent is Avella.
to October 13, 2009 10:24 AM
I never said they dont do any thing rong, they do every team dose the argument was that it would have never happend if clairton woundt have started it thats all. Like i said the kid didnt swing on nobody the ref, was calling everything. If you dont belive me check the film. Oh btrw the ref didnt call avella for the runnig back cut blocking the d line and the linebackers????? So get off my back and before you make statements watch the film to see how mean fc was. that game was a joke and nothing but a wake up call fc still going to get the second seat in the playoffs.
to October 13, 2009 10:45 pm
Jim is not coaching any more he passed away, its Tim Garry now he has ben coaching for many years now. His play calls friday was a lil crazy but FC still should have one no matter what play was called. Tim knows his football, but im not sure if he gets confused on what he wants to do or not, no confidence in his players for certain plays im not sure but there needs to be changes made some where, on the field or off. Im not arguing your point about getting a new head coach because that mite just be the best thing but i know he can be a good coach.
There is nothing but chaos at Trinity. Dalton has lost his team. They are at the point of not knowing what's going on and are afraid of making mistakes, playing tentatively. Just not out having fun!
anon at 957
you still cant accept the fact that your coach and your team did something wrong. you have to follow up what you said with "he was just responding to clairtons actions" no he wasnt. no clairton coach pushed anyone. i really disliked clairtons program after reading all of this stuff earlier but the more you people keep passing blame the more i realize the ranger program is nothing but a bunch of big whiners. i hope you lose this week also. it would be great if you guys didnt make the playoffs after this.
His name is tim garry buddy... his dad died a few years back.
Hillerarious........
You said it right. A total "meltdown".
Trinity just doesn't have the talent so many people like to believe. The offensive line is terrible. The QB can't pass. One of the RB's is afraid of contact and ALWAYS spins and takes on defenders with his back. The play calling is about as bland as it gets. No imagination. And every play they do run just looks sloppy and poorly executed.
That pretty well sums it up........
Jim Garry passed away a few years ago.
Get your facts straight!
Anon at 957:
Did he do push ups after the game? Yap about how many 'rings' he had?
Please. Your community is as classless as your program.
As for the "Garry Dynasty", shouldn't they actually win something more than a conference title in over 40 years before being labeled that?
Joey said it, there is alota fc has to do to get ready for playoffs but there not out of it yet. And can someone answer this why are people still talking about a game that happend almost two weeks ago? Get real and grow up both sides talking about the clairton game (fc,clairton) Fc know what they did was rong well at least the players do because there coach made them run and for the outher kids that caused problems like fighting they had to run more, everybody knows there rong so just DROP IT!!!!!!!!!!!
I stand corrected and apologize I meant Tim Gary. But still the Gary dynasty needs to be over with at Fort Cherry. Yes, Tim has good intentions and he is a great guy, but its time for him to step aside and let someone else take over. Its been the same thing with Fort Cherry football for the past 30 years, and someone who is not a Gary needs to come in and properly correct the playbook.
A bunch of adult wanna be players that live through a childs ability and the adult forgets, the child just moves on and you adults keep bringing it on. So children learn by adults.
to mike kovak, you and the pa focus writer Audra Taylor, should maybe talk to people than being critical thinkers.
my children and out of town friends were at the clairton vc fc game. the players learn from the fans, coaches and so called personal fouls the refs usually call wrong. The ejections should be the parents and coaches stay home and the children call the plays at least they may not get screamed at on off and in the locker room or on the way home with their parents. it is like a bad marriage, pass the blame. only the child support is the price of the ticket to get in.
The Fort Cherry playbook is fine. I know for a fact, they adapt their plays to fit their player’s strengths each year. This is what a good coaching staff does and the rangers have a good staff. It is easy to coach standing on the fence up on the hill. I am sure you would do a much better job. LOL!
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