Belle Vernon faces a difficult hurdle
Teams have a hard enough time beating Thomas Jefferson once in a season.
Belle Vernon will try to become the first team in 17 years to do it twice.
Bill Cherpak has built what has been one of the WPIAL’s premier programs for more than two decades. The Jaguars are two-time defending WPIAL champions and will make their 19th semifinal appearance in the past 20 years when they play Belle Vernon in a Class 4A showdown Friday at Baldwin.
“This is a WPIAL championship-type game. That’s the way we’re approaching it,” Belle Vernon coach Matt Humbert said.
Thomas Jefferson (9-1) has only one blemish on its record, and that came Oct. 13 at Belle Vernon (10-0), 21-17. Belle Vernon would go on to win the Big Nine Conference title and earn the No. 2 seed in the playoffs. Thomas Jefferson, the No. 3 seed, now has a chance to avenge that loss. History is on its side. The Jaguars have not lost to the same team twice in a season since West Mifflin beat them in the regular season and WPIAL semifinals in 2000.
“We’re in the semifinals and it’s exciting to get a chance to get back down to Heinz,” Cherpak said. “The reward is so much greater now. That’s a big focus of the kids. It doesn’t matter who we’re playing. Obviously, we’re excited to get another chance [at beating Belle Vernon]. It should be a really good game.”
Thomas Jefferson had a sour taste in its mouth after the first meeting, one the Jaguars dominated statistically, yet left Belle Vernon with a loss. The difference was turnovers. The Jaguars committed four — two interceptions and two fumbles.
This game features two outstanding defenses. They are the top two scoring defenses in the WPIAL’s three largest classifications. Thomas Jefferson gives up 4.8 points per game and Belle Vernon 8.8. Take away the first Belle Vernon game, and Thomas Jefferson has surrendered 27 points in nine games. Belle Vernon has forced 35 turnovers, including five in a 42-7 first-round win against Mars.
“We have 35 this season. That speaks for itself right there,” Humbert said. “We’ve been aggressive on the run. Opportunistic in the secondary. The frustrating thing is we still haven’t returned any for a touchdown. It’s a nice luxury to be able to get that ball to the offense. The past few games, the offense has been able to capitalize on the majority of those turnovers. It’s the reason why we’ve won 10 games.”
Defensive ends Brandon Roche and Logan Petrosky and linebacker Dylan Haney are the leading tacklers. Pitt recruit Blake Zubovic will be an offensive lineman in college, but he has also been a contributor at defensive tackle.
Two of Zubovic’s future teammates, Devin Danielson and Noah Palmer, are the stars of Thomas Jefferson’s defense, Danielson at tackle and Palmer at end. Danielson’s brother, Logan, is a sophomore and another standout along the line. Thomas Jefferson blanked Trinity, 42-0, in the first round for its fifth shutout.
Other semifinal
South Fayette (11-0) and Montour (8-2) will be playing for not only the second time this season, but for the second time in three games when they square off at West Allegheny. South Fayette won at Montour, 49-21, in the regular-season finale. The win gave South Fayette the outright Northwest Nine title and its sixth consecutive undefeated regular season. Quarterback Kavon Morman put Montour ahead early with a touchdown run, but South Fayette responded with 28 unanswered points.
“It’s always tough playing a team in the conference again,” South Fayette coach Joe Rossi said. “We’ll make some adjustments, corrections. Two good teams. They jumped on us, but we were able to come back and get ahead for good. We have to make each possession count.”
South Fayette has done a good job of that this season. The Lions average a Class 4A-best 43.6 points per game. A big reason for that has been the play of quarterback Drew Saxton, who has completed 66 percent of his passes for 2,462 yards, 31 touchdowns and only 5 interceptions.
“I’m not sure if you can slow him down. You just have to try to contain him,” Montour coach Lou Cerro said. “You can’t let him go crazy. He’s going to get his yards. You’re not going to stop the kid. Not letting them get the big plays is the best you can do. That’s how they do it.”
Top seed South Fayette defeated West Mifflin, 35-0, in the first round, while fourth seed Montour rallied from a 28-7 deficit to beat New Castle, 35-31. Morman accounted for four touchdowns — two rushing and two passing. Rossi said that leading rusher Johnny Beck (887 yards, 18 touchdowns) will play Friday after missing last week’s game with an injury.