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Trinity has shot at postseason history
Postseason football requires intense preparation, analysis and energy-draining practices. The finality of the situation demands such dedication.
At Trinity High School, a strong singing voice also helps.
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"I've been singing 'Hail to the Victors' all week," Dalton said.
"Hail to the Victors" is the University of Michigan fight song. Montour is led by senior Christian Wilson, a Michigan recruit and a physical, punishing presence.
Dalton's impromptu concerts are designed to tune-up the Big Ten-bound Sweat, an Ohio State recruit, and Yancich, a Penn State recruit.
"It's my first Ohio State-Michigan experience," Sweat said. "I'm excited to play against him."
But, the question remains, can Dalton sing?
"I guess he's an adequate singer," Sweat said. "It's actually more of a hum."
Trinity (7-3) will be singing its alma mater at a more-than-adequate level following the game should it defeat Montour (10-0) at Canon-McMillan's Memorial Stadium.
And beating the Spartans means finding a way to slow Wilson, a 6-4, 235-pound bruiser with deceptive speed. Wilson ranks sixth in the WPIAL with 1,534 rushing yards and he's scored 24 touchdowns.
"He honestly reminds me of Larry Johnson," Dalton said. "When I was at Altoona we played against Larry Johnson four times while he was at State College and, after watching him on tape, I said he (Wilson) is just like L.J. When he gets in the open field, he's gone and he's just so big and physical."
Wilson and the high-flying Montour offense, engineered by dual-threat quarterback Edgar Banks Jr., present Sweat, Yancich and the rest of Trinity's defense with a difficult challenge.
Not only can the Spartans run over defenders, they can run past them. Behind Banks and Wilson, Montour averages nearly 350 yards per game.
"As tough as Wilson is, the straw that stirs the drink is Edgar Banks," Dalton said. "If you don't account for him on every snap, he's off to the races."
Trinity's defense, a unit that allows an average of 283.1 yards per game, has jelled in recent weeks. The Hillers allowed an average of 15 points per game in their last five wins.
Part of the success can be attributed to moving senior Brandon Weaver from safety to linebacker. The switch helped Trinity wipe away a disappointing 2-2 start.
"I feel more comfortable at linebacker. I've played it my whole life," Weaver said following Trinity's 43-16 win at Mt. Pleasant last Friday. "Our defense is getting better and better every week. The defensive backs are starting to pick off a lot of balls and the (defensive) line is making it easy for us to make plays."
Offensively, Trinity is making a lot of plays and Yancich is the catalyst.
The Hillers have scored at least 38 points in each of their last five wins as Yancich has established himself as one of the WPIAL's premier runners. He's rushed for 1,564 yards (fifth in the WPIAL) and has scored 22 touchdowns.
Combined with Weaver and Sweat, it's a potent run game - one that combines power with breakaway speed.
"Mike has such great finishing speed. He's a kid that runs a legit 100 meters in 10.8 or 10.7 seconds and he doesn't run track," Dalton said. "A lot of people are just shocked when they see him hit the open field."
Some might be shocked to see Trinity or Montour in next's week semifinals. The two aren't exactly perennial powers.
Montour is in the postseason for the first time since 1998 and claimed the Parkway Conference title, it's first league championship since 1995. The Spartans have won four WPIAL titles, none since 1964.
Trinity, meanwhile, has won two postseason games since starting football in 1922. The Hillers have never won two playoff games in the same year.
Yet these Hillers, who dropped to 4-3 after losing to Thomas Jefferson on national television, are revitalized and anxious to create a unique and, possibly, lasting legacy at Trinity.
Beating Montour will go a long way in establishing a different tradition.
"After the beginning of the season, winning the WPIAL got away from us," Sweat said. "We weren't playing well. Now, we're getting that back."
