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A football season memorable for all the wrong reasons
It was a watershed moment for local high school football as Wash High became the first to win a state football championship. It also signified the peak to one wonderful run.
Not only did Washington win a WPIAL title that year, Fort Cherry made it to Heinz Field for the Class A championship game. The Rangers lost a close one to Rochester, which went on to win a state title and declared Fort Cherry as the best team they played all season.
Local teams playing for WPIAL titles had become commonplace.
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In 1999, the Raiders beat the Prexies for the title.
In 1998, Washington lost to Shady Side Academy in the championship.
In 1997, Fort Cherry lost to Riverview in the Class A final.
Earlier in the decade, Washington and McGuffey won WPIAL championships. West Greene played for one and the Prexies lost a heartbreaker in overtime.
Who could have predicted when the 2001 Prexies - led by future West Virginia All-American Dan Mozes, future Notre Dame special teams captain Travis Thomas and future Wild Things third baseman Justin Gregula - won the state championship that it would be followed by seven straight years of postseason futility?
Saying high school football within the borders of Washington and Greene counties is in the midst of a down period qualifies as an understatement.
Starting with the 2002 postseason, local schools are 16-65 - a dreadful .198 winning percentage - in the WPIAL playoffs.
No team has reached the PIAA playoffs.
Only three teams - Carmichaels (2002), Beth-Center (2006) and Jefferson-Morgan (2006) - made it to the WPIAL semifinals.
The seven-year drought without one local team reaching a WPIAL championship game is the longest since the district started playing title games.
Last Friday, local football may have reached its low point.
Playoff teams from Washington and Greene counties went a combined 0-9 in the first round. It marked the first winless postseason for local teams since 1988, when only eight teams per classification qualified and three from the area earned a playoff berth.
Making matters worse is the manner in which many of the teams lost. The average score of the nine games was 33.9 -11.1, with one team (Canon-McMillan) being shut out and five others (Trinity, Ringgold, Fort Cherry, California and Beth-Center) failed to score in double figures.
Injuries hampered several teams.
Canon-McMillan lost its three most explosive offensive players - Mike Hull, Chad Hagan and Steve Roach - during its opening-round loss to Shaler. Beth-Center faced the postseason without versatile sophomore Jeff Tarley. Ringgold went to Blackhawk knowing senior quarterback Shane Mountain would not play. Trinity struggled to find an offensive identity following an injury to tailback Dan Miller. Fort Cherry lost its starting tailback, Nate Crossey, during the regular season.
Those teams qualified for the playoffs.
Some could not run the football, others couldn't pass. A few traditional powers struggled to do much of anything.
Over the last two seasons, Waynesburg is 1-17.
At 1-8 and with 82 points scored, Washington went through its worst regular season since 1969, when the Prexies were 0-9 and outscored 315-42.
Throughout the region, offensive linemen looked smaller and the running backs looked a step slower than in past seasons. A region which supplied the area's small colleges with quality players for years, now has trouble getting the big boys into the weight room. Many offensive lines struggled opening holes.
Only three runners ran for 1,000 yards. They were Beth-Center's Josh Lockett, Chartiers-Houston's Brad Banas and Charleroi freshman Quinten Briggs. No one ranked among the top 20 rushers in the WPIAL.
Carmichaels, a playoff team, averaged 3.67 yards per carry and Mapletown, which went 1-8, averaged 3.75 yards per attempt.
There were a few success stories.
McGuffey made the playoffs for the first time in 14 years and should return many of its lettermen next year. Fort Cherry and Beth-Center each were 8-1 during the regular season. Like McGuffey, Beth-Center returns a lot of talent.
Carmichaels senior Joby Lapkowicz returned from a severe injury suffered during baseball season to pass for more than 1,000 yards in only six games.
Hull battled injuries to turn in another fine season. He, along with Trinity's Ken Wilkins, will be among the top senior recruits in the WPIAL next year.
And, finally, Avella drew national headlines, including a feature in the New York Times, for completing the season with numbers dipping as low as 10 for at least one game.
Sadly, that's the most attention area football drew during the bleakest fall in recent memory.
Mike Kovak can be reached at mkovak@observer-reporter.com
WPIAL Ranking : 11/4/2008
I just wanted to know where I can find out about the rankings. What they mean their weight
WHS Football : 11/4/2008
If the Wash High school board would listen to the outcry of the publice, by changing the hiring practice of coaches, MAYBE, just MAYBE Wash High will win some football games. Get some coaches who know how to coach and have the respect of the players and community
Young Team : 11/4/2008
What about the young Jefferson Morgan team who had a 1000 yard passer in Sophomore quarterback Brandon Kozich?
Cyclic or Crisis : 11/4/2008
The end of the season results, although disappointing, are not truly indicitive of the heart, enthusiasm, courage and desire of the local players. All things are cyclic and low spots are launching points for future success.
Wash High Football : 11/4/2008
The Wash High football has alot of young talent coming. when the sophmore class becomes seniors, they will have enough talent along with the fresh & soph classes to contend for a state title. As for any WH team it will depend on whether the kids remain eligible and focused.
season memorable for all : 11/4/2008
You missed the additional attention for Avella Football - Movie offer from Disney. Plans pending.
WHS : 11/4/2008
Wash High would have a great program, if they get rid of the coaching staff. The players have no respect for those coaches.
Young team : 11/5/2008
Jefferson-Morgan didn't even make the playoffs in the area's worst season memory.
Community : 11/6/2008
When you go into a season with 7 players ineligble for grades and 12 that don't have physicals because the families don't wont to pay for it or take their kids to get it then it results in what you have for a football team. Has nothing to do with coaching! If you want to coach at the high school level go to school and get a teaching degree!
WHS FOOTBALL : 11/6/2008
Why don't you share some of the people that have the respect of the coaches and community. I'm sure all of these people have tons of football knowledge and experience.
Guy is Gone : 11/6/2008
When the community realizes that Guy is not coming back and supports whatever staff is in place at Wash High I think the football will be alot better. I heard they have 6 people in the booster and Mrs. Adkins has to do everything and doesn't even have a boy on the team. It is easy to be negative get on board and help out.
season memorable for all : 11/6/2008
