Nov 16, 2017 4 min read

There aren’t many offensive or defensive lines in any classification of the WPIAL that can match the size of those on the Washington High School football team.

Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic comes close.

There should be quite a battle when the Prexies take on North Catholic at 7:30 p.m. tonight in a WPIAL Class AA semifinal game at Moon High School.

With each guard and tackle on the starting front five eclipsing 230 pounds, and most standing taller than 6-0, size won’t be a problem for North Catholic (10-2).

“They present a big challenge for us because they have a little bit of everything,” said Washington head coach Mike Bosnic. “They’re solid across the board with good size, a good quarterback and a good running back. It’s going to be a tough game for us.”

It’s a chance for Wash High, especially the seniors, to advance to a WPIAL championship game without a loss.

The Prexies lost to Neshannock in the semifinals last season, lost in the quarterfinals to Freeport in 2015 and fell one game short of the WPIAL championship in 2013 after falling to Aliquippa.

“This team compared to the last three years is a little bit more down to earth,” said senior wide receiver and linebacker Isaiah Schoonmaker. “We’ve had our struggles during some games this year, something we really couldn’t say before. The last three years was heartbreaking to see the seniors go out without a win. We’re coming into games with a different mindset.”

That is to not simply be satisfied with a deep run into the playoffs.

“We, as players, haven’t been prepared enough and have gone into the playoffs thinking we were the best,” said senior lineman Myckel Brown. “We want to change that.”

It will start with Brown and the rest of the front five for the Prexies, who have allowed sophomore quarterback Zack Swartz time to throw with ease out of a clean pocket and permit senior running back Nick Welsh to run for 1,865 yards and 25 touchdowns.

Washington (11-0) has scored the most points (498) in Class AA.

“Our offensive line hasn’t gotten the credit it deserves,” Bosnic said. “This team has a little bit of a different identity. We have a young quarterback developing into a Division I prospect. He has several weapons around him. There are a lot of guys making plays for us. (North Catholic) is big. They are solid. But I like our guys and the way we’re playing right now, too.”

Players to watch

• Nick Welsh, Washington running back: The featured back in his final year at Washington, Welsh hasn’t found a team that could stop him this season. In all 11 games, Welsh has eclipsed the 100-yard mark and scored at least one touchdown. His lowest single-game rushing total was 138 yards against Brownsville and Bentworth, two games where he didn’t reach double digits in carries.
• Joe Meinert, North Catholic running back: The senior has been a workhorse for the Trojans, carrying the ball 158 times for 1,142 yards and 11 touchdowns. Meinert averages more than 7.2 yards per carry behind North Catholic’s big offensive line, and has caught 20 passes for 303 yards.
• Dan Walker, Washington wide receiver: Since becoming eligible in Week 5, Walker has done nothing but make the Wash High offense that much more dangerous. In seven games, the junior has 23 receptions for 494 yards and seven touchdowns. He has at least two catches in every game he’s played, and has scored in six of the seven.
• Zack Rocco, North Catholic quarterback: Similar to Wash High, the Trojans rely on a sophomore behind center to run their offense. Rocco has done an excellent job. He has completed 142 of 225 passes (63 percent) for 2,125 yards and 29 touchdowns. He also is second on the team in rushing with 188 yards on his limited 36 carries. The Prexies will look to create turnovers on defense, as Rocco has thrown 10 interceptions.