Nov 9, 2018 4 min read

ELIZABETH – Washington had plenty of history on its side when the Prexies entered Friday night’s WPIAL quarterfinal matchup with Steel Valley.

They owned a 13-1 all-time record against Steel Valley including a 3-0 mark in the postseason.

None of that mattered at Elizabeth Forward’s Warrior Stadium as Steel Valley entered the game fueled by the memory of last season’s 37-10 loss to Washington in the WPIAL Class AA title game.

The result this time was a 39-7 win for the Ironmen that ended the Prexies’ season at 10-2. Steel Valley (10-1) faces Freedom next week in the Class AA semifinals.

All night, the Ironmen were the more physical squad as they owned both sides of the line of scrimmage.

“We just lost the physical battle up front,” Washington coach Mike Bosnic said. “They outphysicaled us on the line and we couldn’t tackle. It was a long night.”

Washington’s offense, which averaged nearly 53 points per game this season, was handled by an Ironmen defense led by Diego Bledsoe, who had three sacks and was in the Prexies’ backfield all evening.

The Ironmen held Dan Walker to 49 rushing yards on 18 carries. Dylan Asbury did not play because of the knee injury he suffered earlier this season against Southmoreland.

Steel Valley running back Todd Hill led the Ironmen with 165 yards on 21 carries. His running mate, Kam Williams, contributed 93 yards on 12 carries. The Ironmen amassed 258 yards on the ground.

“No. 9 (Hill) and No. 5 (Williams), we just couldn’t tackle,” Bosnic added. “That was the ball game there.”

Steel Valley lit the scoreboard first on their second possession of the game with an 11-play, 80 yard drive that culminated in a Williams eight-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-2. The march followed a fourth-and-goal stop of the Prexies on the Ironmen 17. Washington fumbled away the ball when Zach Swartz was sacked by Riont’e Carter to end the drive.

Washington worked the ball again into Steel Valley real estate on their next drive. They faced another fourth-down play, but this time it was fourth-and-1 from the Ironmen 20. Swartz attempted a sneak up the middle but was stuffed and stopped short.

“That was bad playcalling on my part,” Bosnic lamented.

Two plays later, the Ironmen struck again as Hill, a Howard commit, blasted up the middle and outraced the Prexies for a 57-yard score and a 13-0 second quarter lead as the point after attempt was blocked.

Washington’s defense was able to get a stop and force an Ironmen punt midway through the second quarter. Swartz made the stop count when he blocked a Brady Miller punt, giving the Prexies possession on the Ironmen 33.

It would take the Prexies seven plays to get on the scoreboard as Walker took an option pitch from Swartz and raced seven yards into the end zone. Lily Christy’s kick was good, slicing the Ironmen lead to 13-7 late in the half.

However, a 43-second span late in the first half and Washington miscues helped seal the Prexies’ fate.

Following Walker’s score, Steel Valley’s ground-and-pound attack stretched the advantage to 13 points. Hill capped the 48-yard march with a punishing 6-yard scoring run to give the Ironmen a 20-7 lead with 1:33 remaining in the first half.

The Ironmen defense got in the action on the Prexies’ ensuing possession as Dionte Williams intercepted a Swartz pass and rumbled 23 yards into the end zone. The throw was forced by an intense Steel Valley pass rush.

Things went from bad to worse for the Prexies when Swartz fumbled and Joseph Kraft recovered for the Ironmen on the Prexies 35. Steel Valley proceeded to pile on with 50 seconds remaining in the half as Hill notched his third touchdown run, this one from eight yards, pushing the Steel Valley lead to 33-7.

Washington’s defense made two stands in the third quarter. A Caleb Jackson interception ended one drive at the Prexies’ 20. Hill was also stopped short on fourth-and-1 on the Prexies’ 46.

The Prexies appeared to have earned their second touchdown late in the third when Zahmere Robinson scampered into the end zone from the eight, but a holding penalty wiped out the score. A fourth-down throw from the 26 fell incomplete.

Steel Valley added another score when Ronnell Lawrence threw a 14 yard touchdown toss midway through the fourth.