Charleroi’s magical season ends in WPIAL semifinals
Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter
Charleroi players raise their helmets for the alma mater after losing in the WPIAL Class 2A semifinal playoff game against South Side Beaver. The Cougars finished the season at 10-2.
Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter
Charleroi’s Cole Hunter Perry (23) tries to get around South Side Beaver’s Nate Roy during Friday’s WPIAL Class 2A semifinal playoff game at Canon-McMillan.
Charleroi vs. South Sde Area
Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter
Tears well in Geno Pellegrini’s eyes after a 26-21 loss against South Side Beaver in the WPIAL Class 2A semifinal playoff game.
Charleroi’s Geno Pellegrini looks for room to get the ball around South Side Area’s defense
Charleroi’s Legend Davis runs around South Side defense
Charleroi’s Dakota Romantino makes the catch on a pass against South Side Beaver's Jake McDougal in the fourth quarter of the WPIAL Class 2A semifinal game.
CANONSBURG – South Side Beaver’s rushing attack and opportunistic defense led the Rams to a 26-21 upset of Charleroi in the WPIAL Class AA semifinals Friday night at Big Macs Stadium.
South Side Beaver (10-3) advances to its third WPIAL title game against Steel Valley next Saturday at Joe Walton Stadium on the campus of Robert Morris University. Kickoff is scheduled for noon. The Rams have won three district titles.
The Cougars (10-2) were seeking their fifth trip to the WPIAL final but were stunned by the upstart Rams, who entered the playoffs as the No. 8 seed.
“I think South Side Beaver hindered us tonight,” Charleroi coach Lance Getsy said. “You have to give credit to their coaching staff. Those kids played a tough, hard-nosed football game. Our kids fought and I’m proud of what our kids, and their season. It hurts to not be able to continue. I think the life lessons they learned this year are why high school coaches do this. To teach them to become young men.”
Charleroi’s high-powered offense moved the ball to South Side Beaver’s 22-yard line with less than a minute remaining in the fourth quarter when senior quarterback and Robert Morris University recruit Geno Pellegrini completed a 53-yard pass to Dakota Romantino on fourth-and-10 and its own 25.
Unfortunately for the Cougars, a chop block, three incompletions and an interception by Brandon Barber ended Charleroi’s magical season.
“I was still confident in our guys, and Geno made a heck of a throw and Dakota made a heck of a catch, but we get a penalty and I think that limited our play-calling and set us back,” Getsy said. “I still thought we’d overcome that, but we just fell a little short.”
South Side Beaver took a 6-0 lead on its first possession when Derek Francheck scored on a one-yard run to cap a 12-play, 74-yard drive that took 5:34 off the clock. Francheck rushed for 59 yards on 10 carries and one touchdown.
Legend Davis pulled in a 36-yard touchdown reception from Pellegrini at 11:38 of the second quarter to cap a six-play, 68-yard drive and Charleroi took a 7-6 lead after Joe Caruso made the first of his three PATs.
Pellegrini was 9 of 24 for 209 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. Davis caught four passes for 92 yards and one touchdown.
The Rams’ potent rushing attack then moved to the Cougars’ seven, but Charleroi forced a fumble that Michael Polinski recovered at the four.
South Side Beaver took a one-point lead at 6:01 of the second quarter when the Cougars fumbled the ball but recovered in the end zone for the safety.
The Rams took advantage of the free kick because of the safety and started the ensuing drive on the Charleroi 48. South Side Beaver capped the eight-play drive on a third-and-three when Jake Botkin scored on an eight-yard run to take a 14-7 advantage with 2:11 remaining before halftime. Botkin had 138 yards on 24 carries and two touchdowns.
“They really did what they normally do tonight,” Getsy said. “They really came off the ball and wanted it, but our kids did, too. I think it was very evenly matched, but we just fell a little short.”
The Cougars scored on their first possession of the third quarter when Cole Hunter Perry scored on a 22-yard run at 8:30 to tie the game at 14. Perry had 42 yards on eight carries and two touchdowns.
Davis put Charleroi in good position to start the drive with a 28-yard kickoff return to the Cougars’ 39.
The Rams responded with a 14-play, 79-yard drive that was capped when Trenton Seik found Barber in the end zone on a play-action throw on fourth down for a four-yard touchdown and a 20-14 advantage. Seik was only 2 of 6 for 10 yards, but threw one touchdown and he rushed for 46 yards on nine carries. Seik had a 24-yard run on fourth down to the Cougars’ eight.
Charleroi moved the ball to the South Side Beaver 15, but Pellegrini was intercepted at the one by Jake Sargent.
The Cougars forced a punt and took a 21-20 lead when Perry scored on a six-yard touchdown run at 5:29 of the fourth quarter. Davis pulled in a 37-yard reception on third-and-20.
The Rams scored the winning touchdown on Botkin’s 11-yard run with 1:27 remaining to cap a 10-play, 80-yard drive.