Waynesburg clinches playoff berth in win over Charleroi
CHARLEROI — Waynesburg clinched a spot in the WPIAL playoffs for the first time since 2014 following a 45-27 victory over Charleroi in Class 2A Century Conference play on Friday at Myron Pottios Stadium.
The Raiders (3-3, 7-3) will enter the postseason as the fourth-place team out of the Century Conference.
Waynesburg was playing without quarterback Jake Stephenson, but Breydon Woods made up for it in rushing for 271 yards on 22 carries and scored three touchdowns.
Teagen Crouse started at quarterback and scored on a 1-yard run and threw a 49-yard touchdown pass to Ross Tennant with seven seconds remaining in the first half.
Woods found the end zone on runs of 30, 46 and 12 yards, and Crouse’s touchdown gave Waynesburg a 28-0 lead with 10:53 left in the second quarter.
The Cougars (0-6, 0-9) responded with three straight touchdowns to cut the deficit to 28-20 with 29 seconds left in the second quarter.
Gianni Pellegrini caught an 80-yard touchdown reception from Jackson Keranko before Xavier Small-Thomas Jr. and Pellegrini scored on 1-yard runs.
Chase Fox’s 69-yard interception return with 4:06 left in the third quarter extended the Raiders’ lead to 42-20.
Keranko scored on a 1-yard run at 1:53 of the third quarter to cut the deficit to 15.
Waynesburg’s Dalton Taylor was six-for-six on PATs and kicked a 22-yard field goal.