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Peters Twp remains unbeaten … and unchallenged

By Joe Smeltzer for The Observer-Reporter newsroom@observer-Reporter.Com 3 min read
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Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac

Peters Townshp quarterback Nolan Dilucia (17) picks up some tough yardage before being dragged down by Matt Boyce (54) of South Fayette.

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Peters Township lineman Franco Muscatello (60) sacks Nico Lamonde (13) during a conference game against South Fayette.

Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac

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Eliot Schratz (21) eludes Cooper Hillebrand (44) on a punt return during Peters Township's conference clash against South Fayette.

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Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac

Tom Aspinall (8) celebrates with Jake Velgich (6) after scoring Peters Township’s second touchdown last Friday in a 24-0 win over South Fayette. The undefeated Indians host Upper St. Clair tonight.

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Dom Monz (2) shakes off a Peters Township defender and picks up yardage after a reception for South Fayette.

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Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac

Ethan Wertman (4) of Peters Township breaks up a pass intended for Dom Monz of South Fayette last weekend. Undefeated PT hosts Upper St. Clair tonight.

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Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac

Nolan Dilucia (17) goes airborne and scores a touchdown, giving Peters Township a 21-0 lead at halftime against South Fayette

Nolan Dilucia

McDONALD – One day, Peters Township will be challenged.

But it just hasn’t happened so far in 2023.

Peters Township has played four games and has won each, with a combined score of 152-14.

That speaks for itself, no?

It’s reasonable to ask if Indians coach TJ Plack is getting impatient. Winning is the main object of sports, but one of the things that makes the game fun is when the games are close and nobody knows what will happen until the last whistle or close to it. Plack and his team just haven’t gotten that this season.

But for Plack, his team is always preparing for a battle, and that’s why he isn’t getting impatient.

“We come in every game like it’s a close game,” Plack said after his team’s 35-0 win at South Fayette Friday night.

“We have Upper St. Clair next. This (South Fayette) is a heck of a team right here. We’re ready for it, you know what I mean? We’re ready for a tough game.”

Peters Township is one of the best teams in Class 5A, and South Fayette coach Joe Rossi knows it.

“That’s a good program,” Rossi said. “TJ’s done a nice job. We tried to hang in there, but we had a lot of three-and-outs early. Defensively, we tried to hang in, but (Peters) grinded it out.”

South Fayette couldn’t do anything offensively. Quarterback Nico Lamonde went just 11-for-29 for 104 yards. PT held South Fayette running back Nate Deans to minus-13 yards on 12 carries.

Offensively, Indians QB, sophomore Nolan DiLucia, did what he had to do, going 16-for-27 for 292 yards, two touchdowns and an interception that did no harm.

“We want to look at every game as a great game,” DiLucia said. “We don’t want to come in with high hopes. (We want to be) humble and ready to work every week.”

Peters Township is now 4-for-4 in being ready to work.

The Indians (1-0, 4-0) scored first on their first possession. Ethan Wertman hauled in a 29-yard pass from DiLucia to open the scoring. It remained 7-0 Peters Township through the first quarter.

About midway through the second quarter, Peters Township struck again on another DiLucia TD pass, this one a 15-yarder to Thomas Aspinall. PT added on in the last minute of the half, capping off a 13-play, 95-yard drive on a three-yard keeper from DiLucia.

Peters Township got the ball to start the second half and cashed in, scoring on a three-yard run by Vinny Sarcone that essentially put the game to bed.

Next up, Peters Townshjip is at Upper St. Clair, who is also 4-0. Kickoff for that game is scheduled for 7 p.m.

South Fayette is at Canon-McMillan in non-conference action, also at 7.

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