Defending champion Fort Cherry routs Brentwood
By Dave Whipkey
For the Observer-Reporter
newsroom@observer-reporter.com
McDONALD – Fort Cherry began the defense of its WPIAL Class A title Friday night at the friendly confines of Jim Garry Stadium against an overmatched Brentwood squad in the opening round of the postseason.
The Rangers, as most expected, handled their business with a 56-14 win, sending them into the second round of the playoffs. Fort Cherry moves to 11-0 on the season while Brentwood ends its campaign at 4-7.
Matt Sieg led the way with 160 yards rushing and 87 yards through the air. His night included a touchdown run and two scoring passes.
Eli Salvini added 107 yards on the ground with two scores and a sack on defense. The sophomore was all over the field much of the contest.
“He had to step up for us on both sides of the ball,” Rangers coach Tanner Garry noted. “He’s now a two-way starter for us and has done a great job.”
Fort Cherry opened the contest with a five-play, 71-yard scoring drive that was capped by a Shane Cornali five-yard run, the kick attempt was no good, leaving the Rangers’ lead at 6-0 early in the first.
The Rangers were surprisingly stopped on their next drive when Sieg was stopped short of a first down on a fourth-and-10 run on the Spartans’ 31-yard line. But Brentwood could do nothing on offense and was forced to punt.
Salvini then announced his presence with authority when he ripped off a 36-yard touchdown run at the 6:33 mark of the first. Sieg then ran in the two point conversion to shove the Ranger lead to 14-0.
And the rout was on.
The Rangers’ defense forced a turnover on downs when Cedric Davis’ fourth-down pass fell incomplete near midfield, setting Fort Cherry up for the early knockout.
Salvini then did his best Mike Tyson impersonation with a 34-yard scoring run with 2:41 left in the first quarter, giving the hosts a 21-0 advantage.
The Rangers began the second quarter like they started the first, with a touchdown as Christian Yanosko plunged in from three yards to make it 28-0.
Brentwood looked to gain some momentum when it recovered a Cornali punt return on their own 35. But Sieg snatched it right back with an interception two plays later.
Sieg then found Cornali for a spectacular 25-yard touchdown pass in which the receiver made a basket catch for a 35-0 lead at the 6:02 mark of the second quarter.
“I hate to say you expect it, but they have a great chemistry together,” Garry added.
Fort Cherry’s defense forced another punt after three plays. Several plays later the Rangers were in the end zone as Sieg shredded the Spartans with a 39-yard scoring run that pushed it to 42-0.
Sieg ended the tour de force in the half when he hit Nate Wolfe for a 15-yard scoring connection in the waning moments of the half making the Ranger lead an astounding 49-0 at halftime.
How dominant were the Rangers? Fort Cherry rolled up 321 yards rushing in the first half, while stuffing the Spartans, allowing them a single first down. Brentwood was limited to 20 yards in the opening half.
The defense sacked Davis four times, Nate Heirendt gathered two of them.
“He’s making a really good push to play college ball,” Garry said about Heirendt. “He’s put together a fantastic senior season.”
Brentwood scored when when Davis hit Forrest Betz for a 43-yard touchdown late in the third. The score came after the Spartans recovered a fumble.
Fort Cherry freshman Joe Barna then got into the act with a 32-yard touchdown run to end the third, pushing the Rangers’ lead to 56-7.
The Spartans found the end zone again when Colton Rosing scored from two yards out with 3:34 remaining.