USC wins with defense, stays unbeaten
By Joe Smeltzer
For the Observer-Reporter
newsroom@observer-reporter.com
McDONALD – Friday night at South Fayette, somebody had to lose for the first time.
Would it be the home Lions, who started 6-0 with a first-year coach looking to start a legacy at a proud program?
Would it be the visiting Panthers, who pass the ball about as often as the Steelers change head coaches but have become one of the WPIAL’s best teams by doing so?
There was only one way to find out, and behind the traditional ground game and a defense that didn’t allow much of anything, Upper St. Clair kept the zero in its record with a 17-7 win in a Class 5A Allegheny Six Conference game.
For USC coach Mike Junko, defense was the name of the game.
“I think our defense did a good job tonight,” Junko said. “I guess they bent, but didn’t break. (South Fayette has) an excellent quarterback on the other side. We had a big interception late in the game, so credit to the way our defense played.”
For South Fayette (1-1, 6-1) first-year coach Marty Spieler, the team showed what it could do.
“I thought our kids battled,” he said. “Obviously, size-wise, (Upper St. Clair’s) front seven is pretty big and (Julian) Dahlem’s a really good player. But our kids committed to what we were doing and the plan and they battled for a long time and show we can hang with a team that I think is probably top two in 5A.
After neither team scored for almost all of the first half, St. Clair (7-0, 2-0) finally broke through when QB Julian Dahlem — who ended the night with 19 carries, 144 yards and two TDs — ended a 13-play, 95-yard, 6-minute drive with a 4-yard TD run.
Late in the third quarter, Dahlem did it again with a much-longer 38-yard run to make it a two-possession game.
For Junko, the team did well in the run game at times but also has some things to clean up.
“I think, if you play us, you know we’re going to run the football,” Junko said. “We come out of the locker room, both teams know that that’s what’s going to happen. Our kids did a nice job at times executing in the run game.”
“I think offensively, we sputtered a little too much, we didn’t finish drives. We had too many penalties and a couple of big (plays) called back on us. So we have to clean that up for next week.”
Along with Dahlem, John Banbury gained 130 yards on 16 carries.
South Fayette wouldn’t go away.
On a fourth-and-8 from the USC 37, quarterback Drew Welhorsky hit receiver Alex Deans for a 37-yard TD to make it a one-possession game.
South Fayette then attempted an onside kick which went out of bounds, but St. Clair couldn’t capitalize and had to punt.
But with 4:39 left, an interception by Charlie Bywalski ended up spelling the end. A 31-yard field goal by Jacobo Echeverria iced it with 1:28 left.
St. Clair will look the keep it going next week, and it won’t be easy. The Panthers have a road clash with Bethel Park set for 7. South Fayette also has a daunting task, having to play at defending WPIAL 5A champ Peters Township.
“Our kids battled, and we’re going to go back to the drawing board,” Spieler said. “We have Peters Township next week and we’ll have another one.”
For Junko, the thing that propelled St. Clair’s success this Friday will be a key next Friday.
“I think our defense has to show up and play their best football,” he said. “Bethel Park has a great offensive attack. I think offensively, we have to continue to run the ball and find a way to be more balanced. Get our passing game going. So it will be a good one, that’s for sure.”