No. 8 South Side runs past Charleroi in WPIAL Class 2A semifinals

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, November 16, 2018 | 11:39 PM

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Eighth-seeded South Side used its potent running attack to overwhelm No. 4 Charleroi as the Rams completed the upset with a 26-21 victory in a WPIAL Class 2A semifinal matchup at Canon-McMillan Friday night.

South Side (10-3) finished with 386 rushing yards while advancing to play Steel Valley in the WPIAL title game Nov. 24 at Robert Morris’s Joe Walton Stadium.

“It was a total group effort. It’s what we have had to do all year,” South Side coach Luke Travelpiece said. “The way that these guys collectively play together is just amazing.”

It was running back Jake Botkin who provided late-game heroics for the Rams.

Trailing 21-20 in the final minutes of the game, Botkin capped off a 10-play, 80-yard drive with an 11-yard touchdown to give South Side the five-point cushion it wouldn’t relinquish.

Botkin finished with 145 yards on 24 carries. He also had a pair of touchdowns, including an 8-yard scamper in the second quarter.

“We’ve done it before; the first game of the year we had to drive to win the game, and we have faith in our guys to execute,” Travelpiece said. “We had a total buy-in from everybody and had no doubt we could do it.”

After South Side’s late score, Charleroi (10-2) got the ball back with less than a minute and a half remaining.

Three incompletions by Geno Pellegrini put the Cougars in a fourth-and-10 at Charleroi’s own 25-yard line. With the game on the line, Pellegrini found Dakota Romantino down the sideline for a 53-yard completion that put Charleroi back in business at the South Side 22.

A chop block penalty on the next play backed the Cougars up to the 38-yard line.

Pellegrini attempted four passes, including three straight incompletions and a fourth-down pass that was intercepted by Jake McDougal to seal the win for South Side.

“Our kids battled,” Charleroi coach Lance Getsy said. “They made plays and got us back into it on both sides of the ball. Not one side of the ball lost that game for us. It was a team effort, and it’s on me. I should have done a little bit more.”

Charleroi trailed 14-7 at halftime but quickly responded with equalizing points on its first drive of the second half.

A seven-play, 61-yard drive was capped off by Hunter Perry, who ran up the middle for a 22-yard touchdown that made it 14-14 after a Joey Caruso extra point.

South Side used a lengthy 14-play drive to regain the lead.

Thirteen of the 14 plays were on the ground, as the Rams finished off the drive with a 4-yard touchdown pass by Trenton Seik, who found Brandon Barber wide open in the end zone.

A failed 2-point conversion made it 20-14 in favor of the Rams.

After Pellegrini was intercepted on Charleroi’s next drive, the Cougars bounced back to take a 21-20 lead on their ensuing possession, as Perry found the end zone for the second time from 6 yards out.

Perry had one carry in the first half but finished with seven for 43 yards.

South Side wasted little time showing its prowess on the ground, driving down the field on its opening drive of the contest.

Starting at their own 26-yard line, the Rams used 12 plays to strike first on a 1-yard scamper by Derek Franchek, who had 57 yards on 10 carries.

Anthony Navarra also had a huge impact in the Rams’ backfield, finishing with 104 yards in the win.

“It’s important for our guys to just have confidence in ourselves,” Travelpiece said. “It’s more for our team to say that we’re the underdog and we’ve been the underdog, but we can play with this team and have an opportunity.”

Charleroi responded in the opening minute of the second quarter on its second drive of the game.

Faced with a second-and-9, a 10-yard pass from Pellegrini to Romantino gave the Cougars a first down at the South Side 36.

One play later, Pellegrini connected with Legend Davis, who had four receptions for 106 yards, for a 36-yard touchdown that gave Charleroi a 7-6 edge after a Joey Caruso extra point with 11:38 on the clock.

Pellegrini, a Robert Morris commit, completed 9 of 24 passes for 223 yards in his final high school game. He also threw two interceptions.

“He’s a great player and a great kid,” Getsy said. “I think he’s learned a lot this year, and I think no matter what, even if he misses a throw here or there, he’ll come back from it. That is what you want to see from your quarterback, and he did that all game tonight.

“I’m just a little upset that I don’t get to coach him another year.”

After a punt, the Rams began to gain some momentum on their ensuing drive, which began at their own 18-yard line.

South Side got down to the Charleroi 7-yard line on five plays, but a fumble by Navarra was recovered by Charleroi’s Michael Polinski.

The turnover didn’t hinder the Rams as two plays into the Cougars’ drive, a fumble by Brayden Mihalcin was recovered by a teammate in the end zone for a South Side safety to make it 8-7.

The Rams got the ball back and drove 48 yards on an eight-play drive that was capped off with a short touchdown run by Botkin.

Now, with another upset victory under their belt, the Rams have their sights set on Steel Valley, which topped Freedom Friday night.

“I’m just so happy for the kids and this specific group,” Travelpiece said.

Jose Negron is a Mon Valley Independent staff writer.

Tags: Charleroi, South Side