PIAA Class 5A football championship breakdown: Pine-Richland vs. Cathedral Prep

By: Chris Harlan
Thursday, November 26, 2020 | 9:58 PM

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Pine-Richland vs. Cathedral Prep

8 p.m. Friday, Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey

On the air: TV: PCN; Streaming audio: TribHSSN.triblive.com; Radio: 1020 AM, 100.1 FM

PIAA titles: Pine-Richland 1 (2017); Cathedral Prep 5 (2000,’12, ‘16, ‘17, ‘18)

Cathedral Prep (7-2)

Player to watch: Jaheim Williams

Senior, 6-1, 215, RB/LB

Williams is a Duquesne recruit. The middle linebacker and running back missed time with an injury but returned to the backfield in late October. He rushed for 77 yards and two touchdowns in Cathedral Prep’s first-round win over Hollidaysburg. In that game, he also had eight tackles and an interception.

Statistical leaders

Passing: Tamar Sample, 49-116, 585 yards, 6 TDs, 2 INTs

Rushing: Michael Parks, 109-865 yards, 8 TDs

Receiving: Patrick Fortin, 11-178 yards, 3 TDs

How they got here

District 10 champion Cathedral Prep defeated District 6 champion Hollidaysburg, 33-7, in the first round. District 2 champion Wyoming Valley West forfeited in the quarterfinals. District 1 champion Upper Dublin forfeited in the semifinals.

Probable starting lineup

Coach: Mike Mischler

Offense

LT, 77, Jaheim Bassham, 6-3, 277, sr.

LG, 75, William McAdory, 5-11, 305, sr.

C, 76, Caden Pustelak, 6-4, 305, jr.

RG, 51, Mark Hudson, 6-0, 271, sr.

RT, 57, Benjamin Brzezinski, 6-3, 233, so.

HB, 7, John David Campbell, 6-2, 220, sr.

WR, 23, Damario Crawford, 5-11, 155, so.

WR, 6, X’Zonder Goodwin, 5-10, 180, sr.

WR, 21, Patrick Fortin, 6-0, 173, sr.

RB, 3, Michael Parks, 5-7, 155, jr.

QB, 4, Tamar Sample, 6-3, 216, sr.

Defense

DE, 25, Jaydon Smith, 6-4, 235, sr.

NG, 5, Mehki Twillie, 6-3, 216, sr.

DT, 7, John David Campbell, 6-2, 220, sr.

LB , 3, Michael Parks, 5-7, 155, jr.

LB, 29, Jaheim Williams, 6-1, 215, sr.

LB, 24, Kelyn Blossey, 5-10, 175, jr.

CB, 15, Stephen Lebron, 5-11, 167, jr.

CB, 8, Carmelo McLaurin, 5-11, 155, jr.

S, 6, X’Zonder Goodwin, 5-10, 180, sr.

S, 23, Damario Crawford, 5-11, 155, so.

Special teams

K, 43, Cole Constable, 5-10, 169, so.

P, 4, Tamar Sample, 6-3, 216, sr.

LS, 59, Gavin Irons, 6-2, 240, sr.

Game scores

Regular season

Butler, W, 55-21

Erie, W, 48-26

McDowell, L, 24-10

Butler, W, 56-6

Erie, W, 41-22

McDowell, L, 24-6

PIAA playoffs

Hollidaysburg, W, 33-7

Wyoming Valley West, W, 1-0 (F)

Upper Dublin, W, 1-0, (F)

Notable: Cathedral Prep has preferred to run the football. The team is averaging 238 rushing yards per game compared with 91 yards passing. Parks has four 100-yard rushing games and Sample has one … Prep’s offense has averaged 35.6 points. Its defense allows 18.6 … The Ramblers reached the PIAA finals in four of the last five seasons, winning Class 4A titles in 2016, ‘17 and ‘18. All three victories were over Imhotep Charter. Prep was the PIAA Class 3A runner-up in 2015 … The PIAA competitive balance rule forced Prep into Class 5A this season … The Ramblers have played only seven games this season. Their past two opponents forfeited over covid-19 concerns, leaving them idle since Nov. 6.

Pine-Richland (10-0)

Player to watch: Eli Jochem

Senior, 6-1, 185, WR/S

Jochem became Pine-Richland’s all-time leader in receiving yards last week. His 128 yards against Governor Mifflin raised his career total to 2,493, moving him ahead of former Rams Neil Walker (2,487) and Raymond Falcone (2,464). Jochem already hold the team’s career receptions record.

Statistical leaders

Passing: Cole Spencer, 148-206, 2,448 yards, 32 TDs, 7 INTs

Rushing: Caden Schweiger, 84-405 yards, 8 TDs

Receiving: Eli Jochem, 57-1,109 yards, 17 TDs

How they got here

Pine-Richland defeated Peters Township, 35-0, in the WPIAL championship and defeated District 3 champion Governor Mifflin, 48-44, in the PIAA semifinals.

Probable starting lineup

Coach: Eric Kasperowicz

Offense

LT, 57, John Swisher, 6-0, 255, sr.

LG, 53, Spencer King, 5-11, 280, sr.

C, 52, Isaiah Kerns, 6-0, 240, so.

RG, 56, Miguel Jackson, 6-2, 265, sr.

RT, 55, Harrison Hayes, 6-3, 275, sr.

HB/TE, 7, Luke Miller, 6-2, 205, sr.

(or) HB/TE, 8, Jeremiah Hasley, 6-2, 205, jr.

WR, 5, Eli Jochem, 6-1, 185, sr.

WR, 18, Charlie Mill, 6-0, 170, sr.

WR, 15, Alexis Gochis, 6-2, 180, jr.

RB, 2, Caden Schweiger, 6-0, 190, sr.

QB, 4, Cole Spencer, 5-10, 180, sr.

Defense

NT, 75, Cole Schurman, 6-0 ,300, sr.

DT, 68, Jacob Domer, 6-2, 265, jr.

DE, 54, Connor Lenz, 6-2, 230, jr.

DE, 56, Miguel Jackson, 6-2, 265, sr.

LB, 44, Zach Waryanka, 6-1, 205, sr.

LB, 7, Luke Miller, 6-2, 205, sr.

LB, 8, Jeremiah Hasley, 6-2, 205, jr.

CB, 3, Sam Neill, 6-0, 165, sr.

CB, 18, Charlie Mill, 6-0, 170, sr.

S, 2, Caden Schweiger, 6-0, 190. sr.

S, 5, Eli Jochem, 6-1, 185, sr.

Special teams

K/P, 82, Tony Nicassio, 5-11, 170, sr.

Game scores

Regular season

Fox Chapel, W, 53-7

Upper St. Clair, W, 34-13

Penn Hills, W, 43-0

Shaler, W, 61-14

North Hills, W, 59-13

Kiski Area, W, 58-14

WPIAL playoffs

South Fayette, W, 47-7

Penn-Trafford, W, 49-14

Peters Township, W, 35-0

PIAA playoffs

Governor Mifflin, W, 48-44

Notable: Pine-Richland has reached the state finals for the third time in five years. The Rams won the PIAA Class 6A title in 2017 with a 41-21 victory of St. Joseph’s Prep. They were state runners-up in 2014 and 2003 … Pine-Richland played the past four seasons in Class 6A but dropped to 5A this fall … the offense averages 48.7 points and the defense allows 12.6 ppg … Jochem has topped 100 receiving yards five times and twice reached 200 … Spencer has thrown for multiple touchdowns in nine of 10 games. He threw five TDs in wins over Fox Chapel and Kiski Area … Spencer has had at least one rushing touchdown in all four playoff games … Miller was credited with 23 total tackles (5 solo, 18 assists) in last week’s win, a Pine-Richland single-game record … Miller is committed to Kent State. Hayes is a Liberty recruit. Spencer committed to Penn for wrestling.

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.

Tags: Pine-Richland