Pine-Richland notebook: Mac Miller off to fast start as lead runner

By: Jerin Steele
Sunday, September 1, 2024 | 11:01 AM

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Mac Miller has been a strong wrestler at Pine-Richland with a 69-17 record in two years, and in his varsity debut as the featured running back on the football team, he showed he can be a force on the gridiron as well.

Miller, a junior, rushed for 234 yards and three touchdowns for the Rams in their 35-24 victory at Hilliard Davidson (Ohio) in Week Zero on Aug. 23.

He scored on runs of 37, 2 and 3 yards and averaged 8.7 yards per rush on 27 carries.

Sam Heckert scored on a 1-yard run and Da’Jaun Webb-Higgs caught a 34-yard touchdown pass.

The Rams led 35-10 after three quarters and earned their first win against a Columbus, Ohio-based team in their third try in Week Zero under coach Jon LeDonne.

Sophomore quarterback Aaron “Oobi” Strader was 11 for 14 passing for 74 yards and Lawrence “Jay” Timmons had a team-high four receptions for 29 yards.

Tanner Cunningham had a solid all-around day. He threw a touchdown pass, made two receptions and had 10 tackles and recovered a fumble on defense.

Heckert had a team-high 14 tackles.

The Rams were scheduled to face Central Catholic in their home opener Aug. 30.

Hot start

Led by senior Sydney Fluhrer and sophomore Siena Smith, Pine-Richland girls golf started the season with victories in five consecutive matches.

The Rams defeated Mars, Butler, Blackhawk, Shaler and Seneca Valley.

Fluhrer and Smith each shot 38 to share medalist honors in the season opening victory over Mars on Aug. 9.

As a team, the Rams posted a score of 170 or lower in four of their matches.

Seniors Prisha Dargan and Catalina Olivero, juniors Giuliana DeRenzo and Emily Hanlon, sophomore Katerine Mazefsky and freshman Marin Rupp join Smith and Fluhrer on the roster.

Jackson finds new home

Many former Pine-Richland football players started their college seasons over Labor Day weekend and one former standout has a new school for his senior season.

Miguel Jackson, an all-state lineman on the Rams 2020 state championship team, will suit up for Utah State this fall.

Jackson moved a few time zones to find a new home.

He spent the previous three seasons at Charlotte where he accumulated 58 tackles and 3.5 sacks as a defensive end.

Utah State was scheduled to host Robert Morris in its season opener Sept. 1.

Jackson was the Bill Fralic Memorial Lineman of the Year winner in 2020, an award for the top two-way lineman in the WPIAL.

Jerin Steele is a freelance writer

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