District 6 Class 2A football finals primer: Ligonier Valley vs. Richland

By: Paul Schofield
Thursday, November 14, 2019 | 5:44 PM

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PIAA District 6 Class 2A championship

No.1 Richland (11-0) vs. No. 2 Ligonier Valley (12-0)

7 p.m. Friday, Mansion Park, Altoona

On the air: TribHSSN.TribLive.com; 106.3 FM

Coaches: Roger Beitel, Ligonier Valley; Brandon Bailey, Richland

Winner plays: The winner of the (12-1) Bishop McDevitt (6-6) vs. (2-1) Dunmore (8-4) on either Nov. 22 or 23 in PIAA playoffs.

District 6 titles: Ligonier Valley 2 (2016, 2017); Richland 2 (2012, 2018)

Ligonier Valley

Player to watch

Kyrie Miller

Senior, 5-8, 186, RB/LB

One of Western Pennsylvania’s top rushers, Miller has accumulated more than 2,000 offensive yards and scored 33 touchdowns. He ran for 107 yards and a touchdown in Saturday’s District 6 semifinal win over Bellwood-Antis.

Statistical leaders

Passing: Sam Sheeder, 97-152, 1,790 yards, 20 TDs, 5 INTs

Rushing: Kyrie Miller, 159-1,758 yards, 31 TDs; Sheeder, 71-574 yards, 7 TDs

Receiving: John Beard, 45-736 yards, 7 TDs.; Matt Marinchak, 25-444 yards, 8 TDs.; Miller, 19-334 yards, 3 TDs.

How they got here

Ligonier Valley (12-0)

Coach: Roger Beitel

Regular season

67 Homer-Center 0

47 at Penns Manor 7

2 United 0 (forfeit)

57 at Saltsburg 12

54 West Shamokin 7

48 at Purchase Line 0

46 Marion Center 0

42 at No. Cambria 7

58 Blairsville 14

Appalachian Bowl

58 Portage 6

District 6 playoffs

49 West Shamokin 7

21 Bellwood-Antis 20

Probable starting lineup

Offense

LT, 66, Wylie Spiker, 6-3, 250, sr.

LG, 54, Michael Petrof, 6-2, 275, sr.

C, 74, Jude Grzywinski, 6-2, 250, so.

RG, 71, Alex Torrance, 6-0, 245, sr.

RT, 55, Christian Jablonski, 6-5, 250, sr.

TE, 81, Cage Dowden, 6-0, 220, sr.

SE, 88, John Beard, 5-11, 220, sr.

SE, 19, Matt Marinchak, 6-1, 165, so.

QB, 16, Sam Sheeder, 5-9, 190, sr.

RB, 29, Kyrie Miller, 5-8, 186, sr.

FB, 25, Aiden Kelley, 5-9, 215, sr.

K, 88, John Beard, 5-11, 220, sr.

Defense

LE, 58, Gabe Gonda, 6-1, 245, sr.

LT, 54, Mike Petrof, 6-2, 275, sr.

RT, 66, Wylie Spiker, 6-3, 259, sr.

RE, 55, Christian Jablonski, 6-5, 250, sr.

ILB, 25, Aiden Kelley, 5-9, 215, sr.

ILB, 8, Ethan Boring, 5-10, 187, sr.

OLB, 29, Kyrie Miller, 5-8, 186, sr.

SS, 16, Sam Sheeder, 5-9, 190, sr.

FS, 88, John Beard, 5-11, 220, sr.

CB, 5, Nick Beitel, 5-7, 160, so.

CB, 11, Jasper Arnone, 5-11, sr.

P, 88, John Beard, 5-11, 220, sr.

Notable

Ligonier Valley sophomore Nick Beitel, coach Beitel’s son, has rushed for 637 yards and 12 touchdowns in a reserve role. … The LV Rams have won at least 12 games the past four seasons. They are 51-3 with this current group of seniors. … Pending a decision from the WPIAL on Monday and a PIAA decision in early December, this could be Ligonier Valley’s final game as a member of District 6. … Beitel is 128-52 in his 16 years as coach at LV.

Richland

Player to watch

Caleb Burke

Senior, 6-1, 180, WR/DB

Burke caught nine passes for 252 yards and a touchdown in last week’s 49-21 win over Penns Valley in the District 6 semifinals. He has been the primary target for quarterback Kellan Stahl and the Rams’ aerial attack.

Statistical leaders

Passing: Kellan Stahl, 130-208, 2,383 yards, 36 TDs, 3 INTs

Rushing: Trevor Tustin, 35-428 yards, 5 TDs; Stahl, 56-322 yards, 3 TDs

Receiving: Caleb Burke, 56-1,157 yards, 19 TDs; Tustin, 18-554 yards, 8TDs; Koby Bailey, 25-323 yards, 5 TDs

How they got here

Richland (11-0)

Coach: Brandon Bailey

Regular season

28 at Bishop McCort 14

48 Cambria Heights 0

54 at Forest Hills 12

58 Johnstown 6

62 Somerset 8

42 at West. Hilltop 6

36 Bishop Guilfoyle 0

42 Bedford 13

62 at Penn Cambria 8

51 Chestunt Ridge 7

District 6 playoffs

49 Penns Valley 21

Probable starting lineup

Offense

T, 76, Aiden Marshall, 6-4, 250, jr.

G, 63, Bryce Batche, 6-2, 245, jr.

C, 74, J.D. Black, 5-10, 250, sr.

G, 52, Aiden Thomas, 6-0, 240, so.

T, 54, Nathan Kniss, 6-3, 235, jr.

QB, 15, Kellan Stahl, 5-11, 185, so.

RB, 41, Jacob Sabol, 5-10, 180, jr.

WR, 8, Trevor Tustin, 5-11, 170, sr.

WR, 12, Caleb Burke, 6-1, 180, sr.

WR, 3, Griffin Larue, 6-2, 190, so.

TE, 2, Koby Bailey, 6-3, 220, sr.

K, 97, Cole Pawcio, 5-9, 150, sr.

K, 16, Autumn Facci, 5-6, 125, jr.

Defense

NG, 50, Connor Rager, 6-2, 250, jr.

DT, 52, Aiden Thomas, 6-0, 240, so.

DT, 63, Bryce Batche, 6-2, 245, jr.

ILB, 41, Jacob Sabol, 5-10, 180, jr.

ILB, 40, Lucas Sabol, 5-10, 175, sr.

OLB, 2, Koby Bailey, 6-3, 220, sr.

OLB, 54, Nathan Kniss, 6-3, 235, jr.

CB, 12, Caleb Burke, 6-1, 180, sr.

CB, 3, Griffin Larue, 6-2, 190, so.

SS, 21, Allen Mangus, 5-6, 150, jr.

FS, 15, Kellan Stahl, 5-11, 185, so.

P, 12, Caleb Burke, 6-1, 180, sr.

Notable

Richland has won consecutive Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference titles. … Richland won the 2018 District 6 title game against Ligonier Valley, 21-12. … Caleb Burke has committed to play college football at New Hampshire. … Richland’s closest game was a 28-14 victory against Bishop McCort in the season opener. … Richland averages 43.3 points per game.

Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.

Tags: Ligonier Valley