Pine-Richland football wants to guard against letdown
By: HSSN Staff
Sunday, October 29, 2017 | 11:00 PM
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Pine-Richland's Jordan Crawford celebrates with Kenny White after Whites touchdown against North Allegheny Friday, Oct. 27, 2017 at Wright Field at Newman Stadium.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Pine-Richland's Kenny White looks back on the way to scoring a touchdown against North Allegheny in the first quarter Friday, Oct. 27, 2017 at Wright Field at Newman Stadium.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Pine-Richland's Michael Katic celebrates with Kenny White after White's touchdown agianst North Allegheny in the first quarter Friday, Oct. 27, 2017 at Wright Field at Newman Stadium.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Pine-Richland's Tommy Camino grabs the face mask of North Allegheny's Luke Trueman Friday, Oct. 27, 2017 at Wright Field at Newman Stadium.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Pine-Richland's Jordan Crawford break off a 95-yard touchdown run against North Allegheny in the first quarter Friday, Oct. 27, 2017 at Wright Field at Newman Stadium.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Pine-Richland's Kenny White makes a cut against North Allegheny Friday, Oct. 27, 2017 at Wright Field at Newman Stadium.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
North Allegheny's Dante Caputo dives at the feet of Pine-Richland's Kenny White as White break into the clear for a second-quarter touchdown Friday, Oct. 27, 2017 at Wright Field at Newman Stadium.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Pine-Richland's Kenny White leaves North Allegheny defenders behind on a second-quarter touchdown run Friday, Oct. 27, 2017 at Wright Field at Newman Stadium.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Pine-Richland's Philip Jurkovec jumps for a first down against North Allegheny Friday, Oct. 27, 2017 at Wright Field at Newman Stadium.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Pine-Richland's Philip Jurkovec drags North Allegheny's Luke Collella into the end zone for a third-quarter touchdown Friday, Oct. 27, 2017 at Wright Field at Newman Stadium.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Pine-Richland's Ben Jochem stiff-arms North Allegheny's Nikko Rankin Friday, Oct. 27, 2017 at Wright Field at Newman Stadium.
Pine-Richland's Jordan Crawford celebrates with Kenny White after Whites touchdown against North Allegheny Friday, Oct. 27, 2017 at Wright Field at Newman Stadium.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Pine-Richland's Kenny White looks back on the way to scoring a touchdown against North Allegheny in the first quarter Friday, Oct. 27, 2017 at Wright Field at Newman Stadium.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Pine-Richland's Michael Katic celebrates with Kenny White after White's touchdown agianst North Allegheny in the first quarter Friday, Oct. 27, 2017 at Wright Field at Newman Stadium.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Pine-Richland's Tommy Camino grabs the face mask of North Allegheny's Luke Trueman Friday, Oct. 27, 2017 at Wright Field at Newman Stadium.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Pine-Richland's Jordan Crawford break off a 95-yard touchdown run against North Allegheny in the first quarter Friday, Oct. 27, 2017 at Wright Field at Newman Stadium.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Pine-Richland's Kenny White makes a cut against North Allegheny Friday, Oct. 27, 2017 at Wright Field at Newman Stadium.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
North Allegheny's Dante Caputo dives at the feet of Pine-Richland's Kenny White as White break into the clear for a second-quarter touchdown Friday, Oct. 27, 2017 at Wright Field at Newman Stadium.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Pine-Richland's Kenny White leaves North Allegheny defenders behind on a second-quarter touchdown run Friday, Oct. 27, 2017 at Wright Field at Newman Stadium.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Pine-Richland's Philip Jurkovec jumps for a first down against North Allegheny Friday, Oct. 27, 2017 at Wright Field at Newman Stadium.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Pine-Richland's Philip Jurkovec drags North Allegheny's Luke Collella into the end zone for a third-quarter touchdown Friday, Oct. 27, 2017 at Wright Field at Newman Stadium.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Pine-Richland's Ben Jochem stiff-arms North Allegheny's Nikko Rankin Friday, Oct. 27, 2017 at Wright Field at Newman Stadium.
To say the Pine-Richland football team's regular season was a success is a vast understatement.
The Rams (10-0, 6-0) marched through their WPIAL Class 6A schedule, winning by an average margin of 38.3 points on their way to a Northern Seven Conference title.
Coach Eric Kasperowicz and his team defeated the other four schools in the Trib's Class 6A rankings, most recently knocking off No. 4 North Allegheny, 48-28, in what was their most tightly contested game this season.
“It's good to win handily. That's always a good feeling, but the scary part to that is that you haven't been tested yet,” Kasperowicz said. “It was good to kind of get a test there with North Allegheny in the regular season so the guys understand that they aren't untouchable, and there are good teams out there that can beat you.
“To get that in the regular season, I think it's priceless. It reminds everybody that we have to stay with the process.”
After imposing its will on quality Class 6A opponents throughout the regular season, the question for Pine-Richland heading into the WPIAL playoffs is how does it avoid the one thing that might be able to stop it: a mental letdown?
“It's complacency, and we talk about that all the time,” Kasperowicz said. “It's good when you win and win handily, but that's the problem that you have to face. The guys might start thinking they're better than they are. They might start reading the press clippings a little too much.”
“You have to make sure that they're preparing in the same way so that they can keep getting to that spot. It's the playoffs now, so it's a one-game season. Every game matters. We have to go 1-0, and it begins this week.”
While it's a topic the Rams coach does not shy away from with his players, the responsibility of guarding against a postseason letdown also is on the upperclass leaders.
The seniors are a group with plenty of postseason experience, and their coach is confident they are aware of the any potential pitfalls.
“We got a big group of seniors, and they're leading this football team. We go as they go, and they're extremely competitive, hungry, passionate guys,” Kasperowicz said.
“They want to leave a legacy here at Pine-Richland, and they're on their way to doing that.
“But we've only accomplished the conference championship so far, and they've got more goals for down the road.”
