Several WPIAL players displayed elite performances at the PIAA football finals
By: HSSN Staff
Monday, December 11, 2017 | 6:09 PM
string(201) "Desc: Pine-Richland's Anthony Cerminara sacks Manheim Township quarterback Luke Emge during the fourth quarter of their PIAA Class 6A state semifinal Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017, at Mansion Park in Altoona."
string(41) "Capt: Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review"
string(29) "Title: GTR-PRManheim04-120317"
string(6) "Cred: "
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Pine-Richland's Anthony Cerminara sacks Manheim Township quarterback Luke Emge during the fourth quarter of their PIAA Class 6A state semifinal Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017, at Mansion Park in Altoona.
string(223) "Desc: Pine-Richland 's Jordan Crawford returns the opening kick-off along the St. Joseph's Prep side line during the first quarter of the PIAA Class 6A state championship game Saturday, Dec. 9, 2017, at Hersheypark Stadium."
string(41) "Capt: Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review"
string(28) "Title: PTR-PRStJoes25-121017"
string(6) "Cred: "
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Pine-Richland 's Jordan Crawford returns the opening kick-off along the St. Joseph's Prep side line during the first quarter of the PIAA Class 6A state championship game Saturday, Dec. 9, 2017, at Hersheypark Stadium.
string(210) "Desc: Pine-Richland quarterback Phil Jurkovec scores past St. Joseph's Prep's Dawson DeIulis during the third quarter of the PIAA Class 6A state championship game Saturday, Dec. 9, 2017, at Hersheypark Stadium."
string(41) "Capt: Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review"
string(28) "Title: PTR-PRStJoes11-121017"
string(6) "Cred: "
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Pine-Richland quarterback Phil Jurkovec scores past St. Joseph's Prep's Dawson DeIulis during the third quarter of the PIAA Class 6A state championship game Saturday, Dec. 9, 2017, at Hersheypark Stadium.
string(250) "Desc: Jeannette's Robert Kennedy celebrates with Zack Berginc after the pair connected on a touchdown reception during the second quarter of the PIAA Class A state championship game against Homer-Center Thursday, Dec. 7, 2017, at Hersheypark Stadium."
string(41) "Capt: Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review"
string(31) "Title: GTR-JeannetteHC02-120817"
string(6) "Cred: "
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Jeannette's Robert Kennedy celebrates with Zack Berginc after the pair connected on a touchdown reception during the second quarter of the PIAA Class A state championship game against Homer-Center Thursday, Dec. 7, 2017, at Hersheypark Stadium.
string(176) "Desc: Quaker Valley's Ethan Moore celebrates with fans after defeating Middletown, 41-24, in the PIAA Class 3A championship game Saturday, Dec. 9, 2017, at Hersheypark Stadium."
string(41) "Capt: Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review"
string(28) "Title: PTR-QVMiddle13-121017"
string(6) "Cred: "
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Quaker Valley's Ethan Moore celebrates with fans after defeating Middletown, 41-24, in the PIAA Class 3A championship game Saturday, Dec. 9, 2017, at Hersheypark Stadium.
string(202) "Desc: Quaker Valley's Jordan Taylor eludes Middletown's Tyreer Mills on a touchdown run during the third quarter the PIAA Class 3A state championship game Saturday, Dec. 9, 2017, at Hersheypark Stadium."
string(41) "Capt: Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review"
string(28) "Title: PTR-QVMiddle05-121017"
string(6) "Cred: "
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Quaker Valley's Jordan Taylor eludes Middletown's Tyreer Mills on a touchdown run during the third quarter the PIAA Class 3A state championship game Saturday, Dec. 9, 2017, at Hersheypark Stadium.
string(204) "Desc: Gateway's Travis Thompson II is tackled for a loss by Archbishop Wood's Kevin Otto during the first quarter of the PIAA Class 5A state championship game Friday, Dec. 8, 2017, at Hersheypark Stadium."
string(41) "Capt: Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review"
string(31) "Title: PTR-GatewayWood07-120917"
string(6) "Cred: "
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Gateway's Travis Thompson II is tackled for a loss by Archbishop Wood's Kevin Otto during the first quarter of the PIAA Class 5A state championship game Friday, Dec. 8, 2017, at Hersheypark Stadium.
string(201) "Desc: Pine-Richland's Anthony Cerminara sacks Manheim Township quarterback Luke Emge during the fourth quarter of their PIAA Class 6A state semifinal Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017, at Mansion Park in Altoona."
string(41) "Capt: Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review"
string(29) "Title: GTR-PRManheim04-120317"
string(6) "Cred: "
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Pine-Richland's Anthony Cerminara sacks Manheim Township quarterback Luke Emge during the fourth quarter of their PIAA Class 6A state semifinal Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017, at Mansion Park in Altoona.
string(223) "Desc: Pine-Richland 's Jordan Crawford returns the opening kick-off along the St. Joseph's Prep side line during the first quarter of the PIAA Class 6A state championship game Saturday, Dec. 9, 2017, at Hersheypark Stadium."
string(41) "Capt: Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review"
string(28) "Title: PTR-PRStJoes25-121017"
string(6) "Cred: "
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Pine-Richland 's Jordan Crawford returns the opening kick-off along the St. Joseph's Prep side line during the first quarter of the PIAA Class 6A state championship game Saturday, Dec. 9, 2017, at Hersheypark Stadium.
string(210) "Desc: Pine-Richland quarterback Phil Jurkovec scores past St. Joseph's Prep's Dawson DeIulis during the third quarter of the PIAA Class 6A state championship game Saturday, Dec. 9, 2017, at Hersheypark Stadium."
string(41) "Capt: Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review"
string(28) "Title: PTR-PRStJoes11-121017"
string(6) "Cred: "
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Pine-Richland quarterback Phil Jurkovec scores past St. Joseph's Prep's Dawson DeIulis during the third quarter of the PIAA Class 6A state championship game Saturday, Dec. 9, 2017, at Hersheypark Stadium.
string(250) "Desc: Jeannette's Robert Kennedy celebrates with Zack Berginc after the pair connected on a touchdown reception during the second quarter of the PIAA Class A state championship game against Homer-Center Thursday, Dec. 7, 2017, at Hersheypark Stadium."
string(41) "Capt: Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review"
string(31) "Title: GTR-JeannetteHC02-120817"
string(6) "Cred: "
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Jeannette's Robert Kennedy celebrates with Zack Berginc after the pair connected on a touchdown reception during the second quarter of the PIAA Class A state championship game against Homer-Center Thursday, Dec. 7, 2017, at Hersheypark Stadium.
string(176) "Desc: Quaker Valley's Ethan Moore celebrates with fans after defeating Middletown, 41-24, in the PIAA Class 3A championship game Saturday, Dec. 9, 2017, at Hersheypark Stadium."
string(41) "Capt: Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review"
string(28) "Title: PTR-QVMiddle13-121017"
string(6) "Cred: "
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Quaker Valley's Ethan Moore celebrates with fans after defeating Middletown, 41-24, in the PIAA Class 3A championship game Saturday, Dec. 9, 2017, at Hersheypark Stadium.
string(202) "Desc: Quaker Valley's Jordan Taylor eludes Middletown's Tyreer Mills on a touchdown run during the third quarter the PIAA Class 3A state championship game Saturday, Dec. 9, 2017, at Hersheypark Stadium."
string(41) "Capt: Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review"
string(28) "Title: PTR-QVMiddle05-121017"
string(6) "Cred: "
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Quaker Valley's Jordan Taylor eludes Middletown's Tyreer Mills on a touchdown run during the third quarter the PIAA Class 3A state championship game Saturday, Dec. 9, 2017, at Hersheypark Stadium.
string(204) "Desc: Gateway's Travis Thompson II is tackled for a loss by Archbishop Wood's Kevin Otto during the first quarter of the PIAA Class 5A state championship game Friday, Dec. 8, 2017, at Hersheypark Stadium."
string(41) "Capt: Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review"
string(31) "Title: PTR-GatewayWood07-120917"
string(6) "Cred: "
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Gateway's Travis Thompson II is tackled for a loss by Archbishop Wood's Kevin Otto during the first quarter of the PIAA Class 5A state championship game Friday, Dec. 8, 2017, at Hersheypark Stadium.
Here’s a look at some of the top performances by WPIAL players at the PIAA football championships Thursday-Saturday at Hersheypark Stadium.
Anthony Cerminara
Pine-Richland
The junior linebacker made a team-high 10 solo tackles for a Pine-Richland defense that held St. Joseph’s Prep to just three touchdowns in Saturday’s 41-21 victory in the PIAA Class 6A championship.
Jordan Crawford
Pine-Richland
The senior running back rushed for 81 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries, but also made plays on special teams and defense that were crucial. Crawford returned the opening kickoff 62 yards to the St. Joseph’s Prep 31-yard line. From there, the Rams needed just three plays to take a 7-0 lead. He was credited with a forced fumble in the fourth quarter that led to the Rams’ sixth touchdown drive.
Phil Jurkovec
Pine-Richland
Jurkovec rushed for four touchdowns and threw for a fifth in Pine-Richland’s 41-21 victory over St. Joseph’s Prep in the PIAA Class 6A final. The Notre Dame-bound quarterback scored on runs of 1, 17, 13 and 6 yards as Pine-Richland (16-0) won its first state title.
The senior rushed for 114 yards and two touchdowns, passed for 143 yards and two scores and also caught a 46-yard pass in Jeannette’s 42-12 victory over Homer-Center in the PIAA Class A final.
Ethan Moore
Quaker Valley
The junior wideout stepped into a featured role Saturday and made five catches for 98 yards and two touchdowns. The Quakers’ top receiver, Isaiah McNair, was out with an injury.
Jordan Taylor
Quaker Valley
The junior rushed for 147 yards and scored twice on touchdown runs of 34 and 35 yards. As a linebacker, Taylor had four tackles and a sack, and was pressuring Middletown’s quarterback when teammate Andrew Seymour returned an interception for a touchdown.
Travis Thompson II
Gateway
The senior receiver provided a bright spot for the Gators with five catches for 172 yards and two touchdowns Saturday in a Class 5A loss to Archbishop Wood.
Chris Harlan is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at charlan@tribweb.com or via Twitter @CHarlan_Trib.
