Thomas Jefferson continues winning tradition under coach Bill Cherpak

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, November 3, 2017 | 11:00 PM

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Before the start of this year's WPIAL playoffs, Bill Cherpak had coached in 288 games as head of the Thomas Jefferson football program.

He had attained 244 wins, with only 44 losses, good for a .850 winning percentage.

Most remarkably, the Jaguars had been shut out only two times in Cherpak's 23-year coaching career. And only once since the start of the new millennium.

During Cherpak's reign, Thomas Jefferson has posted 74 shutouts, including seven in both 2005 and ‘16. The Jaguars have achieved at least one shutout in each of Cherpak's 23 seasons, including four in 2017.

TJ ended the regular season 8-1 overall and 7-1 in the Class 4A Big 9.

The Jaguars outscored the opposition 393-48, averaging 43.7 points and allowing 5.3 — the second-best defensive average in the WPIAL behind only Aliquippa's 2.3 ppg mark in Class 3A.

“We are about where we thought we would be with the exception of the loss to Belle Vernon,” Cherpak, said after his team's 37-7 conference win against West Mifflin in the regular-season finale. “We need to keep improving as we move through the playoffs. We hope to repeat two years ago when we ran the table after losing two regular-season games.”

Coaching honors

Cherpak, 50, was inducted last spring into the Robert “Tick” Cloherty/Western Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame at the Pittsburgh Sheraton Station Square.

He is closing in on 250 career victories and entry into the WPIAL's top-10 list of all-time winningest football coaches.

During Cherpak's tenure, Thomas Jefferson won four WPIAL championships (2004, 2006-08) in five years, along with three state crowns (2004, 2007-08), and added WPIAL titles in 2015 and '16.

The TJ football team has been a conference champion 19 times — including 15 in the new millennium — since Cherpak took over in 1995.

Also during his reign, the Jaguars have:

• Won 89 of 93 conference games dating back to 2005, and 111 of 116 conference games since 2001.

• Won or shared 10 conference titles in the past 12 years.

• Qualified for the WPIAL playoffs 23 consecutive years (tied with Aliquippa for the longest active playoff streak).

• Advanced to the WPIAL semifinal round 18 times in the past 19 seasons.

• Posted four undefeated regular seasons in the past six years and 11 in school history.

• Reeled off 58 consecutive wins at TJ Stadium, a streak dating from Oct. 8, 2004 to Oct. 31, 2014.

• Compiled a 203-29 record since the 2000 season.

Leading the way

Thomas Jefferson finished second in conference play and landed the No. 3 seed in the WPIAL Class 4A playoffs behind No. 1 South Fayette and No. 2 Belle Vernon. Montour was seeded fourth.

During the regular season, the Jaguars were led offensively by senior running back Justin Vigna, who rambled to 1,364 yards and 20 touchdowns on 156 carries.

Vigna averaged 151.6 yards per game, 8.7 yards per carry, and scored at least one touchdown in eight contests.

Two of his more productive games were against Greensburg Salem and Mars with rushing totals of 213 and 209 yards, respectively.

Vigna, who has been timed at 4.59 seconds in the 40-yard dash, also relished his individual performance against Laurel Highlands when he racked up 188 yards on 12 carries and scored four touchdowns.

“There were no major errors; everything just ran smoothly that game,” he said. “It couldn't have played out any better.”

TJ sophomore quarterback Shane Stump passed for 1,217 yards and 18 touchdowns during the regular season, hitting on 68 of 138 attempts with seven interceptions. Stump averaged 135.2 yards per game.

Senior wideout Garret Fairman also was a catalyst on offense with a team-high 40 receptions for 742 yards and nine scores. Fairman averaged 18.6 yards per catch.

Other pass-catchers were seniors Nick Urbanowicz (12-140), Noah Palmer (6-83), Chris Gooch (1-56) and Vigna (3-54) and sophomore Dan Deabner (6-138).

Vigna led the squad in scoring with 120 points, followed by Fairman with 66 points (11 touchdowns) and junior kicker A.J. Meshanko with 54 points (51 PATs, 1 FG).

Defensive dominance

Defensively, the Jaguars were sparked by juniors Max Shaw and Jack Mich, senior Sean Bell and sophomore James Martinis at linebacker; with support from Fairman, Urbanowicz, senior Jared Collington and Deabner in the secondary.

Shaw, who led the team in tackles, and Urbanowicz had three interceptions apiece. Shaw and Collington returned interceptions for touchdowns.

Up front, defensive mainstays included seniors Devin Danielson, Logan Burnsworth and Palmer; junior Dom Serapiglia; plus sophomores Logan Danielson and Mike Huber.

TJ averaged 379.9 yards in total offense and had a 120-42 edge in total first downs.

The Jaguars limited the opposition to just 84.9 yards in total offense per game, including just 39 yards rushing.

Palmer was credited with a team-high four sacks this season. Shaw and the Danielson brothers logged three apiece.

Ray Fisher is a freelance writer.

Tags: Thomas Jefferson