Tradition-rich programs clash when Pine-Richland, Upper St. Clair play for WPIAL Class 5A crown

By: George Guido
Thursday, November 17, 2022 | 7:04 PM

Previous Next

Pine-Richland and Upper St. Clair have each been to plenty of WPIAL championship games.

But both have arrived to this year’s finals with a rare similarity.

The Rams and the Panthers have advanced with quarterback changes.

Pine-Richland has gone with Ryan Palmieri since midseason and Upper St. Clair has been alternating with freshman Ethan Hellman and sophomore Julian Dahlem.

The teams will meet to decide the Class 5A title Saturday at noon at Norwin High School.

“We decided to move Ryan to quarterback,” said Rams coach Jon LeDonne. “(Kaman) Huffman had a high ankle sprain and he and Vaughn Spencer didn’t have much experience, so we moved Ryan there.”

Palmieri played quarterback last season and with LeDonne leading the new coaching staff approaching this season, the hope was to convert Palmieri to strictly a running back.

Fourth-year coach Mike Junko has used both signal-callers effectively, depending on the situation.

“They’re both young kids, and they are both very talented competitors,” said Junko. “They both bring something a little different to the table. We’ve tried to maximize their abilities, and both have an understanding of what we’re trying to do. They support and pull for one another.”

Pine-Richland has to prepare for both quarterbacks. Junko has even alternated the duo during a game or in a certain possession at a specific time in the game.

USC also depends on senior running back Jamaal Brown, who has carried for 1,468 yards. Brown’s physical running style has attracted football offers from both major college divisions. Aidan Besselman is a wide receiver and safety who has produced on both sides of the ball. The Panthers line is anchored by four-year, two-way starter Mark Banbury.

While Palmieri has passed for 1,503 yards, the Rams running game is led by Ethan Pillar’s 962 yards.

LeDonne has praised the efforts of defensive lineman John Rottinghause, who gets double-teamed frequently, allowing linebackers such as senior Max Heckert to “flow freely” toward the ball.

Ryan Cory has also been a key to quality line play.

Both schools have outstanding legacies. Pine-Richland is the only WPIAL school to win titles in five classifications, conquering all but Class A. LeDonne is hoping to join the late Gene Sullivan, Clair Altemus and Eric Kasperowicz as WPIAL title-winning coaches.

The Rams have made the playoffs 10 consecutive seasons and have a WPIAL playoff record of 34-15 with seven titles since winning 2A honors under Sullivan in 1969.

LeDonne has made a successful transition from Penn Hills to Pine-Richland.

“It was a very tough decision to leave Penn Hills after five seasons,” the Rams coach said. “But now I am coaching the community where I live and where my kids go to school.”

Upper St. Clair is vying for a WPIAL title for the 14th time — the first since 2011. The Panthers have won seven titles and are 46-33-2 in the WPIAL playoffs.

USC has made the playoffs 36 of the last 37 seasons, missing only in 1999.

Said Junko: “This program, this tradition, there’s an expectation that you play in games like this. We’re very deliberate in teaching the kids about the tradition and having them understand their place and their role in this tradition. I was fortunate enough to be a player in a WPIAL championship and now I can share this with my players.”

Junko hopes to join predecessors Joe Moore and Jim Render in bringing WPIAL trophies to the school.

Tags: Pine-Richland, Upper St. Clair