Mt. Pleasant's Pete Billey (32) gains a first down while trying to shake off Burrell's Cole Clark (32), during the game at Burrell High School in Lower Burrell, on Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review
Burrell quarterback Logan Phillips (6), gains a few yards as Mt. Pleasant closes in, during the game at Burrell High School in Lower Burrell, on Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review
Burrell's Seth Fishbach (9), scores a touchdown taking a 13-0 lead over Mt. Pleasant, during the game at Burrell High School in Lower Burrell, on Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review
Burrell's Michael Scherer (11), picks up a first down, during the game at Burrell High School in Lower Burrell, on Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review
Mt. Pleasant's Jacob Johnson (4), makes a long catch during the game at Burrell High School in Lower Burrell, on Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review
Burrell's Lucas Kastelic makes his way into the end zone to bring the score to 28-7 over Mt. Pleasant, during the game at Burrell High School in Lower Burrell, on Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review
Burrell's Michael Scherer (11), makes his way into the end zone bringing the score to 35-7 over Mt. Pleasant, during the game at Burrell High School in Lower Burrell, on Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review
Mount Pleasant's Jacob Johnson (4), works his way upfield against Burrell, 5during the game at Burrell High School in Lower Burrell, on Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review
Mt. Pleasant quarterback Lucas Pieszak (5) throws down field, during the game at Burrell High School in Lower Burrell, on Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review
Mt. Pleasant's Jacob Johnson (4), scores 6 while being brought down in the end zone by Burrell's Austin Mele (52), bringing the during the game at Burrell High School in Lower Burrell, on Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review
Burrell's Lucas Kastelic reacts to his touchdown by making a muscle, as Burrell brings the score to 28-7 over Mt. Pleasant, during the game at Burrell High School in Lower Burrell, on Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review
Burrell's Lucas Kastelic (22) moves the chains and is brought down by Mt. Pleasant's Jacob Johnson (4), during the game at Burrell High School in Lower Burrell, on Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review
Burrell's Michael Scherer (11), makes his way into the end zone bringing the score to 35-7 over Mt. Pleasant, during the game at Burrell High School in Lower Burrell, on Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review
Burrell's Lucas Kastelic makes his way into the end zone to bring the score to 28-7 over Mt. Pleasant, during the game at Burrell High School in Lower Burrell, on Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
Mt. Pleasant's Pete Billey (32) gains a first down while trying to shake off Burrell's Cole Clark (32), during the game at Burrell High School in Lower Burrell, on Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review
Burrell quarterback Logan Phillips (6), gains a few yards as Mt. Pleasant closes in, during the game at Burrell High School in Lower Burrell, on Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review
Burrell's Seth Fishbach (9), scores a touchdown taking a 13-0 lead over Mt. Pleasant, during the game at Burrell High School in Lower Burrell, on Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review
Burrell's Michael Scherer (11), picks up a first down, during the game at Burrell High School in Lower Burrell, on Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review
Mt. Pleasant's Jacob Johnson (4), makes a long catch during the game at Burrell High School in Lower Burrell, on Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review
Burrell's Lucas Kastelic makes his way into the end zone to bring the score to 28-7 over Mt. Pleasant, during the game at Burrell High School in Lower Burrell, on Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review
Burrell's Michael Scherer (11), makes his way into the end zone bringing the score to 35-7 over Mt. Pleasant, during the game at Burrell High School in Lower Burrell, on Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review
Mount Pleasant's Jacob Johnson (4), works his way upfield against Burrell, 5during the game at Burrell High School in Lower Burrell, on Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review
Mt. Pleasant quarterback Lucas Pieszak (5) throws down field, during the game at Burrell High School in Lower Burrell, on Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review
Mt. Pleasant's Jacob Johnson (4), scores 6 while being brought down in the end zone by Burrell's Austin Mele (52), bringing the during the game at Burrell High School in Lower Burrell, on Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review
Burrell's Lucas Kastelic reacts to his touchdown by making a muscle, as Burrell brings the score to 28-7 over Mt. Pleasant, during the game at Burrell High School in Lower Burrell, on Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review
Burrell's Lucas Kastelic (22) moves the chains and is brought down by Mt. Pleasant's Jacob Johnson (4), during the game at Burrell High School in Lower Burrell, on Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review
Burrell's Michael Scherer (11), makes his way into the end zone bringing the score to 35-7 over Mt. Pleasant, during the game at Burrell High School in Lower Burrell, on Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review
Burrell's Lucas Kastelic makes his way into the end zone to bring the score to 28-7 over Mt. Pleasant, during the game at Burrell High School in Lower Burrell, on Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
Standing at midfield during pregame warmups, Burrell coach Shawn Liotta looked over at Mt. Pleasant in awe of the Vikings’ size and numbers. He looked back and smiled.
“They had more numbers than we did, probably two or three times as many numbers as we did. But I’ll take our kids over any kids out there,” Liotta said. “Burrell kids are tough, and Burrell kids play with a lot of passion.”
The Burrell defense forced six turnovers, including a pick-six by senior Luke Kastelic, to lead the Bucs past Mt. Pleasant, 35-7, in a WPIAL Class AAA Big East matchup at Buccaneers Stadium on Friday night.
“We had a really good plan and a really good feel for them and we knew some tendencies,” Liotta said. “We’re battling, and we’re still alive for the playoffs. It’s probably been a while since they said that here at Burrell.”
In the first quarter, Kastelic intercepted a tipped pass by Vikings quarterback Lucas Pieszak and raced 51 yards to give the Bucs (2-5, 2-4) an early 7-0 lead after a RJ Beach extra-point attempt.
“I wasn’t expecting the ball really,” Kastelic said. “My defensive end really did a great job of getting his hands up and he tipped that ball and it just happened to land right into my hands. It was the right time and right spot.”
Kastelic’s interception was a sign of things to come. The Vikings turned the ball over six times (three interceptions, three fumbles).
Mt. Pleasant (1-6, 1-4) put together its best drive early in the second quarter, traveling 62 yards to the Burrell 17 before Seth Fishbach picked off Pieszak in the end zone and returned it down to the Burrell 45.
Fishbach had a line on Pieszak all night, picking off the quarterback twice before it was all over.
“You can’t win like that,” said Mt. Pleasant coach Jason Fazekas. “Give them credit, (Burrell) took some stuff away from us, and that’s about what it came down to.”
Burrell quarterback Logan Phillips found Fishbach for a 23-yard touchdown on fourth-and-6 to give Burrell a 13-0 lead.
Mt. Pleasant wasn’t going away. Asher O’Connor returned a punt to the Burrell 7, setting up Jacob Johnson’s 4-yard touchdown run to cut Burrell’s lead at 13-7 going into the half.
In the third quarter, Burrell forced two fumbles.
“I thought defensively, we shut them down,” Kastelic said. “They were a run-heavy team and we shut them down hard core.”
Added Liotta, “We have different tempos and we wanted to change it up and at that point we wanted to secure the victory.”
The fourth quarter was all Burrell. Phillips scored on a 3-yard run and Kastelic rumbled for a 45-yard touchdown to blow the game open at 28-0. Kastelic finished the night with 127 yards on 23 carries.
“I thought our line played great tonight,” Kastelic said. “I saw holes and I hit them.”
Junior running back Michael Scherer scored on a 22-yard touchdown run to close the scoring. Scherer rushed for 49 yards on seven carries. Pieszak threw for 108 yards, and Johnson pulled in four catches for 85 yards for the Vikings.
The win sets up a big game for Burrell at Freeport next Friday that has playoff implications.
“We can’t stop now,” Kastelic said. “I think we’re going to work even harder to get (to the playoffs).
