By Corey J. Corbin
Allied News Sports Editor
SLIPPERY ROCK — November football is all about running the pigskin and defense.
Slippery Rock’s Isaac Osborne accounted for plenty of both as the Rockets (9-3) ran over, around and past Sharon 27-10 in the District 10 Class AA semifinals at Slippery Rock University’s N. Kerr Thompson Stadium Saturday evening.
“We know we beat a tremendous football team tonight,” Slippery Rock coach Clyde Conti said. “When you play Sharon, you know it’s never going to be easy. We have kids with some heart. This may not be the most talented team, but they work hard.”
With the win, the Rockets (9-3) will play Wilmington, who beat General McLane, in the D-10 AA Finals next weekend at a site and time to be determined.
Osborne rushed for 197 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries and picked off a pass for the Rockets.
“We tried some different things tonight,” Conti said. “We ran some veer, which might have given them some problems. We went old school and motioned into some I.”
After a scoreless first 12 minutes of action, the Rockets got on the board first with a 1-yard burst by fullback Justin Angerett four ticks into the second quarter. Nearly six minutes later, Mike Ramirez handed SR a 10-0 lead on a 28-yard field goal.
The Tigers answered with 10 points in the final 3:17. Todd Rearick hooked up with Louis Brown for a 31-yard scoring strike with 3:17 left before the half. Jason Sypolt send the teams into the lockerroom in a 10-all stalemate with a 21-yard field goal as time expired.
“I thought we got a little momentum there at the end of the first half,” Fromm said. “I thought we were going be all right coming out, but we didn’t move the ball as well as we wanted to.”
On their second possession of the second half, Isaac Osborne scooted 40 yards off right tackle on a third-and-three almost four minutes into the half to hand Slippery Rock a 17-10 edge.
Osborne effectively put the game on ice with 4:28 remaining when he outraced several Sharon defenders for an 80-yard score and a 24-10 lead. Ramirez added three more points on a 35-yard field goal.
“They took their dive play a little wider,” Fromm said. “They did a good job of blocking us. We missed a tackle in the backfield and allowed them to make some big plays that we can’t allow to happen.”
Sharon (10-2) must now say good-bye to seniors Mike Tomko, Rearick, Dustin Norcross, Terry Flaugher, Zack Porreca, Tom Chavara, Bob Bears, Donald Flynn, Matt Huetsche and Cody Tolonie.
“They stuck it out all four years,” Fromm said. “It’s a commitment to play a varsity sport. They need to understand that they accomplished a lot here in four years.
“I told them all to be proud of their accomplishments. This is the best regular season we’ve had since 2000 and the best overall season since 2001. There’s nothing to hang their heads about. They competed and that’s all we ask of them.”
Rearick finished the night completing 15-of-36 attempts for 210 yards, while Norcross led the Tiger receivers with 87 yards on 6 grabs.
“We had some trouble keeping people out of the backfield,” Fromm said. “When he did have time, guys went out and caught the ball. We just couldn’t get into a rhythm. You don’t want to make excuses (about the weather). We definitely were a little more aggressive when the wind was at our back.”
Notes: SR’s Jono Powell rushed 76 yards on 16 carries as the Rockets picked up 335 yards on the ground. … SR held a slight 15-14 edge in first downs. … Sharon lost 3-of-5 fumbles, while Slippery Rock turned over 2-of-4.
———
District 10 Class AA Semifinals
SHARON 0 10 0 0 10
SLIPP. ROCK 0 10 7 10 27
Scoring plays
SR — Angerett, 1 run (Ramirez kick)
SR — Ramirez 28 FG
Sn — L. Brown, 31 pass from Rearick (Sypolt kick)
Sn — Sypolt 20 FG
SR — Osborne, 40 run (Ramirez kick)
SR — Osborne, 80 run (Ramirez kick)
SR — Ramirez 35 FG
Team stats
SHARON SLIPP. ROCK
14 First downs 15
41 Rushing yards 335
210 Passing yards 0
36-15-1 Att-comp-int 3-0-0
251 Total yards 335
5-3 Fumbles-lost 4-2
5-60 Penalties-yards lost 6-32
Individual stats
Rushing: SHARON — C. Brown 1-25, Rearick 9-11, Howard 3-5, Flaugher 1-3, K. Brown 4-(-3); SLIPPERY ROCK — Osborne 15-197, Powell 16-76, Angerett 18-62.
Passing: SHARON — Rearick 36-15-1-210; SLIPPERY ROCK — Powell 3-0-0-0.
Receiving: SHARON — Norcross 6-87, L. Brown 3-59, Howard 3-22, Tomko 2-21, Moss 1-17, K. Brown 1-3; SLIPPERY ROCK — none.
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Slippery Rock beats Sharon, 27-10, in D-10 Class AA semifinals
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