By Patrick J. Connelly
Allied News Sports Editor
ERIE — At Veterans Memorial Stadium, Erie, the Grove City Eagles kept pace with the Ramblers early. But a 171-yard, 5-touchdown performance from Justin Wiley became too much for Grove City to overcome as Cathedral Prep beat GC, 47-21.
The Ramblers (10-2) struck first on a 64-yard pass from Shyquan Pullium to Wiley after Grove City was forced to punt following a 11-play, 40-yard drive.
Coach Jeff Bell’s Eagles put together another long drive on their next possession, taking the ball 76 yards on 10 plays for the 1st score of the 2nd quarter. Marty Phipps punched in from Prep’s 5-yard line and Jeff Hershberger’s PAT knotted the game at 7.
Prep added another TD later in the quarter on a 13-yard run by Wiley, completing a 63-yard drive.
Grove City regained possession with 4:34 left in the half and continued to run the ball with fever, a game plan that picked up 127 yards on the Ramblers’ defense in the first 2 quarters.
After the Eagles got a 1st down on a 14-yard pass from quarterback Tyler Dagres to Brady Beech, they picked up another 2 plays later on a 6-yard run by Jamarr Patterson. A Dagres scramble picked up 4 yards, but a 2nd saw the Eagles lose 2. Hurrying to get a play off before the end of the quarter, Dagres handed off to Patterson who took the ball 7 yards before it was knocked out of his hands and returned for a Ramblers’ TD by Pullium as time expired. A PAT by Noah Ackerman gave Prep a 21-7 bulge at the break.
“That touchdown right before the half was (a) killer,” Bell said. “Unfortunately, (Patterson) was trying to score ... He knew time was running out, he was trying to break free ... Unfortunately he dropped it and the kid ran it back for a touchdown.”
Hersherberger tried an onside kick to open the 2nd half and B.J. Johnston recovered it for the Eagles, giving Grove City the ball at midfield. But the Eagles failed to pick up a 1st down and turned the ball over after Beech’s sneak on a fake punt was sniffed out by the Ramblers.
Prep didn't hesitate to take advantage of fortunate field position as Wiley cut loose for a 53-yard TD run. Ackerman’s PAT provided Prep a 28-7 edge.
The Eagles scored again late in the 3rd on a 34-yard pass from Dagres to Johnston and added another TD late in the game on a 27-yard run by Joel Shaffer.
But the Ramblers responded 3 times in the 4th — runs by Wiley of 4 and 76 yards and on a 42-yard punt return by Pullium.
“We threw everything we had at them, but unfortunately we came up short,” Bell said.
The game was the final one for Grove City seniors Leonard Howard, Nick Reddick, Brandon Steffanus, Marty Phipps, Shaffer, Dan Sprando, Ray Tuerke, Mike Turek, Lucas Pryor, Wesley Uber, Johnston and Hershberger. Bell said that group played the biggest part in the team’s run that exceeded his expectations — winning the Region 5-AAA title and finishing with a 8-4 mark on the campaign.
“Hopefully we see them (Prep) again next year,” the coach said. “We're going to work our butts off to get back here.”
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D-10 CLASS AAA CHAMPIONSHIP
GROVE CITY 0 7 7 7 21
CATH. PREP 7 14 7 19 47
Scoring plays
CP — Wiley, 64 pass from Pullium (Ackerman kick)
GC — M. Phipps, 5 run (Hershberger kick)
CP — Wiley, 13 run (Ackerman kick)
CP — Pullium, 60 fumble return (Ackerman kick)
CP — Wiley, 53 run (Ackerman kick)
GC — Johnston, 34 pass from Dagres (Hershberger kick)
CP — Wiley, 4 run (kick failed)
CP — Pullium, 42 punt return (Ackerman kick)
CP — Wiley, 76 run (kick failed)
GC — Shaffer, 27 run (Hershberger kick)
Team stats
GROVE CITY CATH. PREP
18 First downs 6
265 Rushing yards 227
72 Passing yards 103
6-4-1 Att-comp-int 4-3-0
337 Total yards 330
2-1 Fumbles-lost 1-0
4-40 Penalties-yards lost 4-25
Individual stats
Rushing: GROVE CITY — Patterson 13-84, W. Phipps 17-60, Shaffer 3-35, Reddick 8-30, Dagres 11-24, H. Price 2-13, Sevin 1-8, DePeal 1-7, Beech 1-4, M. Phipps 3-0; CATHEDRAL PREP — Wiley 14-171, Pullium 7-36, Lubahn 1-12, Oduho 3-8.
Passing: GROVE CITY — Dagres 6-4-1-72; CATHEDRAL PREP — Pullium 4-3-0-103.
Receiving: GROVE CITY — Johnston 2-49, Beech 1-14, W. Phipps 1-9; CATHEDRAL PREP — Wiley 3-103.
