First loss is last game for Tigers
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By Michael Boytim
mboytim@altoonamirror.com
MECHANICSBURG -- Hollidaysburg knew it would have to play close to perfect to win its PIAA Class 5A quarterfinal game against District 12 champion Roman Catholic on Friday at John Frederick Field.
It didn't take long before perfection was a lost cause.
Roman Catholic linebacker Will Felder intercepted the Golden Tigers' second pass of the game and returned it to the Hollidaysburg 5-yard line. Three plays later, JoJo Delecce punched in a score from 2 yards out, and after Hollidaysburg went three-and-out on its next possession, Delecce ran one in from 50 yards out.
The Cahillites slowed down a little bit after the first quarter, but Hollidaysburg never got back into the game in a 48-14 season-ending loss.
"It seemed like before we blinked it was 28-0," Hollidaysburg coach Homer DeLattre said. "I told the guys at halftime, when you make small mistakes against really good teams, they get magnified. I think some of those mistakes we made were minor, but when you make them against a great team with great team speed, it magnifies them. It's a credit to them as well."
The loss ended a historic season for the Golden Tigers, who started 13-0 and won 13 games for the first time in school history.
"These guys have played 35 football games against 30 playoff opponents," DeLattre said. "I don't think you'll find another group of seniors that have played the caliber of teams that these guys have. Statistically and record wise, this team has to go down as one of the best in the 100-plus year history of our school."
Hollidaysburg dealt with several injuries -- none more serious than sophomore Spencer Davis suffering sudden cardiac arrest and nearly dying at a practice before Hollidaysburg athletic trainer Amy Smearman and several coaches helped save his life with CPR and an AED. Just two days after the scare, Hollidaysburg was able to defeat Mifflinburg and FaceTime with Davis from the hospital.
"We have been through so much this year," DeLattre said. "They came to practice every day and believed in the coaches and each other, that was the special part of this group. These seniors went from 2-8 and progressed to this year. I loved watching every one of them grow. It was awesome to watch them grow as football players and people."
Roman Catholic proved to be too great of a challenge thanks to three Hollidaysburg turnovers and a Cahillite rushing attack that piled up 258 yards led by Delecce's 109 on just 10 carries.
Semaj Beals, Roman's quarterback, has 26 Division I college offers including Alabama, Georgia, Texas, Ohio State, USC and Penn State, but the Golden Tigers limited him on the ground, sacking him twice. Beals did throw for three touchdowns, including a 70-yarder to Rayshawn Scott that showed off impressive arm strength.
"I have to salute the line," Beals said. "They did a good job today. We ran the ball well. Our receivers caught the ball, and the defense held it down."
Play of the game: Felder's interception on Hollidaysburg's first series sent the Golden Tigers into a tailspin.
"That was huge," Roman Catholic coach Rick Prete said. "It set the tone and put the momentum into our favor."
Player of the game: Scott finished with six catches for 141 yards and two touchdowns.
Unsung hero: Hollidaysburg senior running back Mitchell Baronner went over the 1,000-yard mark for the season with a 48-yard touchdown run in the third quarter and finished with a team-high 66 yards on the ground for the Tigers.
"He's definitely developed into a great running back the last couple years," DeLattre said. "He deserved that. He's got a lot of tough yards. There are some 1,000-yard rushers who run through gaping holes, and there are others that have to take a lot of punishment, and he took a lot of punishment and kept running hard and believed in his line."
Most vital statistic: Roman Catholic gained 312 yards in the first half alone and finished with 457.
"They had crazy speed," Hollidaysburg senior quarterback Maddox Bainey said. "Speed like I have never seen before."
Prete: "It means a lot. We have had a ton of adversity whether it's on the field or personal, and this is a great group of kids. At the end of the year, we'll be upset no matter how it goes, because we lose a bunch of kids we won't see anymore who are family to us. It means the world that we're still playing."
Baronner: "I'll remember us playing together, throughout the entire year," Baronner said. "We always lifted each other up and played together. To go down in school history and have a season for the record books is amazing. This is the closest team I have ever been part of. I couldn't ask to be part of a better program and have better guys to play with."
Bainey: "We are a family. This is the closest I have ever been with a team. I can't really pick a favorite memory, because there are so many good ones."
Beals: "We have been putting in work for a long time, since the summer. We have been putting in the work, but we don't deserve anything -- we have to go out and take it."
Notable: Gavin Bell caught Hollidaysburg's first touchdown, a 21-yard strike from Bainey that made it 28-6 early in the second quarter, and the senior finished with five catches for 51 yards. ... Louis Gaddy and Eyan Stead had Roman Catholic's other interceptions. ... Senior Jay Albarano caught a two-point conversion pass from Bainey after Baronner's touchdown.
Records: Hollidaysburg (13-1); Roman Catholic (10-4).
Next week: Roman Catholic plays West Chester Rustin, a 34-2 winner over Springfield Delco in the PIAA semifinals next weekend. Hollidaysburg closes the book on its best season by record in school history.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Hollidaysburg 0 6 8 0 — 14
Roman Catholic 28 6 14 0 — 48
First Quarter
RC--Delecce 2 run (Pollack kick), 9:58.
RC--Delecce 50 run (Pollack kick), 7:24.
RC--Stead 17 pass from Beals (Pollack kick), 2:08.
RC--Scott 70 pass from Beals (Pollack kick), 1:39.
Second Quarter
H--Bell 21 pass from Bainey (pass failed), 9:30.
RC--Scott 2 pass from Beals (kick blocked), 4:33.
Third Quarter
RC--Tabb 2 run (Pollack kick), 9:19.
RC--Hawkins 2 run (Beasley kick), 2:41.
H--Baronner 48 run (Albarano pass from Bainey), :37.
TEAM STATISTICS H RC
First downs 13 22
Total yards 254 457
Rushes-yards 25-94 45-258
Yards passing 160 199
Passing (comp.-att.-int.) 13-29-3 13-18-0
Punts-avg. 4-27.3 3-28.7
Fumbles-lost 0-0 1-0
Penalties-yards 4-49 7-65
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING--Hollidaysburg, Baronner 9-66, Bainey 5-11, Muth 5-9, Morningstar 3-5, Kordish 2-3, DeLattre 1-0. Roman Catholic, Delecce 10-109, Tabb 12-72, Sheed 14-44, Hawkins 2-22, Stead 1-10, Cook Jr. 1-2, Bass 1-0, Beals 4-(-1).
PASSING--Hollidaysburg, Bainey 13-29-3-160. Roman Catholic, Beals 13-18-0-199.
RECEIVING--Hollidaysburg, Bell 5-51, Steiner 3-71, DeLattre 2-20, Albarano 2-17, Muth 1-1. Roman Catholic, Scott 6-141, Mines 3-20, Stead 2-22, Nealy 2-16.