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By Michael Boytim
mboytim@altoonamirror.com
When top-seeded Cambria Heights and second-seeded Richland meet in Friday's District 6 Class 2A championship game, it will be the second time in five years the teams play for the title.
When the Highlanders made it in 2020 it was the start of what has turned into a special run that included the school's first-ever district championship last year and two Heritage Conference championships.
"I remember when we were there in 2020, and it was kind of a mountain-top moment," Cambria Heights coach Jarrod Lewis said. "We wondered if we would ever get back there again. We made a District 6 championship game and won last year, and then made it back again this year -- and it's an honor. Any time you are mentioned among some of the better teams in the area like Richland or any of the other top teams in the area, it's an honor, especially where we have come from. I'm proud of it and proud of our players."
Cambria Heights is 12-0 and has already knocked off Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference teams McCort-Carroll and Bellwood-Antis in the first two rounds of the playoffs.
Including the 2020 season, Cambria Heights is 44-14 over the past five years. Prior to that, the Highlanders had a losing record in six of the previous seven seasons.
"I have known Coach Lewis for a long time, and I knew that their program was on an upward trajectory in 2020," Richland coach Brandon Bailey said. "We know they are good football players historically. The kids from Patton and Carrolltown and everywhere else up there are tough kids who are good football players."
Cambria Heights has gotten excellent quarterback play from senior Isaac Weiland and has continued its tradition of a strong running game with nearly 3,000 yards rushing as a team and an average of 6.5 yards per carry, but the running game has been done by committee.
"Jarrod does a great job of allowing his coaches to coach," Bailey said. "I know a lot of the coaches on his staff through the years, and they have some solid football coaches. Those guys offensively on that side of the ball are all good. There isn't one guy you can key on, and that makes it difficult from a defensive standpoint. They have multiple weapons they can attack us with, and their defense flies to the ball and is very aggressive."
Richland has a solid running game but does more of its damage through the air including with leading receiver senior Austin Yarnick.
"They are so talented," Lewis said. "Their skill players will be the best we've seen all year. They have receivers, guys that are 6-foot-4 who can go up for the ball and guys on the smaller side that are just quick. You name it, they have it. Good running back, offensive line gets after it. Defensively, they are always aggressive. They have fantastic coaches, and it's a program that you know when you play Richland, you have to defend the entire field. They are one of the premier teams in the area. You know your work is cut out for you, but I like our team and the leadership we have. I don't think we've played our best game yet, and if we play our game, we can make this a really good football game."
The Highlanders lost that 2020 game, 27-6, but it was 6-6 through three quarters. That game helped prove Cambria Heights had the ability to play with anyone as Richland was in the middle of a dominant run of District 6 championships at the time.
"Once one of our teams accomplishes one of these goals, it kind of removes a barrier and pushes the finish line back a little bit," Lewis said. "That 2020 team removed the barrier and got us to a District 6 championship game, and I think that enabled the 2023 team to realize they could do it. Once you win one and get back there, it gives confidence to this 2024 team that (winning a district title) is attainable."
To win the championship this season, Heights will be leaning on its defense.
"In the second half, they didn't score a point," Lewis said. "I thought we started playing more like we're accustomed to. Last week against Bellwood, and I think that was a very good Bellwood team, I thought our defense played really well. Giving up one score to an offense like that I think is pretty special. Credit our offense too, because they stayed on the field long enough to minimize that."
The Highlanders will also have to have better ball security after losing three fumbles in the semifinals that limited their ability to pull away from Bellwood.
"We had too many turnovers, too many fumbles," Lewis said. "Maybe we need to get back to doing some ball security, but this week we'll be focusing on that -- but credit to Bellwood. They were working to get the ball out and were successful."
Richland enters the game with a 10-2 mark, but both losses are to undefeated teams.
"We're always going to expect to win and put a good product out there," Bailey said. "Our nine kids in our senior class have done a great job all year long. We have had some setbacks against undefeated Penn Cambria and Clearfield teams, but we think that schedule prepares us for the playoffs."
The Rams lost to Bishop Guilfoyle in the 2022 district semifinals and to Bald Eagle Area in last year's final.
"The kids in our program aspire to be the District 6 champions," Bailey said. "The last two years we have had setbacks and have not been able to make it. This is a huge game for us, and we're looking forward to it."