Seton-La Salle keyed on containing Highlands
Curtail and contain are the words of the week for the Seton-La Salle football team. For the Rebels’ ability to do both will determine their success against undefeated Highlands in a WPIAL Class AA quarterfinal playoff game at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 7 at Valley Stadium.
“The key for us is going to be containing [Elijah] Jackson. If we let him run wild, it is going to be a long night,” said SLS skipper Damon Rosol. “Offensively, we must be balanced and protect the ball. In games where we turn it over, we have struggled. Games we don’t, we win convincingly. It really is that simple.”
In running it’s record to 9-1 overall with a first-round playoff win against McGuffey, 20-0, SLS accomplished all of those goals. In posting their third shutout of the season, the Rebels allowed only 167 yards of offense, 29 passing. They did not turn the ball over. And, Rick Mellick, Tyler Perone and Danzel McKinley-Lewis all surpassed the century mark in yardage. Mellick rushed for 129 yards and two, 3-yard touchdowns. He has 1,033 yards on the season.
McKinley-Lewis caught six passes for 132 yards and a 27-yard touchdown. The Toledo recruit has 44 receptions for 620 yards this autumn.
Perone completed 15 of 21 passes for 200 yards. The senior has completed 137 of 210 attempts for 1,858 yards and 22 scoring strikes.
“Obviously, I liked the defense’s performance against McGuffey, but it also was nice to see our offense grind out some possessions, especially in the second half,” Rosol said. “We still need to finish and put more points on the board, but nevertheless, at this time of the year, a win is a win, and we’ll take it.”
The Rebels will take a win against Highlands but they will need a great defensive effort against Jackson to accomplish the task. Jackson rolled up 162 yards and rushed for two touchdowns, measuring eight and 75 yards, as Highlands raced past New Brighton, 24-19, in its first-round playoff game. During the regular season, Jackson ranked No. 4 in the WPIAL in rushing with 1,466 yards on 156 carries for a 9.4-yard average.
“Elijah Jackson is the best running back that we have seen this year,” Rosol said. “He runs with great balance and vision. He is someone we must gang-tackle on every play. He runs a lot a bigger than his frame, and we must know where he is at all times.”
The Rebels must be cognizant of the presence of Brayden Thimons and his receivers, Jordan Lineburg, Jeremy Jackson and Chris Flick. A sophomore, Thimons, who rushed for 130 yards against New Brighton, is an impact player on both sides of the ball.
“He is a big, strong, athletic player who runs very hard, throws a nice ball, and hits like a tank at linebacker,” Rosol said of Thimons, whom he predicts to be a ‘future’ Division I player. “I am very impressed by him. He will make a name for himself before all is said and done.
“Plus,” Rosol added, “he has some nice athletes at wide receiver. We must contain and account for them.”
While placing pressure on the SLS defense, Rosol predicts his Rebels are up to the task. Aside from the 41 points the group surrendered in SLS’s lone loss to South Fayette, the Rebel defense has allowed 71 points in the other nine games for less than eight points per outing. Mellick and Jacob Blahut spearhead the defense. In 10 games, they have recorded 27 combined sacks with Blahut leading with 16. Dequay Broadwater has demonstrated to be a hard hitter, particularly against the Highlanders, setting the tone for the entire game and the defense.
“Outside the South Fayette game, the defense has been on par all season,” Rosol said. “They are really playing together and understanding individual, along with unit, responsibilities.”
In winning the Allegheny Conference with a 9-0 record, Highlands has demonstrated why it garnered one of the top four seeds in the Class AA tournament, behind No. 1 South Fayette and No. 2 Aliquippa.
“Highlands is a very good football team, very physical,” Rosol said. “They like to try and run the ball down your throat on offense and then attack the quarterback relentlessly on defense.”