Peters Township staying in the present as WPIAL playoffs loom
Peters Township's Corban Hondru (10) and Donovan McMillon (3) hope to soon be celebrating a WPIAL playoff win as the postseason commences Oct. 30.
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Peters Township quarterback Logan Pfeuffer eludes the grasp of Bethel Park’s Gavin Moul during the Indians’ recent 45-7 win over the Black Hawks.
Editor’s note: The WPIAL’s announcement of playoff pairings for first-round games did not occur in time to be included in this edition.
Peters Township is living in the present, leaving the past behind and the future for later, as it prepares for a WPIAL football championship run.
Last November, the Indians fell to Gateway 21-20 in the WPIAL Class 5A title game played at Norwin High School.
PT head coach TJ Plack does not dispense much energy on that outcome. He is choosing instead to focus on what’s ahead when the 2020 WPIAL postseason begins Oct. 30.
“If we live in the past, then we are not going to be ready for the next team,” he said.
“We just want to move forward.”
The Indians will have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, which will end with the WPIAL championships, which are scheduled to be played on the weekend of Nov. 13 at a site to be determined.
The WPIAL is allowing fans to attend all playoff games. According to new gathering limits established by Gov. Tom Wolf and the Pennsylvania Department of Health, schools could have a maximum occupancy limit of at least 1,000 people at each game.
“It will be great to have fans,” said Plack. “In the past five years, it’s been great to have the community come out, packing the stands and backing us. Having a crowd for these kids to play in front of would be wonderful.”
The Indians, however, are not necessarily concerned with that aspect. Instead, they have zeroed in on their opponent as well as making progressive strides.
In recent weeks, the Indians have been hitting on all cylinders with victories, which included a 45-7 win over Bethel Park.
Indians quarterback Logan Pfeuffer connected on 8 of 10 passes for 181 yards. He hooked up with Donovan McMillon for scoring strikes of 42 and nine yards and with Jacob Macosko for another 48-yard touchdown.
Plack has been pleased with Pfeuffer’s performances. The three-year starter recently became Peters Township’s all-time leading passer.
“Logan understands the game. He is taking advantage of what the defense gives us,” Plack said. “He knows what we want to do and where we want to go with the ball. He gets it. He’s done a great job.”
McMillon has likewise done his fair share for the Indians. A standout defensive back and return specialist, the Florida recruit finished with six receptions for 112 yards and two scores against BP. The performance enabled him to leapfrog Breylen Carrington and Corban Hondru as the team’s leading receiver.
“Donovan helps us any which way he can,” Plack said. “If we are not throwing to him, then we are going to try and hand the ball off to him or use him as a decoy.
“He is excellent with the ball,” he added. “He’s hard to tackle. He’s fun, energetic, awesome. He is making our offense go right now.”
McMillon enjoys making contributions as he relishes his final days as a player and months as a student. He will wrap up his education in December and head to Gainesville in the beginning of January.
“I have been excited to make big blocks and make big catches. Wherever and whenever I’m needed,” he said. “It’s definitely been a great ride. Of course, I want to go out a winner, but it’s on to the next week.”
McMillon recalled coming into the program as a freshman. He said they weren’t as good but the coaching staff put him and his “great teammates” into a position to contend for championships.
“We have been climbing up the mountain,” he said. “Now, we want to reach the top. We want to take it as long as we can.
“I am having so much fun and hopefully, we can enjoy it with a title run,” he added.
Defense will dictate PT’s championship run as it has the Indians’ run up to another conference crown.
In picking up their fifth win against BP, the Indians capitalized on two miscues. Macosko recovered a fumble for PT’s final score. Dante Lahet also recovered a fumble.
Additionally, Andrew Massucci kicked a 25-yard field goal and Vinny Sirianni supplied two rushing touchdowns.
PT, which had allowed only 55 points in five games, also limited BP to one score: a one-yard TD pass from Black Hawks quarterback Max Blanc to Gavin Moul.
“Things are clicking,” Plack said. “We are steadily improving and we are competing.
“We are more consistent,” he continued. “We’ve got some seasoned guys now and we’ve had some questions answered. So I like the direction in which we are heading.”
Regardless, the Indians are sticking to their motto and they are not thinking beyond the first round of the playoffs.
“It’s 1-0 each and every week,” Plack said. “We don’t look ahead. We really don’t.”
While Peters Township assured itself as one of the top teams for the WPIAL Class 5A playoffs as Allegheny Six Conference champions, Upper St. Clair and South Fayette had a huge game on Oct. 23 with post-season and seeding implications.
Regardless of the result between them, the Panthers and the Lions compete in the deepest Class 5A conference so they likely will receive one of the two wild cards in the playoffs.
The top two teams from each of the three conference were guaranteed playoff spots.
The Panthers and Lions are rounding into form, particularly with their passing games. Their receivers are healthy and they are in sync with their quarterbacks after having gone through a rare summer sans passing camps due to the coronavirus pandemic.
”That hurt a lot of teams, especially one like us that relies on the passing game,” said SF skipper Joe Rossi. “When you are throwing and playing good teams and the coverage is tighter, it takes time to adjust. These guys are doing a great job.”
Charley Rossi, the coach’s son, recently had one of his best games when he hauled in nine receptions for 137 yards and two touchdowns in SF’s 38-14 win against West Allegheny. Rossi also returned an interception 70 yards for another score.
Additionally, Ryan McGuire had four catches for 43 yards and Tristan Bedillion joined Rossi with a pick-6.
Raman Alemada added to his WPIAL leading numbers, finishing with 19 completions on 26 attempts for 211 yards.
SF’s passing game, which is also propelled by Joey Audia, is complimented by the rushing of Shay Aitken. He had 59 yards on 14 carries against West-A. Justin Caputo, who kicked a 31-yard field goal against the Indians, is also a special teams’ weapon for the Lions.
Meanwhile, Ethan Dahlem engineers the USC offense. In a recent 42-35 win against Moon, the senior completed 18 of 28 passes for 362 yards and five touchdowns. Dahlem, however, rushed 10 yards for the game-winning score.
David Pantelis grabbed three TD aerials for 38, 65 and 32 yards. He finished with seven receptions for 187 yards.
Aiden Besselman (51 yards) and Luke Banbury (8 yards) hauled in scoring strikes while Mateo Cepullio added six catches for 74 yards.
On defense, Banbury had 14 tackles.