DeMedal, defense lead ’Hounds to victory
Wilmington (32) vs. Fort LeBoeuf (21)
Written: Nov 24, 2009
  By TODD KRISE
t_krise@ncnewsonline.com
SLIPPERY ROCK — Remember Jake DeMedal?
He’s the Wilmington High quarterback trapped in a wide receiver’s body.
He’s the freakishly athletic 6-foot-2, 175-pounder who amassed hundreds of rushing and receiving yards a year ago.
But coming into the 2009 campaign, DeMedal moved from receiver to under center “for the good of the team.”
Saturday night’s performance against Fort LeBoeuf in the first round of the District 10 playoffs was his season-long reward.
DeMedal racked up 159 total yards and two touchdowns to lead the Greyhounds to a 32-21 win over the Bisons. Wilmington (10-1) will meet North East in the semifinals at 7 p.m. Saturday at Slippery Rock University.
“At quarterback, you don’t get to do that much until they really need you to step up,” DeMedal said. “I love playing running back and wide receiver; that’s my true love but I’ll do whatever the team needs to win.”
DeMedal’s play, coupled with Wilmington’s fourth-quarter defense were big reasons why the ’Hounds were able to escape Slippery Rock University’s N. Kerr Thompson Stadium with a victory.
DeMedal intercepted Fort LeBoeuf quarterback B.J. Arrowsmith on the first play from scrimmage, setting up Josh Phillian’s touchdown from a yard out.
Just when it appeared Wilmington was on its way to another blowout victory, Fort LeBoeuf (7-4) fought back with Corey McWilliams’ 2-yard score that knotted the game at 7.
“I think they were a better team than people gave them credit for,” ’Hounds coach Terry Verrelli said. “You can’t really tell sometimes on film when they’re playing other teams.”
Derrick Burns, who is a University of Pittsburgh recruit, gave Wilmington a 14-7 halftime lead with his 9-yard run late in the second quarter.
DeMedal notched his first touchdown of the game when he took a third-down carry from one sideline to the other for a 5-yard score.
Again, the Bisons retaliated when Ryan Cragle returned the ensuing kickoff 90 yards to paydirt.
Fort LeBoeuf eventually took a 21-20 lead on Casey Pace’s 9-yard touchdown. The score came 11 plays after DeMedal threw just his sixth interception of the year.
It marked just the second time this season the ’Hounds entered the fourth quarter trailing — the first coming Sept. 19 against Grove City. In that game, Wilmington turned a one-point deficit into a 34-14 win.
“You could feel the deadness in the crowd,” said Chad Palladino, who would go on to create the game’s three most critical plays in the fourth quarter.
The senior brought the ’Hounds back to life with a drive-stalling sack on Fort LeBoeuf’s first possession of the final frame.
“To be honest with you, they called the blitz to the other side,” Palladino said, “but they motioned back over.”
“At first he pumped fake and I thought he was gone,” he added, “so I slowed up a little bit and I saw him pull it in. All I could think about was getting that quarterback.”
Palladino then was on the receiving end of a 38-yard pass from DeMedal, who then scored from 16 yards out for a 26-21 lead.
Wilmington put the final touches on its win thanks to Palladino’s sack of Arrowsmith on the Bisons 2-yard line. Jason McFarland recovered the fumble and rolled into the end zone.
“That turnover there was kind of the nail in the coffin,” Bisons coach John Campbell said. “Up to that point, we had things going.”
The ’Hounds’ defense, which had allowed Fort LeBoeuf’s offense to move the ball for much of the game, held its opponent to only 7 yards in the fourth quarter.
“They really stepped it up,” DeMedal said of his defense. “Jason McFarland had that really big touchdown. That really swung the momentum.
“We were kind of dragging there but after a play like that the energy really shoots up and you have the momentum going your way.”
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FORT LEBOEUF WILMINGTON
14 First downs 15
125 Yards Rushing 236
44 Yards Lost 6
81 Net Rushing 230
21 Passes Attempted 10
9 Passes Completed 6
3 Passes Intercepted 1
110 Yards Passing 87
191 Total Yards 317
1-1 Fumbles-Lost 0-0
2-32 Punts-Average 3-30
10-67 Penalties-Yards 4-43
FORT LEBOEUF 0 7 14 0 — 21
WILMINGTON 7 7 6 12 — 32
Scoring plays
WILMINGTON — Josh Phillian, 1-yard run (Bryce Wilson kick)
FORT LEBOEUF — Corey McWilliams, 3-yard run (Adam Nass kick)
WILMINGTON — Derrick Burns, 9-yard run (Wilson kick)
WILMINGTON — Jake DeMedal, 5-yard run (kick blocked)
FORT LEBOEUF — Ryan Cragle, 90-yard kick return (Nass kick)
FORT LEBOEUF — Casey Pace, 9-yard run (Nass kick)
WILMINGTON — DeMedal, 16-yard run (pass failed)
WILMINGTON — Jason McFarland, 2-yard punt return (pass failed)
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