PIAA Semifinal: Wilmington to battle Greensburg Central Catholic
Written: Dec 11, 2009
 By RON PONIEWASZ JR.
rponiewasz@ncnewsonline.com
The PIAA Class AA western final is familiar territory for the Wilmington High football team.
A WPIAL opponent in the state semifinals is nothing new for the Greyhounds, either.
Having success in this round, well, that’s another topic. However, Wilmington is looking to keep its good fortune going.
The Greyhounds are in the PIAA western final for the fourth straight season and will face WPIAL champion Greensburg Central Catholic at 1 p.m. tomorrow at Slippery Rock University’s N. Kerr Thompson Stadium. Wilmington is looking to advance to its second straight state championship game after falling the previous two seasons in the state semifinals.
“It’s exciting to reach the semifinals again,” Wilmington coach Terry Verrelli said. “Every year you can accomplish something like that and to have the opportunity to play in the western finals, we feel very fortunate.
“As a coach, and I’m sure as players, it’s a real reward for all of us.”
The victor advances to the PIAA Class AA championship and meet the survivor of the Lancaster Catholic-Philadelphia West Catholic game at 1 p.m. Dec. 19 at Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey. The Greyhounds topped Philadelphia West Catholic, 35-34, in double-overtime last year to claim the state crown.
The Greyhounds (13-1) lost to Terrelle Pryor and Jeannette two years in a row — 28-7 in 2006 and 41-21 in 2007. Pryor is a sophomore and the starting quarterback at Ohio State University.
Last year, Wilmington broke through, edging Aliquippa in the state semifinals, 29-28 in overtime.
“I think when you get to this level, it’s not so much playing the WPIAL teams, because no matter who it is, I think they’re going to be good,” Verrelli said.
Wilmington’s seniors have rolled up an impressive 55-5 mark as well.
The Centurions (12-2) aren’t as decorated as Wilmington. Greensburg Central Catholic claimed the program’s first WPIAL championship with a 33-7 decision over Aliquippa. It was the Centurions third berth in the WPIAL Class AA championship game in the last five seasons.
“I never sat around and wondered why I haven’t won (a WPIAL title),” said Muzzy Colosimo, who is in his 15th year at the helm. “Your program gets a lot more recognition when you win the championship.”
The WPIAL title also signifies the farthest the Greensburg Central Catholic football has advanced in any season.
“This is new territory for us,” Colosimo said. “I told my players that it’s easy for Wilmington because they’ve been here before. They know the length of the season and what to expect. We’re basically doing what we feel is the right thing to do.”
Said Verrelli, “I think it might be an advantage in the right situation. If you get behind, you don’t panic, you just play. Maybe if you haven’t been there you let down or panic. Will it have a meaning? You don’t know.”
EXPLOSIVE
Greensburg Central Catholic quarterback Trent Hurley is a Bowling Green University recruit. Hurley, a 6-foot-3, 220-pound senior, is 101 of 193 through the air for 1,751 yards with 26 touchdowns and three interceptions.
“He’s just a threat all the time,” Verrelli said of Hurley. “He throws the ball so well, you have to drop in coverage and cover everybody. He can run with it, too.”
David Miller, a 5-10, 210-pound senior running back, bolsters the Centurions’ ground game. Miller has rolled up 2,233 rushing yards on 276 attempts with 37 touchdowns. He has 75 career touchdowns.
“Miller is a heck of a runner,” Verrelli said. “He’s a big kid; he looks like a fullback but runs like a halfback.
“He’s strong and can break tackles. Miller is more of an inside guy, but they will use him everywhere, he even sneaks out on passes.”
Greensburg Catholic, which finished 7-2 in the Interstate Conference, is allowing 9.1 points a game. The Centurions have recorded four shutouts.
“They play an even front defense,” Verrelli said. “They are pretty similar to us and they play mainly cover three.”
OFFENSIVE FIREPOWER
Quarterback Jake DeMedal paces Wilmington’s offensive attack. DeMedal ranks third in Lawrence County in passing with 1,092 yards. The 6-2, 175-pound senior is 67 of 115 with nine touchdowns and seven interceptions. He surpassed the 1,000-yard passing-yardage plateau against Forest Hills last week.
“DeMedal looks to me like he leads the team pretty well,” Colosimo said. “He’s a pretty hard runner. The first time I saw him he didn’t look very tall. But the way he runs that offense is phenomenal.”
Sutton Whiting and Derrick Burns lend balance to the Greyhounds’ ground game. Whiting, a 5-8, 155-pound junior running back, leads the county with 1,235 rushing yards on 133 attempts. He also leads in touchdowns (24) and scoring (148).
Whiting has scored 17 of his touchdowns in the last seven games.
“Whiting is pretty awesome,” Colosimo said. “He looks like he’s the lifeline of that team and makes things happen, both running and catching the ball.”
Burns, a 5-11, 205-pound senior running back and University of Pittsburgh recruit, has amassed 1,012 rushing yards on 120 totes with 19 touchdowns. He ranks second in scoring with 116 markers.
Burns, who ranks fourth in the county in rushing, went over 1,000 yards on the ground in the verdict over the Rangers last week.
“He’s an athlete with physical size and speed,” Colosimo said of Burns.
’HOUNDS HAMMER
Wilmington’s defense has posted five shutouts and gives up 9.9 points a game. The Greyhounds have allowed 66 of their 139 points in four postseason matchups.
“We’ve seen them in a four front, sometimes in a five-man front and sometimes with a linebacker walking up to the line,” Colosimo said. “They are physical kids and they run to the ball; they’re a good defense.”
Wilmington played three overtime game last year and two others were decided by a total of three points. This year, the Greyhounds have avoided overtime but they have played two games that were decided by one score. They are 1-1 in those games, losing to Hickory (21-14).
“I think being battle tested like that can only help you,” Verrelli said. “You have to realize, when you score and take the lead, it has very little meaning. You can’t stand and cheer because the game is not over.
“This group has been in enough situations like that and they understand that.”
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