NWPASports.com

(Statistical Information Courtesy of NWPASports.com archives, The Herald and Erie Times-News. Amp Pegues comments courtesy Bob Greenburg interviews on PIC SportsLine December 1)

WEEK SIXTEEN FOOTBALL PREVIEWS

It's been five years, but the Mercer County area will once again be represented in the state championship round in high school football as Farrell faces perennial state powerhouse Southern Columbia in the Class 2A title game Friday afternoon at Cumberland Valley.

Farrell returns to the championship round after winning state titles most recently in 2018 and 2019. Southern Columbia defeated the last local squad to reach the finals, Wilmington, in 2020.  

FRIDAY AFTERNOON
CLASS 2A CHAMPIONSHIP
Farrell vs. Southern Columbia, Chapman Field, Cumberland Valley High School, 1:00 p.m.

Series History: Farrell, 2-0
Last Farrell Win: December 6, 1996 (14-12, PIAA Class A championship game at Mansion Park, Altoona)
Last Southern Columbia Win: None
First Meeting: December 8, 1995 (Farrell won 6-0, PIAA Class A championship game at Altoona)
PIAA Playoff Record: Farrell 27-11, Southern Columbia 66-16

Farrell (13-2) makes its seventh all-time appearance in a state football championship game Friday when the Steelers meet District 4 titlist Southern Columbia (14-1) in the third of six championships games played over three days this week at Cumberland Valley.

 Farrell jumped out to a 24-0 lead last Saturday in its 40-19 state semifinal victory over Seton La Salle. The Rebels cut the lead to 24-19 but junior quarterback Aaron Pegues threw a six-yard touchdown pass to senior tailback Juelz Johnson with 6:36 left. Two minutes later, Johnson sprinted 49 yards to the end zone to seal the victory.

Johnson finished with 240 yards and two touchdowns. Pegues went 8 for 12, good for 73 yards and two scores. Dey'mar Cain's 77-yard interception return for touchdown in the second quarter put Farrell ahead 24-0 after Seton La Salle had driven deep into Farrell territory.

"When you get over that (semifinal) hump, you have to be able to contain your emotions because you have one more game to play, and that's the most important game," Farrell head coach Amp Pegues said. "We celebrated Saturday night and we moved on at midnight. We're looking forward to Southern Columbia."

Meanwhile, Southern Columbia thundered past District 12 champion Lansdale Catholic in the other Class 2A state semifinal last Friday night, 24-7. Southern Columbia took control of the game with 17 unanswered points in the third quarter. The Tigers amassed 275 rushing yards as four men gained 59 or more yards. Sophomore Grady Garcia led the Tigers with 77 yards while quarterback Ayden Hockenbroch ran for 61 yards and two scores.

Southern Columbia carries a 14-game winning streak into Friday's title game. The Tigers fell to Class 3A power Wyomissing in the season opener, 49-27. Southern Columbia recorded four shutouts during the regular season. The Tigers capped a 9-1 regular season with a 61-28 win at Shikellamy. That night, the Tigers trailed 21-14 midway through the second quarter before scoring 47 straight points.

The Tigers downed Cowanesque Valley in the District 4 quarterfinals, 41-20, after holding a 41-0 lead at the half. Southern Columbia secured a 41-21 semifinal win over Bloomsburg and then dusted Troy in the District 4 title game, 42-0.

Southern Columbia's two state playoff wins also featured an absence of drama as the Tigers secured one-sided wins over Steelton-Highspire (55-26) and Lansdale Catholic.

Southern Columbia's precision Delaware Wing-T offense averages 300.8 rushing yards per game. Senior Brayden Andrews has rushed for 1,438 yards and 21 touchdowns while Garcia has gained 1,028 yards this year. Junior Joey Williams has contributed 866 yards and 10 touchdowns this year.

Hockenbroch has thrown for 1,261 yards and 17 touchdowns this year. He has completed 60 percent of his passes (73 of 122) while throwing only three interceptions. Junior split end Blaise Kissinger is his favorite target, having caught 18 passes for 366 yards and seven touchdowns.

"The quarterback is really good and really athletic," Amp Pegues said. "He can throw it around."

"They are a great team (and) very big up front ... I could talk about them for days," Pegues continued. "Our guys -- this is a challenge that they really wanted to take on."

Farrell twice faced the Delaware Wing-T during the regular season when the Steelers played Sharpsville and Mercer in Region 1 action. Farrell also played Wilmington, which utilizes a version of the Wing-T on offense.

Defensively, Southern Columbia has 28 sacks and 24 takeaways this year. Senior linebacker Talon Piatt leads the Tigers with 97 tackles, including 15 for loss. Junior Chase Williams has posted 26 tackles for loss while senior Ethan Makowski has 25 tackles for loss and a team-leading six sacks. Williams has 5.5 sacks.

That defense will try to control a Farrell offense that averages 44.6 points and 373.6 yards per game. Johnson leads Farrell with 2,213 rushing yards and 34 rushing touchdowns. He has 42 total touchdowns this year and 280 points.

Aaron Pegues has completed 70 percent (138 of 198) of his passes this year, his second as the Farrell starter. Pegues has amassed 1,849 passing yards and 21 touchdowns while being intercepted only once. In the playoffs, Pegues is 51 of 60 (85 percent) for 621 yards and seven touchdowns.

Farrell is 19 of 31 (61 percent) on third downs in the postseason. For the season, the Steelers are 50 for 92 (54 percent) on third down.

Defensive end Rhashaud Dunbar leads Farrell with 13 sacks. Sophomore linebacker Jason Marshall II leads Farrell with 142 tackles while freshman Deyontay Gillespie has racked up 140 stops. Those two men, along with junior middle linebacker Omario Boatwright (123 tackles) will undoubtedly have a pivotal role against Southern Columbia's ground attack.

Dorean Cain leads Farrell -- and Mercer County -- with six interceptions. Farrell owns a plus-21 turnover margin, thanks to 28 takeaways.

Southern Columbia has won 24 consecutive state playoff games. The Tigers' last loss in the state playoffs came nine years ago in the Class 2A title game, when Steel Valley defeated Southern Columbia, 49-7. Southern Columbia has won seven state titles in the last eight years. The Tigers fell to 2024 state champion Troy in the District 4 semifinals last year, 69-28.

Head coach Jim Roth is in his 42nd season as Southern Columbia head coach. He owns a 524-74-2 record.

"The success that Coach Roth has had out there with that program is crazy. It's second to none," Amp Pegues said. "We definitely wanted to play them. We have our hands full with them. They are a great program and are playing at a really high level, as usual. We wouldn't have it any other way."

Farrell is 4-2 in the finals while Southern Columbia is 14-8 all-time in the championship round. Southern Columbia won its first state title in 1994 by defeating Western Beaver in the Class A championship, 49-6. The Tigers then fell in the title game six times in the next seven seasons, including losses to Farrell in both 1995 (6-0) and 1996 (14-12).

Amp Pegues started at quarterback and safety for Farrell in its 1995 victory. He threw for 78 yards in the win. The game's lone points came on Stan Kennedy's 26-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. The game featured 13 punts.

In 1996, Farrell stopped a two-point attempt with 3:37 left in the game to preserve its 14-12 victory. Chico Pinkins gave Farrell a 6-0 lead in the first quarter when he caught a 23-yard touchdown pass from Rennie Gash. Jason Kennedy's nine-yard touchdown run and Pinkins' two-point catch in the third quarter put Farrell ahead to stay, 14-6. Farrell forced four turnovers that day in Altoona.

The game will be broadcast on Sports Radio 96.7. Live Stats available here.