TJ 28 vs. Garnet Valley 3

Video:

Articles:

Thomas Jefferson wins PIAA Class AAA crown

TJ brings its passing attack out of mothballs and rides off with victory that caps perfect, 16-0 season and secures second PIAA title in past 4 years

Saturday, December 15, 2007

By Mike White, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

HERSHEY, Pa. -- It wasn't exactly the bully going soft, but big and brutish Thomas Jefferson showed a side of itself last night that had not been seen in a while.

The change in personality helped turn Thomas Jefferson into a team that has never been seen in the WPIAL.

Thomas Jefferson threw the ball with regularity and threw Garnet Valley's defense into a funk. The passing game helped Thomas Jefferson defeat Garnet Valley, 28-3, in the PIAA Class AAA championship game in front of 5,087 chilly fans at Hersheypark Stadium.

The win allowed Thomas Jefferson to become the first team from the WPIAL to win a PIAA Class AAA championship with a perfect record. Thomas Jefferson finished 16-0 and won its second PIAA crown in the past four years. Garnet Valley, a District 1 team from suburban Philadelphia, finished 13-2.

This should tell you how the game went: The person who got the water cooler shower after the contest wasn't Thomas Jefferson coach Bill Cherpak. It was quarterback-defensive back Zach DeCicco.

A 6-foot senior, DeCicco completed 10 of 17 passes for 137 yards and two touchdown passes.

"Player of the year, right here," said teammate Lucas Nix after helping dump the water cooler on DeCicco.

Seventeen passes might not seem like much, but to Thomas Jefferson it was an aerial circus. Since moving from receiver to quarterback in the final game of the regular season, DeCicco had thrown a total of 51 passes in six games. In the past three games, he was 5 of 15 for 75 yards.

"We were hoping they were going to pass it. That's what we wanted them to do," said Garnet Valley coach Mike Ricci. "To be honest, we didn't think [DeCicco] could do what he did tonight."

Thomas Jefferson had bullied through the postseason with a powerful offensive line and a strong running game. The Jaguars did damage on the ground again last night as fullback Nate Bota ran for 143 yards on 10 carries, and Orlando Torres added 102 on 20.

But DeCicco throwing the ball so much was like Shaquille O'Neal jacking 3-pointers.

"They weren't covering the pass. They were covering the run, so we just took what they gave us," DeCicco said.

Cherpak said, "We thought we could take advantage of some things they were doing on defense. But, to be honest, a lot of those pass plays were Zach making calls at the line."

DeCicco did more than pass, though. He also rushed for 71 yards on four attempts, scored one touchdown and intercepted two passes.

What made the game more special to DeCicco was his younger brother, Brock, a junior tight end, also played a big role. The brothers hooked up on a 15-yard touchdown pass that gave Thomas Jefferson a 21-3 lead in the fourth quarter.

Brock DeCicco finished with 3 catches for 54 yards. Their older brother, Dom, is a freshman at Pitt who played quarterback for Thomas Jefferson last year.

"I think a lot of people thought last year was our year with Dom," Zach said. "But this is great being my senior year, going 16-0 and having everyone step up."

Thomas Jefferson finished with 468 yards offense while its defense limited Garnet Valley to 206, including only 111 on the ground. It was the first time since 1998 that a team did not score a touchdown in a Class AAA final.

The game was scoreless after the first quarter, but Thomas Jefferson started to find its offensive rhythm in the second quarter, moving 80 yards in five plays for a score. Bota capped the march with a 23-yard touchdown run with 6:53 left in the half.

Garnet Valley's Eric VanWyk made a 37-yard field goal with three minutes left in the half, but Thomas Jefferson responded with a 69-yard scoring drive that ended with Zach DeCicco's 20-yard touchdown pass to receiver Trevor Wildman with 33 seconds left in the second quarter. Wildman made a superb catch, leaping into the air and taking the ball away from a defender for his ninth touchdown of the year.

Garnet Valley showed some desperation late in the third quarter when it went for a first down on fourth-and-2 at its own 29. A pass fell incomplete, and Brock DeCicco caught his touchdown pass three plays later.

Zach DeCicco closed out the scoring with a 10-yard touchdown run.

It was a grand finish for a team that lost its star running back [Brian Baldrige] with a knee injury in the first game. Starting quarterback Tyler Wehner was kicked off the team near the end of the regular season. That's when Zach DeCicco volunteered to move to quarterback.

PG South: Thomas Jefferson rolls to 'AAA' state title game behind a strong offensive front wall

Thursday, December 13, 2007

By Ken Wunderley, Tri-State Sports & News Service

Going for it on a fourth-and-1 from your own territory is a move that most football coaches wouldn't even consider.

Thomas Jefferson coach Bill Cherpak tried it without hesitation in back-to-back PIAA playoff games.

"We had a fourth and 1 from our own 30 with four minutes left in the game," said Cherpak, referring to the Jaguars' PIAA quarterfinal game against Selinsgrove. "We had a 17-10 lead and I didn't want to take a chance punting the ball. I would rather put the ball in the hands of one of our backs and let the line lead the way."

Tailback Orlando Torres picked up the first down and Thomas Jefferson went on to win 24-10.

"We had a similar situation on Friday against Erie Strong Vincent," said Cherpak, referring to the PIAA semifinals. "We were leading 14-0 and had a fourth-and-1 at our own 35. I didn't hesitate. When you consider how well our line has played this year, I felt confident we would get the 1 yard we needed."

Zach DeCicco picked up the first down on a quarterback sneak and Thomas Jefferson (15-0) continued its trek toward a perfect season with a dominating 35-6 victory over Erie Strong Vincent.

The victory earns Thomas Jefferson its second PIAA Class AAA title berth in four years. The Jaguars won WPIAL and PIAA titles in 2004. They also won a WPIAL title last year, but lost in the PIAA semifinals to eventual champion General McLane.

"Without a doubt, the key to our success on offense has been the incredible play of our line," said Cherpak. "That was clearly evident in the opening weeks of the season."

The Jaguars lost star running back Brian Baldrige for the season during Week 2, then had to change quarterbacks late in the season, but continued to have one of the most potent running games in the state.

"The excellent play of our offensive line gave us time to develop our running backs early in the season," said Cherpak. "When we changed quarterbacks, we decided to concentrate on what we do best -- running the ball."

Thomas Jefferson's line is anchored by Lucas Nix, a 6-foot-6, 295-pound senior tackle who has already accepted a scholarship to Pitt.

"Lucas is the only member of this team who played on our 2004 championship team," said Cherpak of his four-year starter. "We have a 55-4 record during his career. In fact, our seniors have a 41-2 record over the past three years."

Nix was one of two returning starters on the line for Thomas Jefferson. He returned on the right side along with junior Rob McCall, a 6-1, 257-pound guard who broke into the starting lineup last year as a sophomore.

"We definitely run to the right side more often," said Cherpak, a standout offensive lineman himself during his high school days at Steel Valley and then at Pitt. "We ran 90 percent of our plays to the right side at Heinz Field [during the WPIAL championship game against Montour]."

Senior Dave Bishoff, a 6-0, 236-pound guard, and junior Pat Eger, a 6-6, 260-pound tackle took over on the left side.

"Lucas and Rob were the only members of our offensive line who had varsity experience on the line," said Cherpak. "Dave started at linebacker last year and is playing both ways this year."

The other two members of the Jaguars line are: center Sean Kundrat, a 6-2, 248-pound junior, and tight end Brock DeCicco. a 6-5, 210-pound junior.

"The key to the development of our line was the relative ease in which Sean moved into the center position," said Cherpak. "He's a big kid who handles the shotgun [snap] well. He's also very smart. I'm also pleased with the way Brock has stepped in at tight end."

The contribution of Thomas Jefferson's offensive line can be illustrated by looking at the Jaguars' season stats. In 15 games, they have accumulated 5,142 yards in total offense, which averages to 342.8 yards per game. They have scored 562 points, an average of 37.5 per game.

"As a whole, this is the best offensive line I've ever had," said Cherpak, as he prepares for tomorrow's PIAA title game against District 1 champion Garnet Valley (13-1). "We rely on them heavily. And the same will be true for the championship game."