A look back at region's football past

Southwestern Pennsylvania has always been, and probably always will be considered one of the finest high school football regions in the country. Great players have come from this area, including many from our own fields here in the Fay-West.

The Friday nights of late summer and early autumn take on special meaning to local residents, as entire communities gather to cheer for their gridiron heroes.

And over the years, there have been plenty of great scholastic teams to root for and ultimately cherish through strong memories that last a lifetime.

As the 2001 season commences, and our young local athletes strap on the pads and prepare to chase football glory, it's fitting to look back at three of the most successful football teams that our area has ever seen.

The 1941 Connellsville Cokers, 1986 Mount Pleasant Vikings and 1991 Connellsville Falcons were three teams that symbolized greatness.

This is a look back at the wonderful accomplishments of these teams from 60, 15 and 10 years ago.

1941 Connellsville Cokers

In the summer and fall of 1941, the United States was on the cusp of entering World War II. It was a turbulent time, but through that darkness, Connellsville fans had a ray of light in their local high school football team.

The Cokers featured some of the finest athletes Connellsville has ever been associated with, including the likes of 1947 Heisman Trophy winner John Lujack, former Pittsburgh Steeler Garry Feniello and former University of Pittsburgh head coach Dave Hart.

Although many of the players on the 33-man team went on to great careers in a variety of different fields, their first taste of success came during that 1941 season in which the team finished with an undefeated record of 8-0-1.

'It went by so quick,' said John ÔWally' Schroyer, who was a running back on that team and played a year of football at Penn State before working as the Fayette County Register of Wills for 28 years. 'It's impossible to think that's it's been 60 years. I can't believe I've been out of school that long.'

Schroyer's sentiments were echoed by many of his teammates, including Feniello, Hart and Lujack, as well as assistant coach Ed Spotts Sr. and head coach Art Ruff.

'It was a long time ago, but that was a really good team,' said Ruff, who was a teacher in the Connellsville School District for 56 years and now resides at Ridgeview Residential Care in Youngwood.

Ruff's troops had everything. The Cokers were explosive on offense and tremendously tough on defense. Many of the players on the 1941 club were a part of both the offense and defense because back then, the majority of the players had to compete on both sides of the ball.

'Back then, men were men,' Feniello said. 'We played both offense and defense.'

'We had to play both ways back then,' Schroyer commented. 'And even though they are a lot bigger, I think we could have handled the kids today.'

Although the Cokers went undefeated in 1941, ironically, they were not allowed to compete in the playoffs because of a complicated points system that punished them for a season-ending tie.

Here is a look back at the how the Cokers did from week to week.

Connellsville 38, Rostraver Township 0: The Cokers kicked off the 1941 campaign in style as Hart scored the first touchdown of the season, a 25-yard run. Schroyer scored later, followed by touchdowns from Lujack and Richard Pitzer. Hart scored his second touchdown of the game before second-stringer Emett Delligatti capped the scoring with another six points.

Connellsville 33, Ramsay 0: Connellsville's second dominating effort came against Ramsay High School in Mount Pleasant. Lujack got things started on the right foot as he raced 70 yards for a score on a punt return. Later in the first half, Hart found paydirt on a 65-yard scamper. The game concluded with Schroyer and Lujack each hitting the end zone in the second half.

Connellsville 25, Har-Brack Union 0: It was 'Dad's Night' at Connellsville's Campbell Stadium, and the Cokers gave the hometown fathers something to cheer about as they streaked to a 25-0 victory over Har-Brack Union. The shutout was Connellsville's third straight to start the season.

In this game, Schroyer scored on a 42-year run and Hart plunged into the end zone to cap an 81-yard drive. Lujack completed the scoring late in the game.

Connellsville 56, Dunbar Township 6: Although they were scored upon for the first time in four games, the Cokers buried the Dunbar Township Mules as Hart, Delligatti, James Smyth, Pitzer and John Richards each broke through for scores in a Connellsville romp.

Connellsville 26, Greensburg 6: The Cokers' impressive victory over host Greensburg was the first time Connellsville had defeated the team from Westmoreland County in 35 years. Connellsville's first score went on the board when Richard Dixon recovered a fumble that led to Schroyer bulling his way in from three yards out.

In the second quarter, Hart returned a punt for an 80-yard score, which proved to be the longest scoring play of the season. In the second half, Lujack capped the scoring with two more touchdowns.

Connellsville 21, Scottdale 12: After giving up the lead early on, the Cokers stormed back as Louis Scacchi recovered a fumble that led to a touchdown by Schroyer.

In the second half Hart hammered into the end zone, but the Scotties responded with a touchdown of their own. However, in the last quarter, Lujack put the game away with a 77-yard touchdown run right up the middle.

Connellsville 54, Uniontown 0: Despite rainy and miserable conditions, fans packed Campbell Field to witness the Cokers completely destroy the Raiders.

In the game, Hart scored a touchdown and also gained more rushing yards than the entire Uniontown squad. Schroyer and Lujack each scored twice while Delligatti, Pitzer and Alfred Bieshada each tallied a score.

The blowout over the Raiders was one that still sticks in the minds of many of the Cokers.

'The game that I look back on every now and then is the win over Uniontown,' said Spotts, who served as a teacher at Connellsville High School for 42 years. 'It was a good, hard-working, well-balanced team. I'd hate to say that any one player dominated.'

'I don't remember what I ate for dinner last night,' Lujack said. 'But I remember that we always enjoyed beating Uniontown.'

Connellsville 44, Vandergrift 0: In this game, it was Schroyer who outdistanced the entire Lancer rushing attack. Lujack scored twice in the first half, and Schroyer added a touchdown. In the third quarter, Lujack scored two more times while Schroyer crossed the goal line for his second TD of the game.

In the fourth quarter, Delligatti dashed 44-yards to complete the scoring. It was Connellsville's fifth shutout in eight games.

'We went five games without being scored against,' Schroyer reinforced. 'I think that is pretty outstanding.'

Connellsville 13, Brownsville 13: Although they weren't undefeated, the last game left a bitter taste in the mouths of the Cokers and their fans.

In the most exciting game of the season, Brownsville took an early lead, but Hart sent a pass to Lujack, who raced 55 yards for Connellsville's first score of the game.

Connellsville took the lead when Schroyer muscled in from two yards out. But the Vikings tied it was a pass play. The Cokers threatened deep in Brownsville territory late in the game. But time expired, and Connellsville, because of a complicated scoring system was not eligible for the playoffs. Only teams that had perfect records made it into the post season.

The tie, felt like a loss, and it is still an unfortunate focal point for many of the players on that team.

'I knew we had a great team,' Lujack said. 'But the thing that really bugs me is that Brownsville game.'

'The biggest disappointment was not making the WPIAL playoffs,' Hart said. 'We beat Uniontown and Uniontown beat Brownsville. I don't know if we were overconfident or what it was.'

'The most depressing game was the 13-13 tie with Brownsville,' Spotts said.

Although the tie did prevent the team from making the playoffs, it did not take away from the fact that the Cokers of 1941 never suffered a defeat.

'There were some great players on that team,' Feniello said. 'I have a lot of great memories, but the thing I remember most is that we were undefeated.'

'Being undefeated is what you work for, and I still think about it from time to time,' Ruff said.

The former Connellsville coach also noted that the success of the team might not have been possible if not for the efforts of people like Victor Ruggieri, who was Ruff's right-hand man and was always there to help with the behind-the-scenes work.

'Ruggieri did everything for that team,' Ruff said.

After their high school playing days had ended, many of the Cokers served in the military, and many saw combat action in World War II.

Players such as Schroyer, Roy Doppelheuer, Donald Stefl and Dwayne Mortimer were all wounded in combat. One player, Bernie Shafsky, was killed in the Invasion of France.

'Shafsky was a tough kid,' Ruff said as he broke down in tears after seeing a picture of his former player. 'A lot of our kids were in the service. Our whole backfield was in the service.'

After the war had ended, many players went on to raise families and begin their life's work. Almost all of them led successful and productive lives.

'A great satisfaction about being a coach is seeing the players succeed later in life,' Spotts said.

Today, some players such as Schroyer and Feniello still call Connellsville their home. However, many have moved on and are comfortably settled in different parts of the country. But no matter where the players are located now, they all still remember the community and the hometown pride that was associated with the 1941 Cokers.

'We had a lot of great rivalries, and the fans were fantastic,' Schroyer said as he mentioned that even practices would sometimes draw thousands of people to Campbell field (Connellsville Stadium). 'Having the town behind us was exciting.'

'The men and women of the community really appreciated us,' Feniello stated.

'It was the small town and the togetherness, and everybody knew everybody,' Hart said from his home in Asheville, North Carolina. 'It was a lot of fun.'

'Connellsville is the best town that anybody could grow up in,' Lujack said from his home in Davenport, Iowa. 'It's a sports town.'

1986 Mount Pleasant Vikings

Very seldom in life is perfection attained.

However, the 1986 Mount Pleasant Vikings proved that anything, even perfection, is possible. The Vikings blended hard work, inspiration, dedication and togetherness in order to achieve a perfect 13-0 record and the school's second WPIAL Class AAA championship.

'The first thing that pops into my mind when I think of the 1986 team is the excitement and the fun we had,' said Doug Adamrovich, who was a star runner on the Vikings team, and is now a teacher in the Mount Pleasant School District. 'We had such great talent on that team.'

The group was indeed talented, but what made the Vikings extra special was the strength they gained through each other.

'The thing that I think of first is the closeness,' commented Bob Gumbita, who is a teacher at Mount Pleasant and is also working as the head football coach at Bentworth. 'Most of us had been together since fifth grade and we were the best of friends.'

'People even say today how close we were,' said Dave Reese, who is an assistant director at Allegheny East MHMR. 'We played together since we were in midget ball. We were united, and we were really good friends, and I think that was a big part of it.'

The Vikings were a great team, and to win 13 games against 13 different opponents in the same season is truly a special feat. But despite their brilliant success, the Vikings' road to the 1986 WPIAL championship was not always smooth.

Here's a look at that magical 1986 campaign.

Mount Pleasant 35, Thomas Jefferson 19: The Vikings got the season started on the right foot as Adamrovich carried the ball for 210 yards, including touchdown runs of 5, 6 and 57 yards.

Thomas Jefferson scored first, but it didn't matter much. Billy Ray Sherbondy was a big contributor, racking up 105 yards on 10 carries.

Mount Pleasant 9, Laurel Highlands 0: Despite a tremendous effort by the host Mustangs, Mount Pleasant was just a little too tough as the Vikings came through with a hard-fought win on the road to start action in the Keystone Conference.

After a scoreless first half, the Vikings finally took the lead when John Jaworski nailed a 21-yard field goal in the third quarter. Then Adamrovich sealed it with a three-yard bolt to compete the scoring. For the second straight game, Adamrovich racked up more than 200 yards rushing.

Mount Pleasant 21, Greensburg Salem 20: This was a game in which each team dominated, but the Vikings got the nod. In the first half, Mount Pleasant raced out to a 14-6 lead thanks to two 1-yard dives by quarterback Dean El-Attrache. El Attrache's second score was set up by a fumble recovery by Gumbita. Then, as time wound down in the first half, El Attrache hit Bill Barber in the back of the end zone.

The Golden Lions scored a touchdown in the third and fourth quarters. But failed conversions proved costly as Mount Pleasant remained perfect.

Mount Pleasant 29, Penn-Trafford 6: The Vikings were clicking on all cylinders as the offense rolled and the defense was stingy in a win over the Warriors. Adamrovich scored three touchdowns and gained 138 yards to pace the attack.

The defense also had a share in the victory as it limited Penn-Trafford to just 151 total yards. Also, the defense forced three first-half turnovers which helped Mount Pleasant build up a 21-0 lead.

Scott Williams and Gumbita had interceptions, while Sherbondy added a 46-yard score for Mount Pleasant.

Mount Pleasant 48, Yough 6: The Vikings' fifth win of the season was a thoroughly dominating effort over the Cougars. Mount Pleasant took a 21-0 lead in the first quarter, which was highlighted by two of Adamrovich's three touchdown runs.

Bill Vokes returned a fumble for a 10-yard score and Bernie Egnatz returned an interception for a 51-yard score. Sherbondy scored from 15 yards out and El-Attrache connected with Williams on a 66-yard scoring strike.

Mount Pleasant 13, Southmoreland 8: It was another tough game as the Backyard Brawl heated up on a muddy field at Southmoreland. But the Vikings remained on top of the heap in the Keystone Conference with a win over the Scotties.

As usual, the Vikings used a strong running game to earn the win. John Surlas recovered a fumble, which helped set up a three-yard score by Adamrovich. Sherbondy was also a force, gaining over 100 yards on the ground, including a 30-yard touchdown run in the first quarter.

Southmoreland scored late, but punter Carmen Giallonardo pinned the Scotties down with a 65-yard boot late in the game. Mount Pleasant's defense held up, and so did the perfect record.

'That Southmoreland win was a great win, because Southmoreland had a bunch of great kids too,' said former head coach Bill Elder, who is now the head coach at DeLand High School in DeLand, Florida.'

Mount Pleasant 33, Johnstown 14: The Vikings pleased the homecoming crowd by putting together a strong second half to bolt past Johnstown. Adamrovich scored three times. El-Attrache also hit the end zone twice.

The third quarter was the decisive frame. The Vikings scored on their first two possessions of the second half. And the defense held Johnstown to just 27 total yards in the stanza.

Mount Pleasant 27, Latrobe 0: The defense was the story in this game as the Vikings picked off three passes in the second quarter, which led to three scores, including a 26-yard interception return by Egnatz. Adamrovich scored on a short run, and went over the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the season.

Jaworski added field goals of 24 and 32 yards, and the defense posted its second shutout of the season.

Mount Pleasant 14, Greensburg Central Catholic 7: The Vikings used the legs of Sherbondy and Adamrovich to run past the Centurions on a rainy night in Greensburg. Sherbondy racked up 117 yards on 13 carries, including a nine-yard touchdown run. Adamrovich tacked on 82 rushing yards while El-Attrache scored on a two-yard run in the first quarter.

The Centurions rallied with a score in the fourth quarter, but it wasn't enough to derail the Vikings.

Mount Pleasant 28, Derry 16: The Vikings wrapped up the Keystone Conference crown with a win over the Trojans to conclude the regular season.

Mount Pleasant scored a touchdown in every quarter, with Adamrovich hitting paydirt in the first third and fourth.

Early in the game, Derry held an 8-7 lead, but in the second quarter, El-Attrache put Mount Pleasant in front to stay with a two-yard plunge.

The win concluded Mount Pleasant's perfect regular season at 10-0.

WPIAL Playoffs - Mount Pleasant 27, Belle Vernon 7: Gumbita set the tone for Mount Pleasant's playoff run as he intercepted three passes, two of which led to scores as the Vikings crushed the visiting Leopards.

The Vikings built up a 21-0 halfway through the second quarter. El-Attrache hit Greg Czekaj on a 30-yard strike, then delivered a 56-yard scoring pass to Sherbondy. Adamrovich had two short touchdown runs for Mount Pleasant.

'The game against Belle Vernon stands out for me because I had three interceptions and 12 tackles,' Gumbita recalled. 'I played with a lot of stars, but to be in the spotlight during a playoff game was great.'

Mount Pleasant 14, Knoch 12: At Valley High School, the game came down to one play, and the Vikings' defense rose to the occasion. After a Knoch score late in the game, the Knights went for a two-point conversion in an effort to tie. But defenders, Gumbita, Egnatz and Fred Auer snuffed out the play and denied the conversion, sending the Vikings to the WPIAL championship at Three Rivers Stadium.

Mount Pleasant's offense came from Adamrovich, who scored on a six-yard run, and Sherbondy, who raced in on a 51-yard scamper in the second quarter.

WPIAL Championship - Mount Pleasant 14, Kiski 13: With just eight seconds left in the game, the Vikings' WPIAL championship hopes came down to one play. For the second straight week, the Vikings had to stop a two-point conversion, and for the second straight week, the Mount Pleasant defense rose to the challenge.

The Cavaliers went for the victory instead of a tie, but Surlas stopped a run just short of the goal line and Mount Pleasant had claimed its second WPIAL title in four years.

Kiski took the lead in the second quarter, but Mount Pleasant tied it when El-Attrache found Sherbondy on a 24-yard strike. The Vikings took the lead when Adamrovich scored on a one-yard run in the third quarter.

'I'll never forget the game at Three Rivers, and how we had to hold on at the end,' Elder said.

'The Three Rivers game came down to the wire, and we came up with the big play,' Gumbita said.

'The thing I remember most was that last stand at Three Rivers,' Adamrovich said. 'That would have to be the highlight.'

Winning at Three Rivers Stadium was the realization of a dream and a goal that this group of players set out to attain years before.

'It was a great group of guys, and we were very team-oriented,' said Sherbondy, now an administrator for a human services organization. 'We had one common goal, and that was to win the Class AAA championship. It was very special.'

'There were a lot of expectations, and sometimes that was a burden,' Gumbita admitted. 'But our goal was always to make it to Three Rivers and be perfect.'

What made the 1986 season even more special was that the Mount Pleasant community was there to back the Vikings every step of the way. Just like there was a closeness among teammates and coaches, there was also that special relationship between the team and the town.

'Mount Pleasant is a small town and we were like heroes,' recollected Barber, who is now serving as a teacher and assistant football coach at Mount Pleasant. 'There were a lot of different personalities and a lot of great athletes, and everyone was crazy for us.'

'There was a lot of great work and dedication, and we had the support of the community,' Elder said. 'Everything was right, and we did the little things that make the difference.'

During that season, the Mount Pleasant seniors adopted Quiet Riot's song 'Winners Take All' as a theme, in honor of a teammate that had died several seasons prior to the championship run.

The title of the song seems fitting because the Vikings were winners, and they did accomplish all of their goals.

'It was a great accomplishment,' Adamrovich said. 'I feel proud to be a part of it.'

'We always wanted to do something special,' Reese said. 'And there is a lot of pride in being a part of that team.'

1991 Connellsville Falcons

They were called the 'Country Boys,' and the nickname fit well.

The 1991 Connellsville Falcons were a group of players from area farms, mountains and small-town streets that came together to not only rival big powerhouse Pittsburgh schools, but to defeat them.

The Falcons finished the season with an impressive 13-1 record and earned the school its first and only WPIAL championship. Prior to this year's season-opening game against Upper St. Clair on Friday, Aug. 31. The 1991 Connellsville team will be honored in a special ceremony prior to kickoff.

'When I think of that team, I get a sense of total accomplishment,' said former kicker Robbie Butts, who is now working as an assistant coach at Junior High East. 'We were a bunch of guys who got together and said we were going to win a championship.'

'Of all the groups that I've been associated with, it was probably the most focused,' said former quarterback Jason Baer, who is working as a financial advisor in Pittsburgh. 'We all had one goal.'

According to former linemen Jeff Craig, that goal of winning a championship actually started to take shape at the end of the 1990 campaign.

'At the end of the 1990 season, we just felt awful,' said Craig, who is making his living as an accountant in Atlanta, Georgia. 'In the locker room after we lost to Butler in the semifinals, we went around the room, and to a man, everyone said this wouldn't happen again.'

And so it went for the Falcons. In 1991 the team came back fresh and ready to avenge the previous season's disappointment.

Here's an account of that 1991 season in which the Country Boys did more than survive, they blossomed into a champion.

Connellsville 13, Kiski 7: The first game of the season was also one of the most exciting. The Falcons grabbed the lead in the second quarter when Robbie Butts snagged a 42-yard touchdown pass from Baer.

Although Connellsville dominated the game in terms of field position, the Cavaliers managed to forge a tie in the fourth. But Brett Cooper dashed in from the right side for an 11-yard score with just over a minute left. Cooper then sealed the win with an interception as time ticked away.

Connellsville 28, Ringgold 20: At Ringgold, the Falcons didn't play their best game of the season, but it was enough to pull out a victory, despite several turnovers. Cooper scored on a three-yard run, but Connellsville trailed at the half, 10-7.

However, Connellsville came back with three straight scores in the third quarter as Robbie Butts budged in from a yard out and Cooper took one in from the 6. Nick Tzan completed Connellsville's scoring with an 18-yard touchdown reception from Baer. The Falcons survived a late Ringgold rally to post the victory on the road.

Connellsville 31, Canon-McMillan 0: It was the home opener for the Falcons, and they sent the fans home happy by taking a big bite out of the Big Macs. Cooper got things going when he hauled in a 20-yard touchdown pass from Baer. Then Dontay Stokes scored from a yard out before Joe Daniels put an exclamation point on the first quarter by scoring on a 25-yard reverse.

In the second quarter, the Falcons went on an incredible 99-yard drive that was capped by a 25-yard touchdown pass from Baer to Geoff Snyder. John Butts completed the scoring with a 33-yard field goal as the Falcons improved to 3-0.

Connellsville racked up 387 total yards, while the defense limited Canon-McMillan to just 137 total yards.

Connellsville 15, Penn-Trafford 14: Action in the Quad A South Conference began with a great game as the Falcons used a super second-half effort to post a come-from-behind win against the visiting Warriors.

Penn-Trafford jumped out to a 14-6 lead. Connellsville's only points in the first half came off the foot of Robbie Butts, who connected on field goals of 24 and 36 yards.

Connellsville made it 14-8 when Mike Farrah sacked the Warriors' quarterback in the end zone for a safety. Then with just over five minutes left in the game, the Falcons took the lead for good as Cooper bounced in from the 1-yard line and Robbie Butts tacked on the extra point to complete the scoring.

With the lead on their side, the Falcons put the game on the shoulders of its defense, and Farrah came through with two interceptions in the closing minutes, much to the delight of a raucous Connellsville crowd.

'Those were great memories,' Baer said. 'I still get chills when I watch the game tapes. It's something I know we'll never forget.'

Connellsville 27, Norwin 0: Again, it was another great defensive effort by the Falcons. Norwin's longest play of the game was a 20-yard run, and the Knights never really threatened to score.

Connellsville put points on the board when Jim Bigam drove in from two yards out. Then, a fumble resulted in a four-yard quarterback sneak by Baer. And just before halftime, Baer hit Mike Grubbs for a one-yard touchdown reception. Cooper closed the scoring with a 38-yard run in the third quarter.

Connellsville 49, Tri-Valley 10: Even though Baer was sidelined with a rib injury, the Falcons had no trouble pelting the Griffins. Connellsville racked up 484 yards of offense behind backup signal-callers Clint Weibl and Brad Gillott.

Cooper scored three touchdowns and Weibl hit Grubbs on a 57-yard scoring strike. Daniels scored twice, including a 22-yard touchdown reception from Gillott. Brian Gallo capped the scoring for the Falcons with a four-yard run.

Connellsville 24, Franklin-Regional 0: It was homecoming night, and the Falcons put on a show as they dominated the Panthers. The win gave the Falcons sole possession of first place in the Quad South Conference.

The defense was the story as Connellsville held the visitors to just 32 yards. Farrah recorded a safety before Bigam scored on a one-yard run. Then in the second quarter, Daniels scampered in from nine yards out. Later, Cooper completed the offensive effort with a five-yard touchdown run.

Connellsville 27, Latrobe 0: The Falcons reeled off their third shutout in four games by whipping the host Wildcats. Robbie Butts hit paydirt twice to pace Connellsville. Mike Blum recovered a fumble as part of another stellar defensive effort.

After Robbie Butt's two scores in the first half, Stokes chipped in with a four-yard score in the third and Baer touched things up with a one-yard dash.

Connellsville, 49, Laurel Highlands 0: On senior night, the Connellsville machine continued to roll as the Falcons stomped the visiting Mustangs. The win gave Connellsville a spot in the WPIAL playoffs, and Cooper set the tone with a 43-yard run on the first play from scrimmage.

Luther Wormack scored his first touchdown of the season on a seven-yard reception from Baer. Then Cooper tacked on two more scores in the second quarter. Also in the second, Kenny Martray recorded a safety by sacking the Laurel Highlands quarterback behind the goal line.

Then in the third, Grubbs raced 82 yards on a kickoff return before Bigam came through with a 25-yard touchdown scamper. Mike Earnesty also scored from a yard out after Gallo made an interception return for 19 yards down close to the goal line.

Connellsville picked up its third straight shutout by holding the Mustangs to 58 total yards.

'Really, it was just a lot of good times and celebrating together,' said Wormack, who works as a technician at Sony. 'My most memorable moment was always seeing manager Bruce Witt run out on the field with our flag before each game in front of everybody. It's been a long time, but it really doesn't feel like it.'

Connellsville 38, Hempfield 0: Connellsville's impressive shutout streak continued, and with the win, the Falcons wrapped up a perfect 10-0 regular season and their second straight Qaud South Conference title. The win was the Falcons' 21st straight regular season victory.

The defense was key as it put points on the board on the second play of the game. Snyder knocked the ball loose from the Hempfield quarterback, and then he pounced on it in the end zone for what turned out to be the game-winning score. The offense was led by Tzan, who hauled in a 40-yard touchdown toss from Baer. Bigam scored on a 12-yard run and Stokes rumbled in from four yards out.

In the second half, Gillott tossed a 34-yard strike to Grubbs, and Robbie Butts capped the scoring with a 39-yard field goal. It was Connellsville's sixth shutout in 10 regular season games.

'The word team comes to mind when I think about them,' said Connellsville head coach Dan Spanish. 'A lot of these kids were good friends. They were brothers that worked together. And as the season went along, they believed and gained more and more confidence.'

WPIAL Playoffs - Connellsville 27, Penn Hills 14: The Falcons, in front of their hometown fans, jumped on the Indians 21-0 in the first half, then cruised to a win in their first playoff game. Connellsville opened the scoring when Baer hit Wormack on a 41-yard score.

In the second quarter, Cooper topped a nine-play drive with a one-yard burst into the end zone. Then Daniels made the play of the game as he i