Woodland Hills teammates Sanders, Shaw lead Pennsylvania past Maryland in Big 33 game
HERSHEY — Even in an all-star game, Woodland Hills' Miles Sanders and Jo-El Shaw shared the backfield.
And again, they made it work.
The WPIAL's best backfield combo proved itself as the best in the state Saturday night at the Big 33 Football Classic. The two Wolverines rushers combined for four touchdowns, and Pennsylvania defeated Maryland, 26-14, at Hersheypark Stadium.
A Penn State recruit, Sanders scored three times and was named team MVP.
“I saw him do some unbelievable ‘Madden 2016' stuff,” Shaw said. “When I'm on the field with him I say, ‘Whoa! I can't believe he did that.' ”
The first Sanders-inspired “Whoa!” was uttered early Saturday night.
Sanders caught a 21-yard touchdown from Parkland quarterback Devante Cross on Pennsylvania's first offensive snap, and added touchdown runs of 5 and 19 yards. A Syracuse recruit, Shaw powered across the goal line with a 3-yard touchdown.
The two carried Pennsylvania to a 26-0 lead.
“It's just a one-two punch that nobody can stop,” Sanders said.
They each rushed for 75 yards. Shaw had 13 carries, and Sanders had seven.
“To be from the same team and be two of the best running backs in the state is tremendous,” said South Fayette coach Joe Rossi, a Pennsylvania assistant. “I could see one getting upset or some jealousy, but there's not. They're just two quality kids that Coach (George) Novak raised. They've gone through his system, you can tell.”
Sanders and Shaw were 1,000-yard rushers this season. They combined for 2,800 yards and led Woodland Hills to the WPIAL Class AAAA semifinals.
“It was an amazing experience when we both found out we were going to play (in the Big 33),” Sanders said. “We said we've got one more last game with each other, so we've got to make the best of it. I'm not going to forget this moment ever.”
This was the 59th year for the Big 33. For the fourth consecutive year it matched all-stars from Pennsylvania and Maryland. The Keystone State has won three of four, including last year's 20-3 victory that was halted by thunderstorms at halftime.
Maryland won 31-24 in 2014, and Pennsylvania won 58-27 in 2013.
Sanders and Shaw were among 14 WPIAL and City League players on the Pennsylvania roster this year.
Among the others, Central Catholic cornerback Damar Hamlin (Pitt) had an interception and Penn-Trafford defensive lineman Chris Stanford (Robert Morris) recovered a fumble. Clairton receiver and Pitt recruit Aaron Mathews had five catches for 89 yards, with a 35-yarder that set up Shaw's touchdown run.
Pitt led all colleges with seven recruits in the game. Joining Mathews among the future Panthers were Central Catholic safety Bricen Garner and defensive lineman Rashad Wheeler, Brashear cornerback Therran Coleman, Upper St. Clair offensive lineman Brandon Ford and La Salle College lineman Jimmy Morrissey.
Also from the WPIAL were Franklin Regional tight end Todd Summers (Villanova), McKeesport linebacker/running back Khaleke Hudson (Michigan), Chartiers-Houston kicker Mike Cushma (Edinboro), and Woodland Hills linemen Wilford Clark (Slippery Rock) and Tearl Gray (DuPage).
Pennsylvania needed one play to lead 6-0.
An interception by Hamlin on a pass defected by Hudson gave Pennsylvania possession at Maryland's 21. From there, Cross found Sanders in the right side of the end zone with 8:52 left in the first.
“They actually told me before the game started I was going to get the first play,” Sanders said. “I was like, ‘Dang! That's a lot of pressure on me.' ”
With Pennsylvania thin at receiver, Sanders worked at times in the slot.
“He was loving it (in practice) because he doesn't do it too often,” Rossi said. “It was fun to teach him something receiver-wise, and then two plays later he'd come over and say, ‘Coach, that worked.' ”
Sanders stretched the lead to 12-0 when he dived and flipped into the end zone for a 5-yard touchdown in the second quarter, and Shaw's TD run made it 19-0 with 5:24 left until halftime. Pennsylvania led 26-0 after Sanders' third touchdown just 3 minutes into the third quarter.
Maryland was held scoreless until the final six minutes, when Penn State recruit Dae'lun Darien of Dunbar caught a 33-yard touchdown from Sherwood quarterback Shawn Bliss, a West Virginia Wesleyan recruit.
With 1:43 left, Saint Francis recruit Martin Foray Jr. returned an interception 62 yards for Maryland's second touchdown, cutting Pennsylvania's lead to 26-14.
Chris Harlan is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at charlan@tribweb.com or via Twitter @CHarlan_Trib.
