Whether you’re playing for Tyrone or Philipsburg-Osceola, you can thank Bellefonte for Friday’s all-or-nothing game at Gray-Veterans Memorial Field.
Tyrone lost to the Raiders in Week one after blowing a 20-7 lead in the fourth quarter, and the Eagles spent weeks chasing that one loss. In fact, it wasn’t until two weeks ago, following a dominant victory over Huntingdon, that Tyrone even moved into a playoff spot, and heading into Friday that position is a tenuous one at No. 4.
The reason the Eagles were able to make that leap was because while they were manhandling Huntingdon, Bellefonte was taking down its Centre County rival P-O 24-15 to claim the Luther Trophy. The Mounties fell back one place. Tyrone moved ahead, and the teams stayed separated by 30 points after each of them lost last week.
For the Raiders, those two games are essentially the highlights of a 3-5 season in which their only other win came against 2A Penns Valley, whose only win came against Greater Johnstown. Chances are good Bellefonte’s run in the 4A playoffs will last just one game, but for Tyrone and P-O the Raiders have already done plenty.
Those two losses have put both teams in a must-win situation this week, where the winner will take move into the No. 4 position in 3A and the final playoff spot. Both the Eagles and Mounties will still have Week 10 LHAC crossover games the following Friday, but it’s this week where they control their own destinies.
For Tyrone, it’s a familiar situation. In each of the past two seasons, the Eagles have needed to win games down the stretch to qualify for the postseason, and they came through both times. Last season, in fact, a strong finish after stumbling their way through the first five games, put them in position to ultimately battle into the 3A championship.
The Mounties haven’t been to the postseason since 2011, but at 4-4 they’re experiencing a wave of success the program hasn’t seen since Coach Jeff Vroman’s first stint at P-O from 2002-2013.
Despite the up-and-down nature of the season, Tyrone’s offense has found its footing of late. After piling up 457 yards against the Bearcats, Tyrone generated 319 yards a week ago in a 27-10 loss to top-ranked Penn Cambria, and much of their success has come because the Eagles have found a way to rejuvenate the running game. In the last two games, Caleb Whitby has run for 312 yards and scored 5 times, and the running game as a whole has totaled 418 yards, with senior Ashton Emigh bulldozing for two of his better rushing performances.
Tyrone can still throw the ball around, and after last week the Eagles now have two quarterbacks who have shown themselves capable of leading drives. Eli Woomer has started every game for Tyrone and thrown for 1,184 yards and 8 touchdowns, but against Penn Cambria junior Ben Walk came in to complete 6 of 13 passes for 77 yards. By using Walk, Tyrone expands their field of playmakers by placing Woomer, who had already gained more than 1,000 receiving yards as a sophomore and junior, into pass routes. Against the Panthers, he had a late reception go for 41 yards.
Both will see action against the Mounties.
Tyrone has many reliable receivers outside of Woomer, including three – Mason Emigh, Ashton Emigh, and Brayden Parsons – who have more than 200 yards. Whitby isn’t far off with 179.
Tyrone is averaging 17 yards per reception and has made some big plays in the passing game, and the matchup against P-O’s pass defense should be an interesting one. While the Mounties have recorded 10 sacks, they’ve got just 5 interceptions and have been susceptible against good passing offenses.
The Mounties are led offensively by senior running back Colton Chapman, who has rushed for 703 yards and 14 touchdowns on 159 carries, fronting a ground attack averaging 172 yards per game. Quarterback Archer Baughman has completed 53 of 102 passes for 688 yards, with Robert McClenahan and Connor Guenot as his top receivers.
Tyrone has struggled against the run most of the season, including last week when the Panthers ran for 200 yards and a pair of scores in the decisive fourth quarter of a game that had been a stalemate most of the way. The Eagles are allowing 169 yards per game on the ground, and that could well be where the game against the Mounties is determined.
In a fashion similar to their game against the Bearcats, the key for the Eagles will be shutting down P-O’s running game and forcing favorable third downs. Those are situations Tyrone has liked this season because their biggest strength is in pass coverage, where it has forced 15 interceptions, including 5 by Mason Emigh.
If the Eagles can do that, it may be enough to get their most impactful win of the season and punch a ticket to the postseason for the sixth straight season.
ORANGE AND BLACK 