Chocolate Town bound: TJ pounds Oil City to advance to PIAA title game in Hershey
By JEREMY SELLEW
jsellew@yourmvi.com
Friday’s PIAA semifinal between Oil City and Thomas Jefferson had all the makings of an instant classic, at least on paper.
The Oilers (10-1) came into Jaguar Stadium as the District 10 champion and the Jaguars as the WPIAL champion.
But football games aren’t played on paper, and the Oilers were led to the slaughter.
Thomas Jefferson clinched a trip to Chocolate Town once again and will defend its PIAA championship after wiping the Jaguar Stadium turf with the Oilers in a 62-0 win.
“We knew they hadn’t seen a team like us,” TJ head coach Bill Cherpak said. “We’re coming together at the right time. Look at a regular season, this is game 10. The path’s a little easier this year only having to win one game and get to Hershey. But we’re peaking at the right time. I think this is the best football we’ve played so far this year.”
The Jaguars scored seven touchdowns in the first half, three on passes from quarterback Jake Pugh to Preston Zandier, three touchdown runs by Conner Murga and a DeRon VanBibber run late in the half as they rolled out to a 49-0 lead.
Pugh, who finished 7 of 10 for 179 yards, hooked up with Zandier three times in the first quarter on passes of 21, 37 and 10 yards. While Zandier was catching touchdowns, Hansen was setting things up, finishing with four catches for 111 yards.
“He has a connection with all of us. I know when he throws that ball, it’s going to be right where it needs to be,” Zandier said of Pugh. “That’s my guy. He’s a great quarterback.”
Murga added a 40-yard touchdown run in the first quarter as TJ opened up a 28-0 lead in the opening 12 minutes.
“They’re not a come-from-behind team. We knew that coming in,” Cherpak said. “Getting off to the fast start was huge for us. We thought we had an advantage up front and with the passing game and we looked to get out early.”
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