Pottsgrove Wins District One AAA Championship 28-21 in OT
Written by: Paul Dale Plattenburg on Sunday, November 29th, 2009. Follow Paul Dale Plattenburg on Twitter.
It had been a very emotional week for the Pottsgrove football team.
First the deaths of Andrew Case and Michael Cantamaglia stunned this close, tight knit community. Then, having to play St.Pius X for the last time ever on Thanksgiving as the Catholic School is closing its doors at the end of the school year.
If thats not enough, you still have the biggest football game in school history on the docket just two days after Thankgiving.
In the end, all the blood, sweat, tears and sheer guts the has carried the Falcons this year and especially this past week came to fruition as Angelo Berry knocked away a Brett Creigton pass in the endzone on fourth and goal from the 11 in overtime to lift Pottgrove past Interboro 28-21 for the District One AAA Football Championship Saturday night at Coatesville’s Multi-Purpose Stadium.
“This is for those 16 seniors who were here two years ago as sophomores,” said Pottsgrove Head Coach Rick Pennypacker. ”
The Falcons (14-0) opened the scoring in overtime as Maika Polamalu took a pitch and ran nine yards for his third touchdown of the night as they went up 28-21. Polamalu finished the night with 211 yards on 15 carries.
“Everything I did tonight I did for Case,” said Polamalu. “I wanted to do him proud. We’re giving gameballs to both his family and Michael’s,” he added.
Polamalu ran 62 yards for his first touchdown on the second play of the game for the touchdown just 49 seconds into the game. Zack Robinson kicked his first of four extra points as Pottsgrove went up 7-0.
Not to be outdone, Kayvon Greene (20 carries 148 yards) went 95 yards on one play to increase the Falcon lead to 14-0 with 1:38 to play in the first quarter.
Interboro (12-1) then scored the next three touchdowns to take a 21-14 lead at halftime.
First, Charles Bolger scored on a one yard run just 1:06 gone in the second period. Then Scott Mc neill went over from the three with 4:20 to play before halftime. Finally Creigton found Rob Leone sitting all alone for a 59 yard touchdown just 1:19 left before halftime.
“That was probably our worst quarter of football all year long,” said Pennypacker. Mistakes, Penalties they all had a factor in the way we played tonight,” he added.
Polamalu then ended the scoring as he scored on a five yard run with 29 seconds left in the third period.
The Falcons had one last change in regulation as they drove from their 28 down to the Buc 10, but a 27 yard field goal by Robinson was just short.
Pottsgrove now plays Archbishop Wood next Friday night at Northeast High School at 7:00.
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December 4th, 2009 at 8:23 am
Bottom Line….Ignore the dum comments…. Play like you always play Pottsgrove!!! You are focused, dedicated, and talented, with a great coaching staff. You can handle Wood. We wish you all the luck in the world tonight. Your fans will be cheering for you….
December 1st, 2009 at 9:22 pm
HEY JUST WANTED TO SAY I DONT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT POTTSGROVE OR WOOD BUT POTTSGROVE LOOKS PRETTY GOOD. I WAS AT THE GAME ON SAT AND THEY CAN MOVE THE BALL. AND FOR ALL THE PEOPLE TALKING HERE AND COMMENTING JUST SHOW UP AND CHEER FOR THE TEAM YOU WANT TO WIN. GOOD LUCK FOR BOTH TEAMS AND THE BEST WILL WIN. FOOTBALL 2009.
December 1st, 2009 at 8:45 pm
Football fan is CLUELESS—there is damn good football in the PAC 10.
December 1st, 2009 at 7:24 pm
07^ class of 08 haha
December 1st, 2009 at 7:01 pm
As a pottsgrove football player (from the 08 season) I can say with complete honesty that we respected Rustin. They are consistently a “watch-out-for” team that you cannot take lightly. However, all of these pottsgrove bashing comments are uncalled for. Pottsgrove won. End of story. It doesn’t matter how it happened, it did. We could argue stats all night. Fact is, both teams are full of talented kids and have very talented coaching staffs. I simply cannot wait for this game to happen! Knowing these kids personally, I can say that each one deserves it and has worked equally as hard as the other teams. They put it all on the turf and played with passion. That is why they are where they are. They deserve this. Go Grove!
December 1st, 2009 at 6:59 pm
LSCHS, I will enjoy the game and understand the rules. Just because I understand the rules doesn’t mean they aren’t silly rules. Since when is the PIAA without blame? For goodness sake they can’t even manage player transfer rules.
PG/AW should be a good game. I will be there and I will enjoy watching good football…no matter who wins.
Footballfan, Didn’t Wood lose 4 O-Lineman from last year’s team? If so, that would mean that they are not the same. PG could luck out and reap the benefit of AW’s seniors graduating. I still think it will be a close game.
December 1st, 2009 at 4:47 pm
All of you are REDICCC pottsgrove won rustin lost get over it maybe next year you can get your acts together and not suck so much in a important game if your gunna choke stop being bitter.
December 1st, 2009 at 3:58 pm
Rollie, you started the comments by whining and ended them still whining! Let’s hope Pottsgrove doesn’t show up with your defeatist attitude.
There are rules governing field locations; you just deal with it!
Last year’s D12 – D11 AAAA final was at Northeast; this year it’s in Bethlehem.
Pottsgrove / AW looks to be a good game; enjoy it!
December 1st, 2009 at 3:51 pm
Footballfan, Pottsgrove and its fans greatly respected Rustin. No one thought it would be a walk. The talent and what St. Clair did in a short time to put it all together was truly amazing and White is a great back. However, you are wrong on your drive info in the Pottsgrove-Rustin game. Pottsgrove’s first 2 TDs came on 62 and 60 yard drives respectively. Also, Rustin punted 7 times all year. Pottsgrove forced Rustin to punt 4 times just in that playoff game. The last TD was I believe a much shorter drive. I’ll leave you with this quote from Coach St. Clair from West Chester’s home paper, the Daily Local:
“They (PG) did a great job defensively,” Rustin coach Mike St. Clair said. “They stuffed our line. I think the defensive game and field position was the telling difference.”
Let it go pal, Rustin was respected, just not victorious.
December 1st, 2009 at 2:01 pm
everyone said rustin and wood would be close. they killed rustin im telling you its not going to be close
December 1st, 2009 at 12:12 pm
Yes Yes Yes….this week will be uncharted land for the Falcons. The Pressure will be on Wood to make it back to the State Final and finish what they could not finish a year ago. Pottsgrove is riding on an emtional high with the loss of those two class mates and the first district title in school history oh yea and they also have Mr. Chestnut lets not forget about that. Rahill is not far off reminds me of a mini Tim Tebow. It should be a good one. If your not there Friday there is no excuse!
December 1st, 2009 at 7:20 am
Colin I read about that. Wow…2.5 hours! Holy cow! D1 Pius X had to travel like a couple hours to Williams Valley in Tower City to lose to Tri-Valley…who had like a 15 minute commute. PIAA, where are you? I know folks that went to NE High and I Google Earth’ed their field. NE Philly is a nice working class neighborhood and Charles Martin Stadium looks to be a top notch facility with decent parking. Its just the commute. Wood and Pottsgrove on paper does look pretty even. It should be an exciting game. Pottsgrove has to put a premium on ball security. I’m looking forward to the game.
December 1st, 2009 at 1:26 am
pottsgrove scored 21 because they had good field position rustins defense didnt get the whole field. pottsgrove is not beating wood. rustin played them last year n got killed they have the same team from last year. its gna be a blow out. you say pottsgrove is good but how long did it take them to win a district title? rustin did it in 3 years. n they are going to be the first to do it in AAAA and AAA. rustin has fought hard to and overcame everybody doubting them the past 3 years and they still dont get the respect they deserved and earned
November 30th, 2009 at 9:53 pm
True, Rustin didn’t play their best game but actually a dirty game. Good luck Rustin next year in “AAAA.” Pottsgrove has fought long and hard and has overcome more obstacles than Rustin will ever know. We’re proud of our Pottsgrove boys, and with or without your support, will will fight hard.
November 30th, 2009 at 9:37 pm
Never blame games on the refs, the game is over, so get over it. Pottsgrove won, Rustin lost. If Rustin is always the team the beat, how come they got beat twice in the past three years. And by the way, this game against Wood will not be a blowout. It is going to be a very good, close game. They are good, better than Rustin, so we will see
November 30th, 2009 at 9:18 pm
Rustin played their worst game because Pottsgrove made them. Rustin’s line was handled by a smaller Pottsgrove line and it showed in the stats.
You’re still hurting because Pottsgrove hung 21 on your previously unscored upon team. You still can’t believe it, can you?
You may be right about Wood. They may take it to Pottsgrove. What will you be able to say if it’s the other way around? I know. Then it’ll be how Selinsgrove or ACC will take it to em in the Eastern Finals.
November 30th, 2009 at 9:04 pm
Rollie, It could be worse. You could have to travel about 2.5 hours to Shamokin on Friday night Allentown Central Catholic will to play Selinsgrove…………..But anyways i see a very close game between Potts and Wood. Looks like an even match up. Should go right down to the wire. There shouldnt be any issue with the site. D12 hosts so NE field sounds about right
November 30th, 2009 at 8:19 pm
Nice year Interboro. You will get over the hump sooner then later. Yes I am a graduate of Interboro. All you Wood fans, watch out for this Pottsgrove team. Without the turnovers in the second quarter that game on saturday was not even close.
November 30th, 2009 at 7:26 pm
pottsgrove didnt beat up on rustin. rustin played their worst game and had to deal with the refs too. n they still almost beat pottsgrove. good luck against wood ur luck is over wood is going to take it to pottsgrove. o yeah n how come every year rustin is always the team to beat in district 1 n they have only been around for 4 years. pottsgrove is never the team to beat n never will be thought of as the team to beat. now rustin is going to take over AAAA next year
November 30th, 2009 at 1:30 pm
So, in the last 3 years Pottsgrove has beaten Rustin 2 of 3 times and Interboro 2 out of 2 times. Footballfan…your thought process should be entertaining and enlightening…as well as providing some comic relief.
If you ask me, the fluke-ier thing is that Rustin actually beat Pottsgrove once.
November 30th, 2009 at 1:27 am
Pottsgrove whupped both Rustin and Interboro physically. Plus, they have a common opponent…Pennridge. Wood beat them 16-0. Pottsgrove beat them 34-21…and 14 of Pennridge’s points came late in the 4th qtr of their whuppin. And this is not last year’s Wood team. They play the game on the field. If Pottsgrove gives no turnovers, the outcome should be in their favor…even with the silly choice of fields. Plus Pottsgrove should be back next year to continue the whuppins…they are a junior-laden team.
November 29th, 2009 at 9:59 pm
Maybe you think it should be Rustin, but it isn’t. It’s Pottsgrove. Move on…there’s always next year!
November 29th, 2009 at 8:20 pm
it should be rustin vs wood. that would of been a great game bob
November 29th, 2009 at 6:22 pm
wood is goin to destroy this pottsgrove team…. Pottsgrove is not good at all they got lucky and terrell chestnut is overated…
November 29th, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Well if any team can over come a 1:30 hr ride in Philly rush hour traffic on a Friday afternoon, its Pottsgrove. They rushed for 404 yards and limited Interboro to 73 yards rushing.
November 29th, 2009 at 12:37 pm
You are correct Mike. You can also get an idea of which district they will most likely play the game by looking how the brackets are structured. The higher team positioned on the brackets usually gets the game in their area. Hope this helps.
November 29th, 2009 at 12:31 pm
I believe when the state playoffs reach the quarter finals, they alternate districts every year. Last year it was at District 1, this year it’s at District 12. It’s not based on record or points. I may be wrong, but I think that’s how it works.
November 29th, 2009 at 11:43 am
District 1 and District 12 alternate each year for the site of the final between the two. Last year it was at Plymouth-Whitemarsh.
November 29th, 2009 at 2:14 am
Sriously, who picks these playoff sites? Northeast High is 44 miles from Pottsgrove and 15 miles from Archbishop Wood. I thought records and points mattered. Pottsgrove leads the state in the computer ranking points in class AAA and is undefeated. Wood has 2 losses. Plymouth-Whitemarsh would be a much fairer location.