Ain’t Nothin’ but a Hounds’ Win: Wilmington stuns West Catholic for first PIAA title
Written by: Josh Funk on Saturday, December 13th, 2008. Follow Josh Funk on Twitter.
HERSHEY, Pa. – Zero chance. That had been the going phrase when describing District 10 champion Wilmington’s chances at defeating Philadelphia Catholic League juggernaut West Catholic.
Zero chance, eh? This game had undertones of a Class “A” state title game played nearly two decades before it.
In the end, Wilmington (15-1) stopped Burrs’ quarterback Curtis Drake inches from the goal line in double overtime to preserve one of the biggest upsets in PIAA finals history. The Greyhounds stunned West Catholic 35-34 to claim its first state title in school history.
The odds were definitely stacked against Wilmington, hearing of mercy-rule predictions and how West Catholic’s “enjoy the show” offense would run up and down the field.
“I do know that no one gave us a chance. In fact, the mercy rule was mentioned a lot,” Hounds’ boss Terry Verrelli said. “I just hope they (West Catholic) remember Wilmington, because that was a heck of a win.”
The first half was completely dominated by West Catholic. Despite only leading 14-0, West was averaging over eight yards per play and had 263 yards rushing. Senior running back Raymond Maples was averaging nearly 12 yards per carry.
But the Burrs also turned the ball over a couple of times, and didn’t exactly resemble much of an offensive show. If it was a show, it was being broadcast on cable.
“When you turn the ball over, and make stupid penalties, people are gonna stay in the game with you,” Burrs’ head coach Brian Fluck said.
“They (Wilmington) came out with the momentum in the second half, and the next thing you know, it was 14-all.”
Wilmington knotted the score at 14 courtesy of a Shane Wagner 11-yard run and a Derrick Burns one-yard plunge.
West Catholic fired right back with a Rob Hollomon touchdown run, his 42nd touchdown scored on the season. But Wilmington, determined as ever, tied the game on a Jake DeMedal two-yard run with 5:46 left in regulation.
“The past two weeks they’ve been saying that (we would get mercy-ruled),” the junior back said. He finished with 56 yards on 11 carries. “It definitely motivated us all week and pushed us even harder.”
That determination showed in the 4th quarter when West Catholic had moved to the Hounds’ six yard line. On 4th-and-goal to go, Curtis Drake was stopped inches shy of the goal line. From there, the Hounds ran out the clock, and played for overtime.
The Burrs got the ball first, and Maples’ four-yard scoring run gave West a 28-21 lead. And it appeared that it would be enough – Wilmington was faced with a 4th-and-16, and their season hung in the balance.
Shane Wagner scrambled left, reversed his field, and outran a Burrs defender to the corner of the end zone, sending the Wilmington crowd into a frenzy.
Burns (14 rushes, 46 yards) scored his second touchdown of the game to give the Hounds a 35-34 lead, and, as it played out last week, the Hounds dug in and stopped the Burrs’ two-point conversion try for the win.
“The same thing happened last week (against Aliquippa),” Verrelli said. “The same exact thing.”
Helmets flew in the air. Tears were shed. Hugs were given.
Shane Wagner was ecstatic.
“I’m too shocked to cry,” the senior said.
The rest of the state was shocked, too.
NOTES: This was the fifth overtime game in state championship history, the second in Class “AA,” and the first since the 2003 “AAA” title game between Manheim Central and Pine-Richland.
The last “AA” overtime state title game came in 1994, at Altoona’s Mansion Park Stadium, between Mount Carmel Area and Forest Hills. Mount Carmel won the game in double overtime, 20-14.
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December 27th, 2008 at 11:36 pm
anyone who knows anything about football or even saw the game understands what im saying
December 26th, 2008 at 8:48 am
burr fan I think your confused…..Im going to clear things up for you.See we have the Hammer defense everyone talks about so please dont get Maples and our defense confused!
December 21st, 2008 at 10:53 am
I think it was more they were comfortable with close game than West was. If you look at the stats wilmington may have tackled well but they didn’t stop them until the field was shrunk by the endzone, which is why west should have continued to use their hammer Maples whom wilmington had a hard time tackling.the speed was neutralized by the short field.Wilmington good job and congrats!!!!
December 20th, 2008 at 7:38 pm
I guess speed doesn’t kill. Wilmington was the first team they saw all year that could tackle well. west played two close games this year and lost both of them. Players make plays when the game is on the line.
December 20th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
That was a great game between 2 great teams. neither team deserved to lose. Both showed great heart. Regardless of whatever coaching mistakes we think were made the bottom line is when a play had to be made at the end of the game Wilmington made it. Playoffs are set up in a way that your team must be better than the team you are playing on that day. If you are not you will lose.Pretty simple. Do i think west would beat Wilmington more that they would lose? yes. But that not what it is about. Wilmington was the better team last saturday and they deserve to be stae champs. Thy proved it on the field. Doesnt matter what would or would not have happened on another day or time.
December 17th, 2008 at 3:37 pm
SORRY BUT GAMES OVER AND WERE STATE CHAMPS! PLAY AGAIN AND I BET THEY WOULD BEAT US? WHO SAYS THAT STUFF? TELL ALL YOUR PHILLY BOYS THE GAME WAS LAST SATURDAY AND IF THEY WANTED THE GOLD THEN THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE TALKED THE COACH INTO GOING FOR IT. THE GOLD IS SO SWEET BY THE WAY!
December 16th, 2008 at 9:27 pm
hounds hammer, i guarantee u play them again, same conditions, and they’d win. i’d bet money on it. the coach wouldn’t make stupid mistakes again.
December 16th, 2008 at 5:37 pm
This is just a correction on the article. Burns second TD made the score 35-28. Then Maples ran it in from three yards out that made it 35-34. Then we stopped them on the 2 point conversion
December 16th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
For all the self promoting hype from District 12 about how great the Philadelphia Catholic League is…….welcome to the PIAA State Championships!!
December 16th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
As an alumni of the Wilmington football program, words can’t describe the emotions that poured through me after the win saturday. No one gave us a chance to win let alone any credit for beating a very talented alliquippa team. Coaching and turnovers played a major role in the outcome of the game but make no mistake if there was a stat for heart and pride, the hounds won in a blowout! Philly might have a baseball title, but remember when it comes to football and hockey, western pa is KING!
December 16th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
The one point that hasn’t been mentioned is that at the end of regulation, WC had NOTHING to lose kicking the field goal. The game was tied and his kicker had already made his first 3 xp.
December 16th, 2008 at 11:56 am
Drake better luck next time!
December 16th, 2008 at 11:56 am
Enough second guessing the coach its over now! Wilmington is simply the best AA team in the state.
December 15th, 2008 at 9:39 pm
what a great football game. Congrats to Wilmington on 2 hard fought over time victories and a state championship. ALso congrats to west catholic you guys fought hard the whole season and it came down to that final game. Both teams were deserving of State titles
December 15th, 2008 at 10:21 am
i dont understand, why fluck dident use Carrol. He was reliable the whole season. that just goes to tell you that he doesent trust his whole team.
December 14th, 2008 at 11:54 pm
I wouldn’t call the decision to go for 2pts to win the game in the 2nd OT a bad decision…..gutsy? yes….bad decision? no. Remember, West’s center was injured and Wilmington was getting a lot of penetration up the middle late in the game and in overtime. Watching the replay, West’s XP in the 1st OT was almost blocked. I think the kids on both sides should be congratulated on great seasons.
December 14th, 2008 at 11:24 pm
horrible coaching. but this was the most exciting game in the past two years by a distrtict 12 team proformance. Topping this years 3ot thriller between george washington and northeast(Washington won) and last years 2ot thriller between us(Ben franklin) and bok tech(bok won). we were told by people all over the state that our game was one of the best ever. West and wilmington may have topped it. This game was super supenseful i was so nervous for west i was hopong that could bring that title to our city.
December 14th, 2008 at 10:19 pm
Man What Can i say. The Hounds out there on my Field Repping Wilmington!! Good work Boys!!! Hammer Hammer Hammer!!! Im a Happy Man!!!! Remember its not the dog its the Bark!!!!
08 STATE CHAMPS!!!
December 14th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
i agree bad coaching, those were some of the worst coaching mistakes i’ve ever seen..why not use ur kicker for a field goal that is shorter then an extra point!
December 14th, 2008 at 6:40 pm
The coach eschewed using his field goal kicker three times…at the end of the first half (he also did not use the clock to his advantage.) Then at the end of the game at fourth and goal and then in OT. At some point in time he should have realized that Wilmington was indeed capable of stopping them.
The play call in OT to go for two instead of kicking the extra point also left two of the running backs standing in the backfield and not provide any blocking. Terrible call on the goal line when the game is on the line.
December 14th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
West Catholic hear of a kicker. The kid made almost 90 extra points, and the two times he should of went in for a field goals the distance was shorter or the same as a extra point. Anyone else agree?
December 14th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
West Lost n a friday night lights fashion!!!
December 14th, 2008 at 11:29 am
Wilmington dominated that game in one major category and that is::::::HEART!
December 14th, 2008 at 11:27 am
Does west catholic watch game film? They seen aliquippa lose from a poor decision but yet they make the same call on 2-point conversion.This title is for all you haters out there.Shed your tears philly! 2008 AA State Champions
December 14th, 2008 at 10:38 am
how could west catholics coach be convinced by those kids to go for it on 4 and one at the one when he had a good field goal kicker on the bench and the distance for the FG was shorter than an extra point attempt.instead his kids talked him into it and failed and then again in OT coach was talked into it again and went left again and failed those kids were denied a title by the coach and no one else. Hats off to Wilmington who did everything by the book and came away with a great win,when everyone was talking mercy rule in this game. what a great game to watch on TV.Why did maples not get either of the important carries instead of the QB? as wilmington could not stop maples all day. West catholic clearly played better all day but came away short. great season for both teams and thanks for such an exiting game to watch
December 14th, 2008 at 10:36 am
Its sad because those kids played there hearts out I mean they really left everything on the field. All year you preach about how talented a team they which was very true, did u think the talent alone would win a state championship for you do. You should retire now because your not gonna get a another team as complete as this one was, even with the lost they are still the most talented all around football team that PA has seen and I been following football a long time.
December 13th, 2008 at 11:21 pm
this game was so exciting. I was stunned on that 4 and 16 play by wilmington. That quarterback would not give up. I was hoping the burrs would bring it home for district 12.
December 13th, 2008 at 11:18 pm
west catholic deserved to lose with the coaching decisions they made, they could of kicked a field goal which would of been shorter then and extra point attempt to win but they had to b greedy and go for a td. and to go for two! what a bonehead call!congratulations wilmington