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Pine-Richland claims 9th WPIAL Championship in 20-9 win over Peters Township

Pine Richland
KDKA Radio

The Pine-Richland Rams claim their ninth WPIAL title in a 20-9 win over Peters Township in the WPIAL 5A Championship.

After a scoreless first quarter, Pine-Richland got on the board first with a 24-yard field goal from Grant Argiro, making it 3-0 Rams.


Nolan DiLucia found Nick McCullough for a 39 yard gain to the Rams 23. One play later, DiLucia connected with Eli Prado on a go route for the touchdown. The extra point snap got botched and the try was no good.

With 1:27 to play in the half, Aaron Strader threw a deep pass to Tanner Cunningham who outran the defenders to make the catch for a 64-yard touchdown, giving the Rams a 10-6 lead.

The Indians had their drive extended after a roughing the passer penalty on Pine-Richland. DiLucia completed two passes moving the ball to the Pine-Richland 18-yard line with 7 seconds to play in the half.

DiLucia, under pressure, threw the ball away and Pine-Richland wanted an intentional grounding call, but didn't get one. Then the Rams gave Peters a free five yards after an encroachment penalty. Anthony Maiello trotted out for a 29 yard field goal and just snuck it in, making it a one point game at the half.

Peters got the ball to begin the second half but gave it back to Pine-Richland after DiLucia fumbled the ball and Cunningham recovered it at the Peters 43.

Strader found Jay Timmons in the corner of the end zone for a 22-yard strike for six, to extend the Rams lead to 17-9.

Argiro connected on his second field goal of the game, this time from 44 yards to add onto the Pine-Richland lead, 20-9.

Strader finished 7-13, 146 yards and 2 touchdowns.

The Rams defense sacked DiLucia four times, intercepted him twice, and held the Peters Township offense scoreless in the second half.

"We just challenge these guys on a daily basis. We want to be the most physical team on the field and I think that started to take a toll on them near the end of the game," said head coach Jon Ledonne to KDKA Radio's Donny Chedrick.

The Rams will face Bishop McDevitt in the PIAA 5A semifinals next week.