Pine Richland knocks off Woodland Hills 23-12 in the 5A semifinals punching a ticket to the WPIAL 5A Championship next Saturday against Upper Saint Clair.
Pine Richland opened up the scoring as Ethan Pillar took a handoff into the endzone for a 4 yard touchdown to make it 6-0 Rams with under 5 minutes to play in the first quarter. Grant Argrio's extra point would be no good.
Woodland Hills moved the football inside the Pine Richland 30 as they were putting a drive together as the first quarter came to a close.
Austin Wells converted for a gain of 17 moving the ball inside the 10 giving the Wolverines first and goal. Three plays later Frankie Keyes capped off the drive with a 3 yard touchdown run. The Wolverines botched the extra point leaving the game tied 6-6.
Pine Richland ran the football effectively on the next drive, as in just three plays they had it inside the Woodland Hills 30.
After a penalty made it 1st and 21, Palmieri picked up 16 yards on a quarterback keeper. The Rams were faced with a 4th and 3 at the 21 and they went for it and converted on a Palmieri 3 yard carry to the 18.
Pine Richland got stopped on 3rd down and were faced with a 4th down as Argrio attempted a 30 yard kick into the wind and he buried it giving the Rams a 9-6 lead at the half.
Woodland Hills converted on a 42 yard gain after a double pass trick play as Will "Scoop" Smith found Sincere Rutherford all the way to the Pine Richland 35. On the next play, Cam Walter was under pressure and lost the football and Pine Richland recovered the fumble.
With the weather and field conditions being as miserable as they were, Pine Richland punted the football 38 yards that got downed at the Woodland Hills 4 with less than 2 minutes to play in the third quarter.
Woodland Hills put the ball on the ground again as Keyes fumbled and Pine Richland once again recovered and got the takeaway. The 3rd quarter came to a close as Pine Richland had the ball inside the 10 with a first and goal to go up 9-6.
On the first play of the 4th quarter, Palmieri faked the handoff and ran into the end zone for the touchdown making it 15-6 Rams.
Woodland Hills moved the football to the 45 yard line but once again they put the ball on the ground and Pine Richland got another takeaway.
The Rams took over 7 minutes off the clock spanning 15 plays and Palmieri scored his second rushing touchdown of the game as Pine Richland went ahead 21-6. Pillar punched in a two-point conversion extending the lead to 17.
Amere Brown returned the Pine Richland kick 86 yards and Woodland Hills scored a touchdown on the next play as Walter found Rutherford for the quick score. The two-point try was no good keeping it an 11 point game with 2:09 to play.
Woodland Hills recovered an onside kick giving them the ball back with 2 minutes to play down 11.
The Wolverines fumbled the ball again and Pine Richland recovered it sealing the football game.
