PIAA Class A Semifinal Recap: Smith Jr. & Flowers Shine
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The PIAA Semifinals concluded this past weekend and was everything a Pennsylvania High School football fan could ask for. Close games, top prospects playing well, under the radar players making huge impacts, comebacks, it had it all! We will cover…
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Continue ReadingThe PIAA Semifinals concluded this past weekend and was everything a Pennsylvania High School football fan could ask for. Close games, top prospects playing well, under the radar players making huge impacts, comebacks, it had it all! We will cover the Semi’s below, every game, every standout prospect.
Bishop Guilfoyle 14 – Steelton-Highspire 16
A nail-biter that concluded in the Steelton-Highspire Steamrollers winning the semifinal by just two points, with Guilfoyle missing a 36-yard field goal as time expired. The back-and-forth battle brought the best out of the two top prospects on the field. We begin with senior running back/defensive back Keegan Myrick who did it ALL for Bishop Guilfoyle. He put all he had on the field and showed maximum effort as well as scoring twice for the Marauders. Myrick touched the ball 29 times, accumulating 135 scrimmage yards, and was just as productive on the defensive side of the ball. Myrick opened the scoring on the first play on the game, scooping up a fumble for a score as well as picking off QB Alex Erby Alex Erby 6'4" | 210 lbs | QB Steelton-Highspire | 2024 State PA early.
You can guess who made the difference for Steelton-Highspire, 4-star recruit Mehki Flowers Mehki Flowers 6'2" | 190 lbs | WR Central Dauphin East | 2022 State PA was productive, to say the least. Flowers’ elite separation skills made it near impossible for any Guilfoyle defenders to keep up with. SH completed eight passes on the day, six of which went to Flowers, for 131 yards and a score. He was also involved in the run game, carrying the rock seven times for 47 yards and another score. Flowers continues to display why he is arguably the best wideout in Pennsylvania, carrying the offense for the Steamrollers and helping lead the team back to Hershey, their second time in four years.
Reynolds 12 – Jeannette 48
Believe it or not, the score was a respectable 14-7 at halftime! A 27-0 third-quarter run for Jeannette blew this game out of the water. Despite the semifinal rout, the game still had standout prospects on both sides. We begin with the 6’1″, 180-pound senior quarterback/safety Roberto Smith Jr. who showed how much of an impact he can have on a game with his arm and legs. Smith led the way with an incredible stat line that featured four total touchdowns. Smith Jr. went 6/14 for 277 yards passing and one touchdown. With his legs, he was dominant in the red zone, scampering for three scores on 20 rushing yards. There’s no way a college program couldn’t use this kid’s talent. Jeannette’s Brett Birch Brett Birch 5'10" | 175 lbs | WR Gateway | 2022 State PA and James Sanders were major contributors as well. Birch showed his versatility, catching three balls for 86 yards and securing two interceptions for the defense. Sanders also reeled in three passes from Smith Jr. for a whopping 191 yards and a touchdown, accounting for most of Smith Jr.’s passing yards.
On the losing end, Cole Toy did his best to make his mark on a game that got out of hand no thanks to his efforts. Toy ran the ball for 14 times and almost surmounted 100 yards on the ground, running for 82 and a score early for Reynolds, as well as making a difference at the linebacker position. Toy put out great film this season. He has earned a closer look from myself and to where the senior projects at the next level.