Playoff atmosphere under the pines: Devils host Steelers in mid-season Region 1 Shenango Valley rivalry

Sep. 24—As if last season's disappointment didn't provide enough motivation, Farrell High's football team is coming off an unexpected bye week. Suffice to say the Steelers are stoked heading to Sharpsville for tonight's Region 1 rivalry.

Head Coach Amp Pegues' club is, well ... "amped up."

"They're ecstatic! They're very motivated. We tell 'em, 'This could be taken away from you at any given second, so you've gotta cherish the time.' and they're so hyper and they're so amped up, they're just very motivated right now," Pegues explained.

The Steelers (3-0 Region 1, 3-0 overall) have outscored a trio of opponents by an aggregate 182-6 differential. All that's stopped the Steelers thus far was last week's cancellation of its contest with Reynolds. So tonight's tilt under McCracken Field's pines finds Farrell rested and ready.

Farrell is ranked No. 2 in Class 2A across the commonwealth, according to The (Harrisburg) Patriot-News.

Returning Steelers' All-State standout Anthony Stallworth continues his pursuit of the program's career rushing record; however so dominant has been Farrell, Stallworth has carried just 30 times in 3 games.

The quicksilver Stallworth is running behind one of the largest lines in 2021 PIAA annals — regardless of enrollment classification.

"They're definitely big," understated Pegues. "This week, we'll probably have somewhere around 6-3, 325. Big, strong. They're gellin', they're comin' together. They're playin' really well right now," he said regarding Anthony Y. Jackson, Preston Williams, Jakai Burris, Brian Phillips and Jaiman Holden.

Despite the early-season success, Pegues won't abide complacency, noting, "There's some things, obviously, we've gotta work on, some issues there. But we're good go to.

"They're just comin' together as a team, as we hoped they would," he continued, acknowledging, "They're startin' to play like one unit right now. and they're lovin' the game and they're workin' hard, and it's started to show."

After a sluggish start Sharpsville (1-0, 3-1) is opening up offensively, scoring 61 points in back-to-back wins over Greenville and Jefferson, Ohio. Three different Devils — Zack Tedrow, Chris Roth and Ian Smith — have registered 100-yard rushing performances; Roth each of the last 2 weeks. Also, Sharpsville sophomore signal-caller Caullin Summers has fired 5 TD passes among only 16 completions.

Last week Sharpsville secured a 28-6 halftime lead at Jefferson, but had to withstand a furious Falcons' 2nd-half rally. Smith ran for 2 TDs and Andrew "Bubba" Frye caught 2 Summers' TD tosses. However Sharpsville was shut out during the 2nd half.

Serving as spokesman for Sharpsville skipper Paul Piccirilli, who was "under the weather," Means said, "Caullin's doin' a really great job. ... He's real good with the football. Obviously, we don't throw a lot, but we utilize our play-action. and he's done well with his reads and his check-downs and things like that when it comes to throwin' the football. We're very pleased with the way he's played at the quarterback position with the play-action.

"Really, the key is the guys up front," Means continued. "We've been doing very well with (Braden) Scarvel, (Joshua) McCurry, (Jacob) Rust, (Dominick) Alfredo, Frye ... and Brian White's been filling in at right guard. Those guys have been doin' very well and they're startin' to gel, gettin' a few games under their belt playin' Slippery Rock and teams like that. That's really helped our running game.

"Ian Smith has spent some time at fullback ... he and Roth has seein' some time there," Means continued, "and with Tedrow and Colby Johnson in the mix there, as well. It's nice with the wing-T, 'cause we can just kind've divvy (the ball) around, try to keep (opponents) off-balance."

"They're startin' to gel. The co-op (with West Middlesex) is startin' to come together pretty good for them, and they're playin' some pretty good football right now," Pegues said regarding the Blue Devils. "Their style of play is 'Sharpsville.' Piccirilli does a good job with those kids, and adding (former West Middlesex head coach) Mark Means is a coach who's familiar with what we like to do.

"But," added Pegues, pausing for effect, "I'm just particularly worried about my guys. If we do what we need to do, we'll be fine."

"Farrell's Farrell," Means said. "Number one, they're well-coached. Coach Pegues has those guys playin' real well. and their size — they're big up front, they're physical. and on top of that they have that speed and all-around athleticism ... with (Anthony) Jackson and Stallworth, and out on the edge with (Omar) Stewart ... just their overall speed is what jumps out at us."

Also factor in for Farrell kick-return specialist Kylon Wilson, who adds another dimension of speed in running or receiving.

Owing to the late-summer organization of the co-op agreement Sharpsville is not eligible for the postseason, meaning this game could serve as a Blue Devils' benchmark.

"Absolutely," Means asserted. "It's something we've talked about with the kids. With them not being able to be in the playoffs, you have to treat almost every, single game like it's a playoff game at this point. and Farrell, it doesn't get any bigger than this. This'll kind've be a 'state championship game,' so to speak, for us. and I know it'll be the same for them, too, comin' into Sharpsville."

And echoing Pegues' point, Means concluded, "We're just happy to be where we are at right now and playin' games at this point. I think everybody's that way — one week at a time, play as many games as we can."

Note: Tickets for tonight's Hickory High's Senior Night football game against Mercyhurst Prep will be sold today from 8 a.m.-noon in Hickory's athletic office. For information, call 724-981-8750, ext. 1400.