Riverside has outscored their playoff opponents by an average of 33.3 to 3.5 after their, 41-0, victory over Schuylkill Haven tonight. The District II champs outgained the ‘Canes, 448-130, in total yards. Harry Armstrong’s Viking group (13-1) now advances to the Eastern Finals to battle Bishop Carroll after their, 34-21, win over Holy Name.
Riverside’s quarterback Corey Talerico continued to impress as he ran for 176 yards on 7 carries and threw for another 162 stripes while contributing four total touchdowns (3 rushing/1 passing). Talerico even caused a fumble late in the first quarter as he forced Schuylkill Haven’s wideout Matt Naftzinger to lose control of the ball as LaQuan Jackson picked up the pigskin and rumbled all the way down to the goal line setting up the Vikings second score. Future Akron Zip Nick Rossi plunged in from a yard out to make the score, 14-0, Riverside.
Talerico completed a 70-yard dart to Skyler Lavage to increase the Viking lead to 28-0 at the half. In the second half, Riverside scored twice more on long gainers. First, a Rossi 50-yard scamper and then Talerico raced 75-yards to close out the scoring and a Riverside win, 41-0.
With Riverside looking forward to their game against the Huskies next week in the Final Four, on the other half of the state, the defending champ Clairton (14-0) faces Farrell (13-1) in the Western Finals. Clairton has won twenty-nine consecutive games. The Bears eliminated Farrell the past two seasons in the state tournament. The Steelers are led by senior standout Kevin Brodie (who has scored 30 touchdowns) and Syracuse’s recuit Robert Trudo, a massive lineman.
