Charleroi rallies to beat Apollo-Ridge
CHARLEROI — Geno Pellegrini passed for 306 yards and two touchdowns Friday night, leading Charleroi to a 34-24 non-conference victory over visiting Apollo-Ridge.
The Cougars enter the Class 2A playoffs with an 8-1 record. Apollo-Ridge finishes at 2-8.
The game was tied after the first quarter and Charleroi trailed at halftime, 17-7. The Cougars cut the deficit to 17-14 after three quarters.
Pellegrini’s third touchdown pass, a 21-yarder to Dakota Romantino, gave Charleroi a 21-14 lead.
Apollo-Ridge regained the lead on Logan Harmon’s 6-yard run, but the Cougars scored the final 14 points on a Pellegrini 2-yard TD run and Ethan Codeluppi’s 48-yard interception return.
Pellegrini’s first touchdown pass was to Romantino, a 6-yard completion with 46 seconds left in the first quarter. Romantino also returned the opening kickoff of the second half 82 yards for a score.
Hunter Perry led all receivers with 182 yards on six catches. Romantino caught seven passes for 122 yards.