Prexies cruise to shutout but don’t satisfy Bosnic
Katie Roupe/Observer-Reporter Wash High takes down CharleroiþÄôs Errict Tedrow during the first half of Friday nightþÄôs game.
Katie Roupe/Observer-Reporter Wash HighþÄôs Isaiah Robinson runs the ball down to the four yard-line for a first down in the second quarter of the game against Charleroi on Friday, September 2.
Wash High’s Isaiah Schoonmaker celebrates with Isaiah Robinson after Robinson ran the ball in for a punt return touchdown to start off the game against Charleroi on Friday, September 2.
Wash High’s Isaiah Perry celebrates a touchdown in the second quarter of the game against Charleroi.
Officials call pass interference on CharleroiþÄôs Hunter Perry when Wash HighþÄôs Isaiah Perry attemps to catch a pass during the second quarter of the game.
As Wash High’s Jackson Interval tackles Charleroi’s Hunter Perry, Perry loses grasp of the ball but then recovers it during the first half of Friday night’s game.
Charleroi alumn and retired NFL player Myron Pottios greets CharleroiþÄôs Hunter Perry before the start of the game on Friday, September 2. The football stadium at Charleroi was renamed the Myron Pottios Stadium on Friday.
Katie Roupe/Observer-Reporter CharleroiþÄôs Geno Pellegrini runs the ball down the field during Friday nightþÄôs game.
Katie Roupe/Observer-Reporter Cheerleaders from the graduating class of 1957 join the current cheerleaders for a photo and cheer before the start of the football game.
CHARLEROI – Friday night at the newly christened Myron Pottios Stadium on the campus of Charleroi High School, Washington showed why it is considered one of the favorites in Class 2-A.
The Prexies scored early and often as they downed the Cougars, 37-0.
Despite the win Washington coach Mike Bosnic was not overly thrilled and said as much when asked if he liked what he saw. The Prexies won but committed too many penalties.
“No, not really,” Bosnic said. “We have a lot of things to work on and a lot of things to clean up.
“We did not play a real good game but a win is a good start to the season.”
After holding Charleroi to a three-and-out on the initial drive of the game, Washington’s Isaiah Robinson returned a Sean Cole punt 79 yards and Lilly Christy’s extra point made the score 7-0 with 10:23 still to go in the first quarter.
“It was huge and Robinson is such a big-play guy,” Bosnic said of the punt return. “Every time (Robinson) touches the ball, he is dangerous.”
“No. 6 is special,” Charleroi coach Donnie Militzer said of Robinson. “He made things happen tonight.”
On Wash High’s next possession, Ronnie Paith raced 46 yards for a score and the Prexies did not slow down as they added a safety on a blocked punt that went out of the end zone to make the score 16-0 after the first quarter.
The Prexies scored three touchdowns in the second quarter on a Nick Welsh four-yard run, a six-yard run by Paith and a 35-yard pass from Zack Swartz to Isaiah Perry to take a 37-0 lead into halftime.
With the Mercy Rule in effect, neither team scored in the second half.
For the game, Washington outgained Charleroi, 321-62 and led in first downs, 14-4, but was penalized nine times for 80 yards.
Paith led a balanced rushing attack with 82 yards and a pair of scores on only five carries.
Twelve different Prexies ran the ball and the team finished with 209 rushing yards rushing on 39 carries.
Charleroi was led on the ground by quarterback Geno Pellegrini who had 27 yards on six carries, but the Cougars struggled running the ball as a team, combining to only gain 26 rushing yards on 16 carries.
Errict Tedrow, who a week ago rushed for more than 120 yards against rival Monessen, was held to five yards on three carries.
Dremar Everette had an interception for Charleroi and teammate Jake Stefanick recovered a fumble.
Washington (1-0, 1-0) hosts Brownsville next week in another conference game while Charleroi (1-1, 0-1) heads to Southmoreland for an nonleague game.
Charleroi coach Donnie Militzer also knows his team also has plenty of work on before next weekend.
“My issue with the game was not effort, I just think we were nervous,” he said. “All week long, everyone was excited for them, pumping them up and it hurt our focus at practice. With special teams, this was a wakeup call because during special teams, guys want to lounge around. Sixteen points tonight were because of special teams.”
During a pregame ceremony, the stadium was named after Pottios, a legendary Charleroi athlete who went on to play college football at Notre Dame and 11 seasons in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Los Angeles Rams and Washington Redskins.