Football finalists took teams into WPIAL postseason
The format might have changed, but the outcomes remained the same for this year’s football finalists.
Washington’s Mike Bosnic, South Fayette’s Joe Rossi and Ringgold’s Nick Milchovich guided their respective football teams to the postseason under the state’s new six-classification setup.
All three will be honored, and the winner will be announced, at the Tri-County Athletic Directors Coach of the Year Banquet, 5 p.m. Sunday, April 23 at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Meadow Lands.
Tickets for the banquet are $35 each and are on sale at Washington High School, 201 Allison Avenue, Washington, Pa., 15301. Reservations can be made by calling Washington athletic director Mike Bosnic at 724-223-5085, ext. 2091.
All proceeds from the banquet benefit Special Olympics.
Coach of the Year winners also will be revealed in girls and boys basketball, softball, baseball and wrestling.
Behind a rushing attack that produced more than 2,000 yards and a passing attack that added another 1,000, Washington roared through the Century Conference with an undefeated record.
The Prexies received the No. 2 seed in the WPIAL Class AA playoffs and won their first two games. But they fell to Neshannock in the semifinals. Washington finished with an 11-1 record under Bosnic.
Milchovich got Ringgold back on track after a sluggish start to win the final four games of the regular season, including a miracle ending against West Mifflin, in which the Rams scored two touchdowns in the final eight seconds.
Behind quarterback George Martin, Ringgold earned a spot in the WPIAL Class 4-A playoffs out of the Big Nine Conference. The Rams beat Mars in the first round of the playoffs but fell to New Castle to finish at 8-3.
Rossi led the Lions to a perfect record in the Northwest Nine Conference. Behind quarterback Drew Saxton, who passed for more than 2,500 yards, and 1,000-yard tailback Geovanie Love, South Fayette earned the No. 2 seed in the WPIAL Class 4-A playoffs.
In a wild first-round matchup, South Fayette lost by eight points to New Castle in a game that produced 94 combined points. It was the Lions’ lone loss in 11 games.