Nov 18, 2018 5 min read

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Week Zero in high school football, which was implemented a few years ago to replace a second scrimmage for each team and allow them to begin the regular season a week earlier, has been a running joke to many people.

Yeah, it sounds stupid to be in Week 1 with teams already having a win or loss.

And, yes, many still question the validity of how much that week can springboard teams to future success.

Nobody is getting more of a laugh out of those who do not play in Week Zero than South Fayette football coach Joe Rossi.

“(Playing in Week Zero) means so much. You only get so many Friday nights, so you want to play. It was a no-brainer,” Rossi said in 2016 after a Week Zero game against a talented Central Valley team.

Seven of the eight teams that play for WPIAL championships at Heinz Field Saturday played a game that counted in Week Zero this year rather than a second scrimmage. All four teams that won titles played a 10-game regular season.

After South Fayette lost to Class 5A Upper St. Clair, 34-33, in Week Zero this year, ending the Lions’ 57-game regular-season winning streak, what was Rossi’s response?

“All good things come to an end,” he said. “We wanted to play this game because we knew it would be a situation like a playoff atmosphere.”

In that game, South Fayette trailed by two scores at halftime but rallied in the second half and had a chance to win before failing to score on a two-point conversion in the closing seconds.

Fast forward to Saturday night, when South Fayette trailed powerful Thomas Jefferson at halftime, nobody within the Lions’ locker room was worried. The Lions had been in that sitation before. They knew they could come back, and they did, rallying for a 31-24 victory to win the WPIAL Class 4A championship.

“I didn’t see any doubt in our locker room at halftime,” quarterback Jamie Diven said of the 21-10 deficit South Fayette needed to claw back from. “There was no stress.”

There was no backing down from a powerful Thomas Jefferson team that racked up 235 yards of total offense in the first half, including 114 yards and three touchdowns from standout running back Max Shaw.

“In our hearts, we knew we were no underdog,” Lions wide receiver and defensive back Peyton Tinney said. “There was none of that mentality within the South Fayette walls. A lot of teams see that TJ on their helmet and back down. We just go right at it.”

• On the field for twice as many plays than its offense, South Fayette’s defense held the Jaguars to three points in the second half. South Fayette outscored TJ 21-3 in the third quarter. Neither team scored in the final 12 minutes.

“At halftime, we just told everyone that we needed to play more physical,” said senior lineman Tom Elia. “We knew we didn’t have a great first half. We needed to come out in the second half, play our game and get it done.”

Success on early downs by Thomas Jefferson helped the jaguars convert eight of 10 third-down conversions in the first half. On their first scoring drive, which covered 16 plays, 72 yards and seven minutes and 59 seconds, the Jaguars successfully converted four third downs. They converted only two of eight in the second half.

“We had to make sure everyone was dialed in on third-and-short or third-and-long,” said lineman Ben Coyne. “Any situation, we needed to get stops.”

• The biggest differential in statistics was time of possession. Thomas Jefferson held the ball for 34:10 compared to 13:50 for the Lions.

It shouldn’t have been a surprise, given how the two teams run their offenses.

In the 13 minutes and three seconds South Fayette was trying to score – the Lionstook a knee in the final 47 seconds of the fourth quarter – the Lions scored one point for every 25 seconds of possession time.

South Fayette had four wide receivers, each of whom could wiggle free and get open in a phone booth, with at least two catches.

“We generally like to be as physical on defense but couldn’t do that with them,” said Thomas Jefferson coach Bill Cherpak. “We tried to jam their receivers but they were getting off of the ball. We knew it was going to be a shootout and we would have to outscore them.”

• The advantage on special teams was not limited to a lengthy kick return or blocked punt for the Lions.

Senior kicker Ryan Coe made a much-needed 39-yard field goal with 1:47 left in the first half. He also had touchbacks on all six of his kickoffs.

“We knew we were going to start at the 20 all the time,” Cherpak said. “He is such a great kicker. It is such a huge advantage for them. There aren’t many high school kids that can do that. He put us into a big hole.”

• Cherpak also said after the game that if Thomas Jefferson would have scored in the final seconds they were “definitely” going for two points and the win.