There are too many articles for one page so the articles section is broken down into 4 separate pages.

NeshaminyFootball.com would like to thank the following Newspapers for the use of these articles:

• The Bucks County Courier Times

• The Trentonian

• The Patriot News

• The Pittsburgh Tribune Review

• The Philadelphia Inquirer

• Woodland Hills Progress Star

• Post Gazette (W.H.)

• The Bucks County Intelligencer

• The Sentinel (Carlisle, PA)

A season to be cherished forever

All season long, they never tread too loudly. They never boasted. They never pumped arms of defiance. They simply worked. They won and worked - and dreamed.

HERSHEY - Just before they belly-flopped into the mud pools like joyous children, just before they kissed and hugged their parents and friends, these young men - the conquering heroes from Neshaminy High - had one last on-field meeting with the pugnacious coach Mark Schmidt.

As the players swarmed Schmidt in a barrage of hoots and grins, the coach bellowed: "All I have for you is two words!"

Silence; then, Schmidt bellowed again, in a hoarse-voiced holler that could curdle milk:

"STATE TITLE!"

All season long, they never tread too loudly. They never boasted. They never pumped arms of defiance.

They simply worked.

They won and worked - and dreamed.

For four months, they won game after game, battle after battle. They knocked off titans. They strolled into a world of anxiety, preferring the come-from-behind-win to the blowout triumph.

And yes, the Neshaminy Redskins did it yesterday, beating No. 1 ranked Woodland Hills, 21-7, climbing out of a 7-6 halftime hole. They polished off the implausible assignment: perfection, 15 wins, zero losses, winning the PIAA Class AAAA title.

They cried, too, joyous tears from tough, young men.

Fullback Jay Collins, who ran for a touchdown two hours earlier, wrapped his arms around his coaches, mud-juice trickling down his pink cheeks, the tears of eternal youth mixing with the mud.

Neshaminy teammates celebrates their state title. (Photos: Bill Johnson/Courier Times)

"A whole bunch of fun emotions," Collins said, his eyes still moist 20 minutes after the win. "I'm so happy. I'm just thanking God and my mother and my dad who's up in heaven. I know he's watching and he's proud."

The players hoisted the PIAA trophy, a grand emblem of superiority, one with a giant gold football, and held it high.

It was a monolith, rising above the ground, hoisted above everyone, carried in the muddy paws of the best football players in the state.

"It doesn't feel like it should be over," said senior quarterback Jay Wiater, who was 9 for 11 for 150 yards yesterday. "We played 15 weeks and we won every game. My stomach feels weird. There is no feeling like this."

"It's been a long season," said star running back Jamar Brittingham, who had perhaps the greatest season ever for an area back, amassing 30 touchdowns and 2,575 rushing yards.

Afterwards, Coach Schmidt's voice crackled. His eyes fluttered about, rapidly trying to process the whirlwind of happenings.

A moment later, Schmidt embraced the golden football, clutching the trophy in one hand, and held his 4-year-old daughter Erica in the other arm - a glorious coach in a glorious moment, looking like he'd just might live forever.

It is his team - the team he assumed duty seven years ago, the team which finished 1-10 in his first season, a team he has led to the Promise Land.

Just after the final seconds ticked off the clock, the Redskins splashed through the mud. Thousands and thousands of their faithful roared. The Redskins engulfed Schmidt as he rallied for one a final motivational message.

Schmidt bellowed: "Are you satisfied?"

"YEAH!" the players screamed.

"If you said, 'Yeah,' give me a 'Hell, yeah!'" Schmidt bellowed again.

"HELL, YEAH!"

And we are, too. We are satisfied.

Thank you, Redskins.

But wait, before the newspaper clippings turn yellow, before the memories fade, before the young Redskins traipse into adulthood, hark back 50 years when legendary Neshaminy football coach Harry Franks penned the words: "Time will never dim the glory of the Neshaminy Redskins."

It's true, Redskins.

Neshaminy Superintendent Gary Bowman congratulates head coach Mark Schmidt after the football team's victory.

It's true, particularly this year.

Redskins, please heed the words of Harry Franks.

You see, Redskins, you played a lone season, an unbelievable season of eternal youth, of 15 wins, of zero losses, of hope and hugs, of dramatic triumphs - of joyous tears.

You played a lone season, a four-month long odyssey which led to the mountain top, where thousands of your faithful packed the stands to cheer you to praise you - to love you.

You played a lone season, and yet, so quickly it is over.

You played a lone season, but you'll walk together forever - for time will never dim the glory of you.

Champions!

CHAMPIONS!

Sunday, December 9, 2001 

The finest hour for Brittingham

Despite all Woodland Hills press and pomp, Jamar Brittingham had definite plans for his last high school game. And none of them included subservience. Or defeat.

By JOHN GONZALEZ
Courier Times

Jamar Brittingham is on the loose for a long gain in the second quarter yesterday. (Photos: Bill Johnson/Courier Times)

HERSHEY - The game was decided, but he paced the sideline anyway. He was as combustible as usual, but also eager to shed his favored disposition for a smile and a few hundred hugs.

Neshaminy head coach Mark Schmidt is nothing if not thorough, however, so he refrained from hooting and hollering with the rest of the legions until the clock had completely exhausted itself. Besides, there was another play to run and an attendant decision to be made.

Someone suggested handing the ball off to one of the backups. It was a suggestion that made Schmidt glare, hard and pointed and telling.

"I'm going with our guy," he grumbled. "He's the one who got us here."

Indeed. While the Redskins have undoubtedly been a product of their parts this season, Jamar Brittingham, more than any other, was the most significant contributor. More than any other, he was the one who pushed and carried them to an undefeated season. And, more than any other, he was the one who got them to yesterday's Class AAAA state final against Woodland Hills at Hershey Stadium.

And so he was granted a final carry, the final carry, in the 21-7 victory. It was as much Brittingham's last duty as a Redskin as it was a tacit thank you from Schmidt.

"He's the best back in the state," said Schmidt beaming after the win, and soaked equally from a relentless rain and the celebratory Gatorade shower. "Put that in the paper anyway you want it. He's the best back in the state."

Quarterback Jason Wiater hands off to Jamar Brittinham.

It certainly seemed that way against Woodland Hills, which entered the contest highly touted and was picked by masses of pundits to run roughshod over Neshaminy. Consider, the Wolverines, like the Redskins, went into the game undefeated at 14-0, but they also carried with them an astounding margin of victory - an average of nearly 24 points.

Despite all Woodland Hills press and pomp, Brittingham had definite plans for his last high school game. And none of them included subservience. Or defeat.

The senior controlled the contest's pace, running strong and with determination. While Woodland Hills had difficulty with the wet, cold weather - the Wolverines fumbled, and recovered, seven times - Brittingham mucked through the dirt and slim for what was perhaps his finest hour.

"Man, I don't even like the rain," laughed Brittingham, who rushed 30 times for 157 yards and two touchdowns. "I just knew that this was our biggest game and our biggest opponent, and I had to come with that something extra."

He did. Most unquestionably, he did.

Brittingham danced as he often does - left and right, and then left and right again. And he flexed as he often does - bowling over unsuspecting and under prepared Wolverines defenders who were frequently left face down in a thick mud.

Jamar Brittingham runs for daylight.

But that wasn't all. The show didn't end there, and he didn't charge any more for that "something extra" he talked about, either.

In the third quarter, after a huge defensive stop by Neshaminy, the Redskins damned the elements and called a halfback option. Brittingham, never shy, took the ball around the left end and let fly to wideout, and chief mate, Keith Ennis, who hauled in the pass for 32 yards and a first down. It was a momentous play for the Redskins, who fought forward from that point toward their first state title.

After the win, Brittingham was ushered under the stadium to deal with media types and adoring fans. While his teammates revealed in their extraordinary achievement, he nodded and talked politely with all those demanding his attention.

It looked like an incredible nuisance, but Brittingham didn't seem to mind.

"I can't even explain to you how good this feels," he said evenly. "There are a lot of people who made this happen. It's just...it's just the best feeling in the world."

 Courier Times - Sunday, December 9, 2001 

One final tribute to the Redskins

The Neshaminy Redskins won the AAAA football state title a month ago. Last night, several hundred people celebrated the triumph once again.

By ANTHONY STITT
Courier Times
 

BRISTOL TOWNSHIP - The glow has yet to fade.

The glory is still growing.

It's the Neshaminy Redskins and their magical football season, and it's still their time - a time to remember.

Last night, the Redskins became a team once again, everyone together one last moment for Neshaminy's 61st annual football banquet at King's Caterers, an event sponsored by the Langhorne Lions Club.

But last night's gathering had a deeper meaning than the previous ones. This was one final tribute to the ultimate - the PIAA state AAAA title, which the Redskins won last month.

A crowd of 300 people, friends and family mostly, celebrated the season last night. There were hugs and kisses, video tributes and awards.

And gold rings, too.

Superintendent Gary Bowman said local businesses have donated $12,500 to buy each player a personalized championship ring.

Meanwhile, Bowman couldn't stop praising the team and coaches.

"Thank you, young men," Bowman said.

The PIAA trophy - the giant gold football - sat in the middle of the room as a reminder to the team's glory.

Coach Mark Schmidt, a loquacious man whose words motivate, took to the microphone.

"Nobody this side of Pittsburgh is having a banquet," Schmidt said. "That's pretty stinking cool."

Time has passed and thoughts have settled since the Redskins won the state title on Dec. 8, beating Woodland Hills, 21-7. Neshaminy became the first team in area history to win the AAAA title, going undefeated (15-0) this season.

"Finally, everything has sunk in," said senior quarterback Jay Wiater. "It already seems like it happened a long time ago, but it will live with us forever."

Senior fullback Jay Collins can relate, saying the accomplishment seems bigger now than it did when it happened. He's been approached by children in stores, asking for his autograph.

"It's pretty cool going places or going into stores and people know who you are, and they know your name. They want to congratulate you," Collins said. "It just make me feel proud."

No matter how much time passes, senior lineman Steve Brett said the magnitude of the team's achievement is still beyond comprehension.

And he also said celebrations, such as last night's, are always welcome.

"It's never going to get old," Brett said. "I don't think we've realized what we've done. I never thought I'd be put in that situation."

Last night was full of awards.

Here is the list of winners:

Achievement Award: Jamar Brittingham and Kevin  Kelly
Most Improved Player (offense): Ryan Contento
Most Improved Player (defense): Miguel Lebron
Unsung Hero (offense): Scott Mullin
Unsung Hero (defense): Ryan van der Brand
Mr. Defensive Line: Chuck Koch
Mr. Offensive Line: Steve Brett.
Iron Man: Geoff Donahue
Mr. Back: Keith Ennis
Dick Bedesem Award: Austin Jones
Coaches Award: Neck Feszko
MVP Defense: Pat Carroll
MVP Offense: Jay Wiater
3-D Award: Jay Collins
N-Club Award: Kevin Kelly.
 

Tuesday, January 15, 2002 

Neshaminy set for big football 'rumble'

Students, teachers, players pack gymnasium for pep rally. 'This game is personal,' shouts the football coach on eve of state championship game.

By WINSLOW MASON JR.
Courier Times

Neshaminy High School football players are ready for a rumble.

At a pep-rally yesterday in Gym 3 on the school's south campus, more than 2,500 excited students and teachers packed bleachers and then roared when Neshaminy Football Coach Mark Schmidt issued the rallying cry.

"You hear everybody saying Woodland Hills is going to kick our butts," Schmidt said, his hoarse voice barely making it over the screaming students, cheerleaders and the school's drumming band.

"That's what they said about six other teams we played this year," he shouted, boasting his football team's 14-0 record.

"This team has got what it takes, which is heart. This game is personal and we're going to win.

Schmidt and the rest of Neshaminy High School are getting ready for Saturday's PIAA state championship football game between the Neshaminy Redskins and the Woodland Hills Woolverines, who are also 14-0 for the season. The two teams will meet in Hershey with a kick off set for 5 p.m.

Cheerleaders in blue and white skirt-dresses stood in the middle of the gym, kicking and jump-starting the school's fighting spirit while the high school band play "Go Skins" fight songs to set the mood.

Coaches transform players into champions

The state title wasn't won on sheer talent alone, and it wasn't won solely at the behest of head coach Mark Schmidt, either.

LANGHORNE - They went undefeated, and people took notice. A lot of them, the players, were regulars in the newspaper, radio or television. They were, and are, minor celebrities.

And yet the Neshaminy Redskins, to a man, would tell you they didn't do it on their own. The state title wasn't won on sheer talent alone, and it wasn't won solely at the behest of head coach Mark Schmidt, either.

They all had help. No question about that.

"You're the Coach of the Year when two things happen," said Schmidt, the Courier Times' choice for that honor. "First, your players have to be outstanding. Second, you have to have a good staff. This was the best staff I've ever had. They did a lot with these kids, and it was more than just football. I'm talking quality stuff. They're a really good group."

There was John Chaump, who worked with the defense, and Reed Nichols who molded the linebackers. There was Steve Wilmot and Ray Jones forging the offensive line and Don Wiater countering them on the defensive line.

"The position coaches did a great job," said senior running back Jamar Brittingham.

"They're really smart guys who showed us a lot. And they're lots of fun, too."

There was John Tezik pushing the wideouts and Ryan O'Neal guiding the running backs and Jay Weidenbaugh kicking the defensive backs. Joe Foster pitched in as an administrative assistant, and helped as the game day coordinator.

They all had a role, each as important as the next, and none overlooked by the Redskins.

"They taught us the fundamentals, and then coach Schmidt polished them," said senior linebacker Jay Collins.

"We owe them a lot."

Thursday, December 13, 2001 

Dream comes true for Redskins

The Neshaminy seniors said they knew two years ago that the team would be good this season. Little did they know how good.

By JOHN GONZALEZ
Courier Times

LANGHORNE - It was a long road, somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 weeks. From summer conditioning to the preseason to league games to the playoffs.

To state champions. You can't forget that - PIAA Class AAAA state champions.

It has a pleasant ring to it, and the Neshaminy Redskins don't mind hearing it. A lot went into securing that title, and so they are entitled to enjoy the fruits of their labor.

"It was a long season," said wideout Keith Ennis, "but it went quick. It's crazy that it's over."

Crazy, but not unexpected.

Now don't go thinking that the Redskins (15-0) bragged pre-fact about winning it all. They would never be so crass, and they surely wouldn't tempt fate with that kind of abandon.

But they did entertain the idea. And they did discuss it.

You may have heard that quarterback Jay Wiater and running back Jamar Brittingham and some of the other seniors got together and talked about what they wanted from this season before it began. That was true. You may also have heard that they set their goals high, that they wanted to win all 10 regular-season games and that they believed mightily in their chances to go undefeated. Also true.

What you probably don't know, though, is that the planning, or at least the dreaming, to this state championship business goes back farther than a few weeks. Or even a few months.

In truth, for the seniors, it dates back two years, to when they were sophomores.

Mostly, they were a raggedy group back then. Talented, naturally, but also unpolished and largely unknown.

Not that any of that stopped them from looking to the future.

"Oh yeah, we talked about it a lot," said senior defensive and offensive lineman Steve Brett, a hulk of a teen who was instrumental this year's success. "We knew back then that we were going to be good when our senior year came around."

Perhaps he was blowing it out of proportion and they simply touched on the topic. Or perhaps he spoke the truth and he and his mates were a horde of visionaries given to prescient predictions.

Who knows? The records on that forecast are spotty at best.

Either way, and more importantly, they achieved their goal and now all that's left is for them to delight in its grandeur.

For many of them, there were supreme sacrifices made - weekends, summers, holidays, all spent on the field or in the gym without question or grumble. They'll tell you it was all worth it, the blood and the sweat, because it got them where they wanted to go.

"They did everything we asked," head coach Mark Schmidt said time and again this season. "I know there are a lot of teams that work hard, and some of them probably work just as hard as we do, but no one works harder."

It has been said that the victors pen the history books, so that could be true. For now, and for the foreseeable future, they are content in knowing that they gave an incredible performance. Unbeaten. Untouched.

And where lesser athletes must fabricate their fish stories, the Redskins will never have to be so dishonest. They actually caught the big one, and gutted it, and they will be sustained on it for a long time.

Maybe forever.

"I'm never going to forget this," said Brittingham. "Never."

Thursday, December 13, 2001 

Hershey not worst field ever

Monday, December 10, 2001

There's no avoiding the issue after Saturday: Field conditions at Hersheypark Stadium became major news when the all-day rain made the middle of the field a soupy mess for the PIAA Class AAAA football championship game.

After receiving rave reviews for the past three years, the field suddenly became as much of a topic of discussion as Neshaminy's 21-7 triumph over Woodland Hills.

There is little doubt that field conditions played into the Class AA game somewhat and the Class AAAA game especially. Nearly an inch of rain fell in the Hershey area on Saturday, and the result on a grass field was inevitable: mud.

But hold on. Before knees start jerking wildly in the direction of Altoona or Pittsburgh or Moosic or some other venue favored by the anti-Hershey crowd who count some legislators among them, consider that virtually any other grass venue would certainly have been far worse at this time of year.

And although the field was muddy and sticky in the middle, players were not hitting the deck with feet flying out from underneath them on a consistent basis. It was slippery, but not as unplayable as it was when Bishop McDevitt and Lansdale Catholic played their gloppy Class AA East Championship game there in 1995.

That was before Hershey poured millions into the field and stadium renovation that landed the football games.

The problem is that the Hersheypark Stadium playing surface, designed primarily as a world-class soccer pitch, is flat. With as much wear and tear as it gets -- at least 18 high school football games, numerous soccer games and other events since late August -- its overall durability is unquestioned.

But all of that stress, especially the football, has made it maybe a little less than flat in the middle.

Rain water did pool in the middle, and this resulted in the worst conditions for games in the four years since they returned from Altoona.

The timing was certainly not good for Hershey. Its two-year contract with the PIAA expired at the end of Saturday's game, which will be the last image PIAA board members and thousands of fans will have when the bids for the next three-year contract go out next month.

The final decision on the next host site for football will probably be made by the executive staff in April, pending board approval.

Several board members hinted to The Patriot-News this weekend that they will support a return to Hershey, primarily on an economic basis, but that was before the muddy mess on Saturday night.

This weekend's weather will likely increase the call for the state football finals to be placed on an artificial surface -- District 7 alone has 18 high school fields with the fake stuff, as opposed to none at all in District 3 -- or to be rotated.

But knee-jerk reactions won't get it done. Hershey wants the games, and management there will take any steps it can to correct any midfield drainage problems. Hershey has a track record of such action and expense.

Saturday night was unfortunate, but it's not a reason to chop off Hersheypark Stadium at the knees.

In praise of Neshaminy:

One group who sure didn't mind the pouring rain that attacked Hershey two days ago was the Neshaminy football team.

Head coach Mark Schmidt acknowledged following his team's 21-7 triumph over Woodland Hills that "Mother Nature did us a favor."

Woodland Hills head coach George Novak refused to make weather and field conditions a scapegoat, but anyone who saw Wolverine quarterback Steve Breaston bobble six snaps, then re-injure a mildly sprained ankle wishes he had a dry track on which to perform.

Still, it is worth pointing out that neither Neshaminy quarterback Jason Wiater nor any of his teammates fumbled once in the same goop until late in the game. In addition, Wiater completed 9 of 11 passes for 150 yards, only 40 yards less than the Class AAAA championship game record of 198 by North Hills QB Eric Kasperowicz in 1993.

Neshaminy's triumph saved the East from a western sweep that had been projected by many on the other side of the Alleghenies.

Most disappointing among the East's three losses was Southern Columbia's shutout loss to title game nemesis Rochester.

The Tigers' offense hardly put up a fight against the deadly quick Rochester defense.

Unaided by their bottled-blond hair and war-like mascara, the Tigers were a team that came dressed to play, but Rochester was a team that came to play.

Period.

Rod Frisco may be reached at 255-8122 or rfrisco@patriot-news.com. 

WPIAL sweep slips away

By Kevin Gorman
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Monday, December 10, 2001

The WPIAL coaches greeted each other after each PIAA championship game, exchanging a congratulations on a state title victory or wishing good luck on an upcoming game. Three times it worked, from Rochester's Gene Matsook to West Allegheny's Bob Palko to Washington's Guy Montecalvo.

Three games, three PIAA championships.

It was no wonder Woodland Hills coach George Novak made a point of finding Montecalvo outside the Little Prexies' locker room prior to the Class AAAA final, offering congratulations and getting his hands on the magic that was spreading from one western Pennsylvania school to the next in Hershey.

"We're passing it on," Montecalvo said.

The talk of a possible WPIAL sweep of the PIAA championships was growing. Only three times since the state playoffs began - 1990, '93 and '98 - had the WPIAL sent representatives in every title game. Never had more than two WPIAL teams won state titles in those years. No district had ever swept the finals.

Yet, here was the WPIAL, one game away from doing just that.

As Novak walked away, Montecalvo assured those surrounding him that Woodland Hills would bring a fourth state title home. Such was the confidence that the WPIAL would sweep. The Wolverines, after all, were ranked nationally and had rolled through the playoffs with relative ease. And they had an electrifying quarterback in Steve Breaston, the Gatorade Pennsylvania Player of the Year, to boot.

Then, it rained on the WPIAL's championship parade.

A steady drizzle had turned the field at Hersheypark Stadium into a mud pit. The field was a mess for the Quad-A final, negating the speed and elusiveness Woodland Hills had used to dominate its opponents.

"The weather is the great equalizer with speed," Novak said. "Our defense is predicated on speed. Our defense is quick. We're not as quick in the mud."

Breaston had trouble handling the slick ball, fumbling at least a half dozen times. Breaston was spectacular at times, however, but he was bothered by recurring ankle injures and was forced to leave the game. Neshaminy's Jamar Brittingham, who had rushed for 2,418 yards and 28 touchdowns, was as good as advertised. He ran for 157 yards, caught four passes for 96 yards and threw a 32-yard pass on a halfback option.

The dream season came to an end, as Neshaminy stunned the Wolverines, 21-7.

And the WPIAL put away its brooms.

"We worked so hard all year," Woodland Hills junior safety Ryan Mundy said. "For it to go down like this, it just hurts so bad. There's nothing you can say to explain how disappointing it is."

The results in Hershey were as unpredictable as the weather. Woodland Hills and Washington, who played Saturday, were overwhelming favorites to win state titles but had to play in cold, rainy and muddy conditions. Rochester and West Allegheny, who played Friday, were underdogs in nice weather.

"Sometimes, you learn a lot more from a loss than you do a win," said Novak, whose Wolverines also lost in the '96 state final. "It's tough to end on a losing note."

All four WPIAL representatives had been to the PIAA finals before, but only Rochester had won. The Rams had entered the WPIAL playoffs as the 11th seed, but they ended up beating Southern Columbia for the third time in four years. Javonn Bradley intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown on the opening drive to spark a 16-0 victory that made Rochester the first Class A team to claim three PIAA crowns.

"We came into the season with a bull's eye on our backs," Rochester coach Gene Matsook said. "Our kids kept believing. They knew where they wanted to go. They kept their eyes on the prize."

That victory set the tone for West Allegheny, which was playing its nemesis, Strath Haven, for the third consecutive year in the PIAA finals. The Indians, led by All-America quarterback Tyler Palko, were consumed with the thought of winning a state championship. To do so, they would have to beat a Strath Haven team that had a 44-game winning streak and had beaten them on a last-second field goal last year.

"Losing in these big games teaches you," Tyler Palko said. "It teaches you to be humble. Things don't come easy. A lot of teams could go in the tank after losing two big games. That wasn't the case. It makes you hungry for it. Having those sour tastes in your mouths after those losses, it makes you work harder."

Like Rochester, West Allegheny started the game with an interception that Mike Craig returned 34 yards for a touchdown. Joe Slappy exorcised his demons, shutting down Panthers receiver Josh Hannum, a Notre Dame recruit who had torched him for 170 yards on four catches last year. Palko passed for 202 yards and a touchdown. The defense played superbly. And West Allegheny won, 28-13.

Bob and Tyler Palko celebrated with a hug at midfield, the father telling his son to spread his wings.

Tyler Palko finished his career with 5,553 yards passing, 1,681 rushing and a 48-7 career record. More importanly, he had captured that elusive state championship and ended his career on a winning note.

"This is as high as you can go in high school football," Tyler said. "This is better than any individual award, because we did it as a team."

Next up was Washington, which had lost to Dallas, 31-7, in its only PIAA finals appearance in '93. The Little Prexies were poised to become the first school from Washington County to win a state title, and Montecalvo told them that this was their chance to become folk legends.

At halftime, he told Wash High players this would be his last game. It inspired the Prexies, who overcame a 12-6 deficit for a 19-12 victory over Pen Argyl. Just before the game ended, Montecalvo informed his players that his halftime speech was used only as a source of motivation and that he wasn't leaving after all.

By then, the WPIAL already had convinced its doubters.

"Hopefully, a lot more people have respect for the WPIAL," Washington quarterback Justin Gregula said. "Western Pa. is no joke. We have a lot of good football players. Not to say anything bad about the East, but we're pretty good. There's no other feeling like this. I'll remember this for the rest of my life."

Kevin Gorman can be reached at kgorman@tribweb.com or (412) 320-7812. 

Neshaminy back wins rival's respect

By Don Beideman
INQUIRER SUBURBAN STAFF

Woodland Hills football coach George Novak was joking. He said he would ask officials if his team could put 12 players on the field against Neshaminy on Saturday when his squad meets the Redskins at HersheyPark Stadium for the PIAA Class AAAA championship.

After all, that way, Woodland Hills would have a better chance of containing Jamar Brittingham, the dangerous running back who has rushed for 2,415 yards and 29 touchdowns this season.

He also has 250 yards receiving, with two touchdowns.

But Novak wasn't joking when he said Saturday's game game was just what a championship game should be, a meeting between the "two best teams in the state."

Woodland Hills advanced to the title game Saturday with a 34-0 victory over Altoona. Neshaminy clinched its spot with a 25-19 win over Cumberland Valley.

The Wolverines (14-0) have posted three straight undefeated regular seasons. In the last three seasons, the WPIAL AAAA champions are 39-2. The Pittsburgh-area school is also making its second visit to the Class AAAA championship game. The Wolverines lost to Downingtown in 1996.

Woodland Hills is led by 6-foot-2, 170-pound quarterback Steve Breaston, the recipient of more than 20 Division I scholarship offers. He directs the Wolverines' option offense. In the victory over Altoona, he ran for two touchdowns and threw for another.

Breaston ran for 90 yards on 15 carries. His scoring runs came from 18 and 10 yards out.

Michigan, Notre Dame, Pitt and Syracuse are among the schools pursuing Breaston.

"He hasn't even decided on his visits," Novak said. Breaston is considered a strong all-around athlete. "He's played basketball, baseball and run track," Novak said.

Breaston has rushed for 1,642 yards on 135 carries (12.2 yards per carry) this season, including 10 games in which he managed 100 yards or more.

The two-year starter has completed 31 passes for 550 yards and eight touchdowns. He's also caught 11 passes for 200 yards.

"He can also play on defense wherever we need him, and he returns kicks for us," Novak said. "He doesn't kick off for us - not yet."

Breaston's primary targets are wide receivers Ryan Mundy, a 6-2, 200-pounder who doubles in the defensive backfield, and Brian Coleman, a 6-0, 156-pounder. Mundy has caught 11 passes for 200 yards and Coleman five for 99 yards.

Tailback Kareem Dutrieuille is the team's other top ballcarrier. He has rushed for 1,566 yards on 215 carries, an average of 7.3 yards per carry. Dutrieuille led all rushers with 103 yards on 13 carries Saturday. He also scored a TD.

Novak sees a lot of similarities in the two teams, although he said he did not know a lot about Neshaminy, only what he had read on the Internet and in the newspapers. The Wolverines watched the Redskins (14-0) on film this week.

"Neshaminy likes to play aggressive defense like we do," Novak said. "They have a great athlete in Brittingham. He can go inside or outside with his breakaway speed.

"He reminds me of a kid, Gerald Thompson, we had here in the early '90s. And their fullbacks do a great job for him. Our quarterback is more of a runner while their quarterback [Jason Wiater] is more of a passer."

Novak called the 6-1, 190-pound Brittingham the best back his team has seen this season.

Because the two teams didn't have a common opponent this season, Novak said he wasn't sure what to expect.

Woodland Hills may have a slight size advantage on offense with Brian Borgoyn (6-5, 290), Josh Bannister (6-0, 281), J.P. Diroll (6-2, 270) and Phil Hall (6-3, 290) along the offensive line. Miguel Lebron is the Redskins' only starting defensive lineman listed over 240.

"Neshaminy does a lot of good things," Novak said. "You know what they say: Defense wins championships. We have a no-name defense that plays well together. On offense, we'll just have to watch the turnovers."

Brittingham lives up to coach's billing

By Matt Townsend
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Sunday, December 9, 2001

HERSHEY - Neshaminy coach Mark Schmidt wanted to make it perfectly clear what he thinks of star running back Jamar Brittingham.

"Jamar is the best running back in the state," Schmidt said. "Write it down. Put it in the headlines. Do whatever you want with it."

Woodland Hills might have a hard time disagreeing with that endorsement after Brittingham rushed for 157 yards and two touchdowns in undefeated Neshaminy's 21-7 victory over the Wolverines (14-1) in the PIAA Class AAAA championship game Saturday night at Hersheypark Stadium.

"He's a great running back," Woodland Hills coach George Novak said. "I thought we did a good job containing him, to be honest. He broke a couple, but I thought we did a nice job on him."

Those couple of plays made the difference in a game that wasn't decided until Brittingham (6-foot-1, 194 pounds) busted a 55-yard touchdown run off of right tackle with 5:54 to play to give the Redskins a two-touchdown lead.

"The play was called lead, and it was wide open," Brittingham said. "I knew after that, all we needed was a stop on defense and the game was over."

Brittingham's career is far from over. The senior said he is being recruited by West Virginia, Boston College, James Madison, Maryland and Connecticut. Saturday's performance only should bolster his demand with college recruiters.

"It should help," said Brittingham, who helped turn a 6-4 team that didn't make the playoffs in 2000 into a state champion. "Maybe I'll get some more interest."

The hype entering this game surrounded the Wolverines with their top ranking in the state and No. 7 spot in the USA Today.

"There was all the talk about Woodland Hills, and we came to the state championship and showed who was better (Saturday)," Brittingham said.

The Wolverines also had senior quarterback Steve Breaston, the Pennsylvania Gatorade Player of the Year.

"It motivated us," Brittingham said. "We played against great quarterbacks in our league, but not like him."

Neshaminy's defense limited Breaston, who twisted his ankle in the first half and did not play most of the fourth quarter, to 76 yards rushing and 50 yards passing.

Meanwhile, Brittingham accounted for 214 total yards. He also caught four passes for 96 yards and completed a halfback pass for 31 yards.

"He's been a gamer all year long," Schmidt said. "He's the whole package."

Brittingham ends this season with 2,565 yards rushing and 30 touchdowns. And most of those yards came after eluding at least one tackler.

"He always makes the first kid miss and maybe the next two or three," senior fullback Jay Collins said. "He's phenomenal."

Brittingham nearly scored a touchdown on Neshaminy's second play from scrimmage. He took a handoff off of left tackle and broke through the Woodland Hills defense. Mark Nesby saved a touchdown when he clipped Brittingham's feet for a 31-yard gain.

That drive ended in missed field goal, but Brittingham would make sure the Redskins would score in the third quarter. The lefty completed a 32-yard pass to Keith Ennis with 7:29 in third quarter to make him 5 for 6 passing in his career.

"I threw the ball and let him go up and get it," said Brittingham, who started at receiver as a sophomore.

Later in the drive, Brittingham caught a swing-pass, side-stepped a defender and gained 13 yards on a third-and-7 from the 17. Brittingham finished the drive with a 4-yard touchdown run to push the Redskins' lead to 14-6.

"He's a player," Collins said. "I'll enjoy watching him in college and in the pros."

Matt Townsend can be reached at mtownsend@tribweb.com or (412) 320-7937. 

Woodland Hills falls short

By Kevin Gorman
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Sunday, December 9, 2001

HERSHEY - Woodland Hills players, their lips quivering, bodies shivering and white uniforms covered in mud, watched in disbelief as Neshaminy celebrated this stunning end to the football season.

As the Wolverines trudged off the field, one last player limped slowly toward the sidelines. That's where Steve Breaston, the dynamic senior quarterback, had finished the game after a pair of injured ankles forced him to leave.

Breaston was supposed to provide the spectacular presence in the PIAA Class AAAA final. Instead, it was Jamar Brittingham who accounted for 284 yards total offense to lead Neshaminy to a 21-7 victory over Woodland Hills on Saturday night.

A continual downpour wreaked havoc on the field, thereby eliminating the Wolverines' speed advantage and serving as the great equalizer.

"You've got to play the game," Woodland Hills coach George Novak said. "It's tough. We would have liked to play in Miami in the sun with Steve healthy, but I give them all the credit. They've got a good football team."

Woodland Hills was the prohibitive favorite. The Wolverines were ranked No. 1 in the state, No. 7 nationally by USA Today and had bullied their way through the WPIAL. After victories by Rochester, West Allegheny and Washington, there was talk of a first-ever WPIAL sweep of the PIAA championship games.

"You come this far, 15 weeks without losing," Woodland Hills tackle Brian Borgoyn said, "and you'd like to get that win."

Neshaminy, conversely, went 6-4 last season and didn't qualify for the playoffs. The Redskins had promised to continue surprising the state and said they were going to turn Pittsburgh upside down in the PIAA title game.

"We've been the underdogs all year," Brittingham said. "No one expected us to win this game, no one in the East, no one in the West. We came in, got the job done and showed who the best team in the state is."

The 6-foot-1, 194-pound senior entered the game with impressive numbers - 2,418 yards and 28 touchdowns - but without Breaston's reputation. Brittingham rushed for 157 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries, caught four passes for 96 yards and threw one for 31 on a halfback option that set up the go-ahead touchdown.

Neshaminy had only one hope for stopping Breaston.

"Keep him off the field," Redkins coach Mark Schmidt said. "Mother Nature helped us, too."

Breaston was aggravated by both the muddy conditions at Hersheypark Stadium and the bothersome ankle injures that flared up in the second quarter and forced him to leave. He returned to play the third quarter, and finished with 76 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries and completed two passes for 50 yards.

"He gave us his heart and soul all year," Novak said. "Steve wanted to go back in. We wouldn't let him."

Neshaminy turned to Brittingham from the outset, giving him the ball on its first nine plays before Kevin Kelly missed a 32-yard field-goal attempt. The Redskins started their next drive at the Woodland Hills 31, and Jay Collins scored on a 3-yard run for a 6-0 lead with 2:24 left in the first quarter. The snap on the extra-point attempt went over Kelly's head and his pass attempt fell incomplete.

Breaston had trouble handling the ball, and fumbled either the snap or handoff seven times in the first half. He flashed his electrifying big-play ability, breaking a 52-yard run that set up his 1-yard scoring run for a 7-6 lead with 11:09 left in the first half.

The Wolverines had a chance to extend their lead after driving 48 yards and converting a fourth-and-5 on a fake punt direct-snap to Mike Nesby for an 11-yard gain. But Breaston was injured on a third-and-6 at the 8, and Austin Novak's 26-yard field-goal attempt sailed wide left with 3:50 remaining in the half.

Breaston returned in the third quarter, and guided Woodland Hills downfield once again. Kareem Dutrieuille scored on a 10-yard touchdown run, but it was called back by an illegal shift penalty. Neshaminy stuffed Dutrieuille on fourth-and-1.

The Redskins then pitched it to the left-handed Brittingham, who rolled left and threw 32 yards to Keith Ennis. It was a risky play with a high payoff. "It's a gamble, but we're giving our best two players the ball," Schmidt said. "You can't argue with that."

Brittingham scored on a 4-yard run for a 14-7 lead.

Breaston was dropped for a 10-yard loss on the next series and never returned. It was a major blow to the Wolverines. Woodland Hills survived a near blow when Kelly missed a 37-yard field-goal attempt wide right, but could not overcome a seven-point deficit without their star player.

"Him being off the field hurt us," Woodland Hills safety Ryan Mundy said. "Just his presence on the field boosted everyone's level of play."

Added Borgoyn: "He's been the engine behind us. It took the air out of us when we didn't have him on the last few drives."

Breaston's backup, senior Tony Carr, threw an interception on the second play of the Wolverines' next possession.

"We didn't have much time left," Novak said. "We had to do something."

Brittingham broke a 45-yarder for a 21-7 lead with 5:54 remaining. Carr's next pass was also intercepted.

There was nothing Breaston could do but sit on the sideline and watch.

"It's the last game of your high school career, but I've got two ankles messed up," he said quietly. "What else can I say? I'm at a loss for words right now."

When it came to Woodland Hills' finish, he wasn't the only one.

Kevin Gorman can be reached at kgorman@tribweb.com or (412) 320-7812. 

Woodland Hills has too many weapons

Woodland Hills is the top-ranked team in the state and among the top 10 in the nation for a lot of good reasons.

By RYAN BUNCHER
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Woodland Hills is the top-ranked team in the state and among the top 10 in the nation for a lot of good reasons.

Most should be on display when the Wolverines (14-0) play Neshaminy (14-0) for the PIAA Class AAAA championship at 5 p.m. tomorrow at Hersheypark Stadium.

Both teams can score a lot of points. Neshaminy has the running of Jamar Brittingham and an explosive receiver in Keith Ennis, but Woodland Hills has the weapons to match.

Quarterback Steve Breaston is one of the top players in the state, a dazzling runner with 1,644 yards and 21 touchdowns this season. He averages 12.6 yards per carry.

Woodland Hills also has an NCAA Division I prospect in tailback Kareem Dutrieuille, a powerful runner who has 1,566 yards and 19 touchdowns. He runs behind an offensive line anchored by another big-time recruit, left tackle Brian Borgoyn.

Breaston doesn't have the passing numbers of Jason Wiater, but he has thrown for 546 yards and nine touchdowns. Ryan Mundy is a big-play threat at receiver. His numbers are held down mostly by the fact that Woodland Hills doesn't have to throw much.

"They don't have many weaknesses, or any for that matter," Neshaminy coach Mark Schmidt said. "They can get you about four different ways on offense. The quarterback is tremendous. The tailback is very good. The wide receivers are good. The offensive line is big, strong and fast."

The real difference between these teams is on defense. Both started with inexperienced units that had a lot of growing to do during the season. Neshaminy is solid, giving up 14.9 points per game.

Woodland Hills has been dominant. The Wolverines surrendered only 8.2 points per game, but that number has dropped to 3.8 per contest in the playoffs.

The last two weeks, they have shut down 1,500-yard rusher Andrew Johnson of Pittsburgh Central Catholic and Altoona's balanced rushing attack.

The Central Catholic game was particularly impressive because that was a team that also featured a strong passing attack.

The Wolverines have a pressure defense backed up by a secondary with tremendous speed.

"The defense has had a heck of a year for us," Woodland Hills coach Austin Novak said. "As the year wore on, they got a lot better. That is a key factor Saturday, to contain their running attack. We have got to stop Ennis and Brittingham from making big plays. They are two very dangerous receivers. It's a big challenge for our defense."

Just like the tests the Wolverines have been passing all year.

Prediction: Woodland Hills 28, Neshaminy 14

Ryan Buncher covers high school football for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

Friday, December 7, 2001 

Team scores

Neshaminy and Woodland game scores throughout the season.

How they compare

Pettine: Teamwork wins championships

Who better than former Central Bucks West head coach Mike Pettine to break down tomorrow's PIAA Class AAAA championship between Neshaminy and Woodland Hills?

By MARK SCHIELE
Courier Times

Who better than former Central Bucks West head coach Mike Pettine to break down tomorrow's PIAA Class AAAA championship between Neshaminy and Woodland Hills?

After all, Pettine has coached five teams to the championship game and won four state titles.

When it comes to knowing what it takes to win the Big One, Pettine has plenty of insight.

How do you prepare? How do you handle the pressure? What goes through the mind of a coach leading up to the biggest game of the year?

"Each team you coach is different," said Pettine, adding that only the coach has a feel for the approach his squad needs to take. "At this time of the year, sometimes you lighten up your practices because it's been a long season. I know Neshaminy's a little banged up, so that might be what (Redskins head coach Mark Schmidt) is thinking.

"It's a balancing act. You want to limit the wear and tear, physically. But you also don't want to get away from your routine too much. You have to get the pulse of your team."

Pettine said he usually preferred to work the team as a unit heading into state title games. Instead of the different positions working independently, he liked to make sure the team was working and thinking as one.

"This time of the year, we always spent a little more time with the teamwork," he said. "You want to get the collective team together and work that way. You want to work on execution."

As for pressure, Pettine has felt it from both sides.

"The first time there is different," he said. "It's new. It's exciting. There's pressure."

Oh, but the legendary coach said the pressure doesn't lessen the second time, or third, or fourth, or fifth.

"There's maybe less pressure (the first time) than if you've been there before," he said. "Especially if you've been there before and lost, like Woodland Hills has been."

Pettine has seen plenty of film of Woodland Hills this season. And years of experience has made him quite familiar with Neshaminy.

"I think Woodland Hills has something like seven Division I players, which is remarkable in this day and age," he said. "They're one of the best teams to come out of the WPIAL in years."

But, as good as Woodland Hills is, Pettine said he likes Neshaminy to win tomorrow's game. A big reason, he said, is that the Redskins are battle-tested from surviving the weekly battles in the Suburban One League's National Conference.

"Neshaminy, having had some close games, I think that will help them," he said. "Woodland Hills has played only one close game all year. And look at the league (schedule) Neshaminy has played. The track record (of success) is there."

The difference, Pettine believes, will be Neshaminy's defense. He says the Redskins are ready for the challenge, even one as daunting as keeping the Woodland Hills offense in check.

"What impresses me is Neshaminy's defense is improving," he said. "There were some questions early in the year, but they've been able to turn that around. I saw the game last week, and in the second half they just about pitched a shutout against Cumberland Valley. I liked what I saw."

KEYS TO VICTORY

Former Central Bucks West football coach Mike Pettine, who led teams to five PIAA Class AAAA championship games and won four state titles, said he thinks the keys to victory for Neshaminy against Woodland Hills are:

• Defense: "This defense has to play one of the best games it has played all year. Any success they have is going to have to start with the play of the defense."

   

• Special teams: "Neshaminy's special teams were the difference against Cumberland Valley. They have to make big plays. Special teams can turn around a game."

   

• Turnovers: "No matter who you are, you can't turn the ball over - especially against a team like Woodland Hills."

   

• Ball control: "The best way to defense Woodland Hills is to not let them get the ball. But they not only have to take time off the clock, they have to put together long drives and end up scoring."

   

• Pettine's pick: "In a one-game shot, I like Neshaminy's momentum right now. I may be showing my Suburban One bias, but I'm picking the Redskins to win."

Friday, December 7, 2001 

Calm, cool & collected

Neshaminy football players say they aren't the least bit nervous about playing for the state championship tomorrow.

By JOHN GONZALEZ
Courier Times

Neshaminy running back Jamar Brittingham has rushed for an area record 2,418 yards and 28 touchdowns this season.

Practice had recently ended, and Wiater already had changed into more comfortable clothing - a knit cap and a T-shirt and some ratty, dark sweatpants. He talked a little with assistant coach John Tezik, but mostly he just ate away at that pretzel.

Wiater, a senior quarterback, is as cool as they come, so his laid-back attitude wasn't really a surprise. Or at least it wouldn't have been on any other week or before any other game.

But, considering what's to come, considering Wiater and the Neshaminy Redskins are at the precipice of a state championship with no topographical map to guide them, you'd think he'd be a little nervous.

Some jitters. A twitch.

Anything. Something.

"Nah," he said confidently, "I'm not nervous. I don't think any of us are nervous. I'd say we're more excited than nervous."

That is the way they are - calm in a manner that belies their years. All season long they have been even-tempered. Collectively, they are a yawn of a group, as unemotional as possible until the game is at hand and there is work to be done.

Still, you'd think this week would have been different. Sure, they've faced some good opponents and been charged with unenviable, almost insurmountable tasks countless times this season, but, truly, what's happened in the past pales in comparison to the obstacle awaiting them tomorrow in Hershey.

Woodland Hills (14-0), which Neshaminy (14-0) will meet at 5 p.m. for the PIAA Class AAAA championship, is an impressive, formidable bunch. As much, or more so, than either of the Central Bucks teams. Or Downingtown. Or Conestoga. Or anyone they've played, for that matter.

The Wolverines are that good, and that revered.

And yet for all the commotion surrounding Woodland Hills, the 'Skins remained brazenly unfazed. Oh, it's not that Neshaminy doesn't respect Woodland Hills. On the contrary, the Redskins are acutely aware of the Wolverines' talent. But they aren't in awe or afraid of Woodland Hills, either.

"It's really been business as usual," said Tezik, who is the wideouts coach. "With the weather being warm lately, you'd think this is the middle of October and we're just getting ready for another game. You'd never know we're playing for a state title with the way [the players] have acted."

And so they went about their routine unfettered. There was a lot to do this week, and even more to worry about.

Woodland Hills has a powerful defense that has surrendered a paltry 8.2 points per game. Conversely, and more frightening, the Wolverines offense is scoring at a 33.7 clip.

The key there is unquestionably slippery quarterback Steve Breaston. He is a threat to run (1,644 yards and 21 touchdowns) and to pass (31 completions for 546 yards and nine TDs), and he gives opposing coaches fits.

"They have a lot of weapons," opined Neshaminy head coach Mark Schmidt. "But our guys aren't worried. I didn't even have to say anything to them. Plus, I think we got a lot of the wide-eyed stuff out of the way last week. They know what to expect at Hershey with the crowd, so there won't be anything new there. I think we're ready for this."

IF YOU GO

WHAT: PIAA Class AAAA football championship
WHO: Neshaminy (14-0) vs. Woodland Hills (14-0)
WHEN: Tomorrow, 5 p.m.
WHERE: Hersheypark Stadium
TV: Pennsylvania Cable Network (Comcast Channel 77)
RADIO: WBCB (1490-AM)
WEB: HTTP://www.piaa.org
TICKETS: Available in advance for $8 (adults) and $4 (students) at the Neshaminy High School co-curricular office; available at the gate for $8 (adults and students).

Friday, December 7, 2001 

Neshaminy will find a way to win again

For such a talented team, Neshaminy (14-0) sure has been underestimated a lot this year.

By now you've likely heard it all.

The whispers. The straight talk. The overt bravado. All of which has concluded in the same predictable, and tired, analysis.

Surprise, surprise, Woodland Hills is good.

"They're freaky-good," corrected Neshaminy coach Mark Schmidt. "I'm not sure if that's a word, but that's what they are - freaky-good."

He's right, of course. The Wolverines have it all. They are led by a quarterback who is probably the best player in the state and they are sustained by a defense that is as stingy (just 8.2 points allowed per game) as it is menacing. They are undefeated, a perfect 14-0, and are ranked No. 1 in the state.

And so tomorrow's PIAA Class AAAA championship in Hershey is already decided. It's a foregone conclusion, then, that the kickoff will be at 5 p.m. and the Wolverines will celebrate sometime around 8.

That is what nearly everyone says, and what nearly everyone would have you believe.

Funny thing, though. They counted Neshaminy out in the regular season when the 'Skins played CB West. And then they spit similar tripe when Neshaminy was down late against CB East. Same thing last week against Cumberland Valley and two weeks before that vs. Downingtown.

For such a talented team, Neshaminy (14-0) sure has been underestimated a lot this year. It would be one thing if the Redskins were a collection of wayward boys, but they aren't. What they are is a skilled group. From Jamar Brittingham to Keith Ennis to Jay Wiater to Jay Collins. Top to bottom. Offensive line to defensive backfield, this team can play. That is the plain truth of it. And still they are overlooked or undervalued.

"Yeah," said Schmidt sarcastically, "you should probably pick [the Wolverines] to win. Put something in there about them having too many bullets in their gun. That would work."

You know, there are probably a million good reasons why Woodland Hills could win this game - all with the accompanying sound statistical support. But there is one reason why Neshaminy will win this game, and it is the same reason why it won the previous 14 when so many swore it wouldn't.

Simply, the Redskins are insatiable. They don't give up. They haven't yet, and they won't tomorrow. They are a scrappy group, and they tend to fight hardest and best when the odds are long.

Well, the odds couldn't be any longer. No one outside of Langhorne believes in them. Which is exactly the way they like it.

Prediction: Neshaminy 28, Woodland Hills 27

John Gonzalez covers high school sports for the Courier Times.

Friday, December 7, 2001 

Class AAAA Championship:

Neshaminy swamps Woodland Hills 21-7

Saturday, December 08, 2001

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The speedy Woodland Hills running attack was slowed by swampy field conditions and an ankle injury to quarterback Steve Breaston as the Wolverines lost their second try at a Class AAAA championship 21-7 to the Neshaminy Redskins.

Neshaminy celebrated their victory with a team slide through the mud at midfield, followed by a team picture.

Running back Jamar Brittingham scored twice for Neshaminy in the second half to power the Redskins to a 21-7 fourth quarter lead that Woodland Hills could not surmount.

Brittingham broke through the Woodland Hills defense for a 45-yard touchdown with 5:54 left in the game.

Linebacker Erik Pederson swiped a Woodland Hills pass by Steve Breaston at the 39 on the ensuing possession.

The Neshaminy Redskins began to pull away with a 90-yard drive in the third quarter to take a 14-7 lead over Woodland Hills.

Running back Brittingham scored from four yards out to give the Redskins a 12-7 lead. Then Neshaminy quarterback Jason Waiter found tight end Scott Mullin all alone on a fade pattern to the right corner of the end zone for the two-point conversion.

Woodland Hills had their only lead early in the second quarter when kicker Austin Novak made the score 7-6 with an extra point following a touchdown run by quarterback Steve Breaston.

The quarterback was nearly stopped on fourth down as he tried to run in the ball from the one, but he powered his way into the end zone with a strong second effort.

Breaston injured his right ankle later in the second quarter and had to be replaced by backup Tony Carr. He returned to action after halftime.

Neshaminy opened the scoring with a three-yard touchdown run in the first quarter by fullback Jay Collins. The touchdown culminated a six-play 31-yard drive.

The Redskins nearly scored again at the end of the half, but Neshaminy running back Brittingham couldn't convert on fourth down when he was stopped at the six yard line, a foot short of the first down.

PIAA Class AAAA: Brittingham leads Neshaminy to title

Sunday, December 09, 2001

By Paul Zeise, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

HERSHEY, Pa. -- For most of the season, Neshaminy was referred to as a one-man team by many observers of high school football.

That might be true, but that one man, 6-foot-1 senior running back Jamar Brittingham, was more than capable of carrying the Redskins to the PIAA Class AAAA championship.

Brittingham, who entered the game last night against Woodland Hills with more than 2,400 rushing yards on the season, carried the ball 30 times for 157 yards and scored two touchdowns to lead his team to a 21-7 victory against Woodland Hills.

He also completed a halfback option pass for 32 yards and was stellar as a safety on the Redskins' defense.

Neshaminy Coach Mark Schmidt said there is no secret to his team's success.

"You can put this in headlines and write it anywhere you want to," Schmidt said. "Jamar Brittingham is the best running back in the state of Pennsylvania, period. Our offensive line played a great game and blocked well, but for the most part, he got a lot of tough yards on his own. We rode him all season and tonight was no exception."

The Redskins lined up early in a power-I formation and handed the ball to Brittingham up the middle. And while he didn't break too many big runs early, he got 5 or 6 yards every time he touched the ball.

After Neshaminy established it could run with Brittingham, it used him to set up screen passes and play-action passes, which kept the Wolverines off balance and helped Neshaminy control the clock. But late in the game, Schmidt gave the ball to Brittingham and he made two of the biggest plays of the game.

The first came after Woodland Hills was stopped on a fourth-and-2 at the 10. On the next play, Brittingham threw a halfback option 32 yards to Keith Ennis. The play was a huge momentum swing and led to the Redskins' go-ahead score.

Then, after a Woodland Hills turnover, Brittingham scored on a 45-yard run with 5:54 left to seal the game. Brittingham was hit at the line but broke two tackles and ran into the end zone.

"I guess it was a big risk throwing a halfback option out of our end zone, but our best player had the ball and that's why I didn't worry about it," Schmidt said. "He has done that all year for us."

Woodland Hills Coach George Novak said his defense did a good job against Brittingham, considering the muddy field conditions.

"We are a speed defense," he said.

"The weather was the great equalizer here tonight. He's a great back, but everything we do is predicated on speed and we didn't have it tonight."

Brittingham said he has offers from West Virginia, James Madison, Rutgers and Temple and is being recruited by Boston College, North Carolina, Maryland and Syracuse.

PIAA Class AAAA: With Breaston hurt,

Woodland Hills succumbs to Neshaminy, 21-7

Sunday, December 09, 2001

By Mike White, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

HERSHEY, Pa. -- Teams from the WPIAL had won the first three PIAA titles of the weekend. But just when the league was ready to bring out the brooms, Woodland Hills got swept away in a mud bath.

Powerful Woodland Hills was knocked off by Neshaminy, 21-7, in the PIAA Class AAAA final last night at Hersheypark Stadium. A Woodland Hills victory would have given the WPIAL all four championships for the first time since the PIAA playoffs started in 1988.

The WPIAL had never won more than two titles in a year, but after Rochester, West Allegheny and Washington won the first three championship games, it seemed the league was ready for a sweep. Woodland Hills, after all, had blown past the competition this season. The Wolverines were ranked No. 1 in the state by the Post-Gazette for most of the season and entered the title game No. 7 in the country in USA Today. The Wolverines seemed to be everyone's favorite to win the PIAA title against Neshaminy, the District 1 champion near Philadelphia.

Then the rain started yesterday morning and didn't stop for most of the day. It was a blessing for Neshaminy because Woodland Hills is loaded with fast, quick players. The rain turned the field into a mess.

"The weather is a great equalizer," said Woodland Hills Coach George Novak. "They have a few kids with speed, but we have more of them."

Then Woodland Hills star quarterback Steve Breaston's right ankle was injured in the second quarter. Suddenly, Neshaminy (15-0) had two equalizers.

"We would have liked to have played the game in Miami with Steve healthy," Novak said.

Breaston, a senior who had rushed for 1,642 yards and was averaging 12.2 yards a carry, finished with only 76 yards on 16 carries. He left the game with 4:03 remaining in the second quarter. He started the second half but limped around the field at times and played until the 11:34 mark of the fourth quarter when Woodland Hills punted the ball away after being stopped at midfield. At the time, Woodland Hills was leading, 7-6. Breaston didn't play the rest of the game.

Breaston wanted to come back into the game in the fourth quarter, but Novak wouldn't let him. A doctor and Woodland Hills' trainer recommended Breaston not play the rest of the game.

"They said he was in a lot of pain and it would be best that he not go back in," Novak said. "I agreed."

Breaston also had trouble handling the snap from center as he fumbled it six times. Woodland Hills recovered every fumble, but the bad exchanges put the Wolverines into some long second- and third-down situations.

But Breaston refused to blame the weather for the loss.

"We can't make any excuses," he said. "The field might have slowed us down, but Neshaminy had to play on it as well. It's just a tough way to end your last high school game."

Woodland Hills running back Kareem Dutrieuille was held to 86 yards on 20 carries. It was only the second time in the past six games he was held below 100 yards.

But the muddy field didn't slow down Neshaminy's Jamar Brittingham. A senior who came into the game with more than 2,400 yards rushing, Brittingham gained 157 yards on 30 carries and scored two touchdowns on runs of 4 and 45 yards.

Woodland Hills held a 7-6 lead at halftime. Neshaminy's Jay Collins gave the Redskins a 6-0 lead in the first quarter on a 3-yard touchdown run. Woodland Hills came back and drove 60 yards in seven plays for a score in the second quarter. Breaston capped it with a 1-yard run and Austin Novak kicked the extra point.

One of the biggest plays of the game came on Woodland Hills' first possession of the second half. The Wolverines drove from their own 38 deep into Neshaminy territory, and Dutrieuille ran 10 yards for an apparent touchdown. But the score was nullified by an illegal shift penalty. After Breaston gained 5 yards on third down, Dutrieuille was stopped for no gain on fourth-and-2.

"It could've been 14-6 and all the momentum would've been with us," Novak said. "That penalty was the turning point of the game."

On the first play after Neshaminy took over, Brittingham threw a 32-yard halfback pass to Keith Ennis that got the Redskins out of the hole. They proceeded to drive for a touchdown with Brittingham scoring on a 4-yard run with 4:31 left in the third quarter. Neshaminy had the lead for good.

Without Breaston, Woodland Hills turned to Tony Carr, but he had a pass intercepted by Justin Edwards with 6:03 left in the game. Brittingham ran 45 yards for a touchdown on the next play.

"Our defense is predicated on speed," Novak said. "We're not as quick in the mud.

"But Neshaminy is a good team. They put in a new defense that they hadn't used in the past five games. It took us awhile to adjust to it."

PIAA NOTEBOOK

Sunday, December 09, 2001

Washington's 19-12 victory over Pen Argyl in the Class AA title game represented the first football championship ever for a school in Washington County....

A steady drizzle began falling about 55 minutes before the AA final and continued throughout both title games. The playing surface at Hersheypark Stadium, which held up well for the noon game, steadily and reluctantly deteriorated, particularly midfield between the 25-yard lines.

"Neither team is accustomed to playing in these conditions," said Pen Argyl coach Roy Cortez, whose Green Knights suffered turnovers on four of their first five possessions of the second half. "The ball got heavy and you really couldn't throw it too well."...

Strath Haven, which had its 44-game win streak snapped by West Allegheny in the AAA final Friday night, is ticketed to move up to AAAA when the new enrollment figures come out shortly....

Woodland Hills was formed 15 years ago with the merger of five schools: Swissvale, General Braddock, Edgewood, Churchill and Turtle Creek. The Wolverines lost 49-14 to Downingtown in the 1996 championship game....

The combined 10 turnovers by Washington and Pen Argyl is not a championship game record. Seven years ago, both Forest Hills and Mount Carmel had six turnovers each for a total of 12 in the Class AA championship game....

Washington's Darnell Barnes, who picked off two passes, missed some time earlier this year with a broken bone in his foot. When Barnes was asked about head coach Guy Montecalvo's halftime ploy of announcing his retirement to his team, Barnes drew back: "Was that a trick? I thought he was serious."

Montecalvo himself said that there had been so much speculation regarding his retirement, he just played off of it naturally. But he added, "I'm only 46 years old, so I think I'm a little too young to consider retirement."...

Paid attendance for the four single games this weekend was 18,055, including a combined 9,883 in rainy weather for yesterday's games....

When Neshaminy's Jamar Brittingham rushed for 157 yards against Woodland Hills, he became the only back in the four title games to top the 100-yard barrier....

Florida and Florida State are among the schools looking seriously at Steve Breaston, the 6-2, 170-pound double-threat senior quarterback for Woodland Hills....

Neshaminy's 21-7 victory represented the fifth AAAA championship in the last six years for District 1 of suburban Philadelphia. --

Nick Horvath Jr. and Rod Frisco 

NSN Sports

PIAA Class AAAA final:

Brittingham, Breaston will take run at title

12/06/2001 - Rich Emert, NSN Contributing Writer

Neshaminy football coach Mark Schmidt knew Jamar Brittingham was going to be a good player when he was a freshman. He didn’t know Brittingham was going to be this good.

A 6-foot-1, 195-pound senior, Brittingham has emerged as one of the top running backs in the state. He has rushed for 2,408 yards on 336 carries and scored 28 touchdowns in leading the Redskins to a 14-0 record and a spot in the PIAA Class AAAA championship game against Woodland Hills (14-0) at 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 8, at Hersheypark Stadium.

Woodland Hills coach George Novak knew senior quarterback Steve Breaston, 6-2, 180, was going to be this good. Breaston has rushed 136 times for 1,644 yards and 21 touchdowns and leads the Wolverines into the championship game.

Two of the most exciting offensive players in the state going after a PIAA title. It doesn’t get any better than that.

Brittingham has been at his best in the playoffs. In a second-round game against Downingtown he carried 19 times for 215 yards and scored on a 57-yard run.

“He was a wide receiver for us as a sophomore and we moved him to tailback part way through that year,” Schmidt said. “He’s been doing it for us ever since.

“I don’t think people realize how strong he is. He carried four or five guys about eight yards on a play against Dowingtown. He can run people over if he has to.”

Last year, Neshaminy was racked by injuries and lost four regulars. Schmidt was forced to play a lot of underclassmen and that is paying benefits this season.

“Because of the injuries a lot of the younger guys got time. Now this season, we had the guys who were hurt coming back along with those other guys and we’ve got a lot of depth,” Schmidt said.

Neshaminy competes in the same league at Central Bucks West, which has played in the PIAA final the past four seasons. Schmidt said a come-from-behind 21-19 victory against CB West fueled his players’ confidence.

“We went 75 yards in the final 1:40 to win that one,” he said. “CB West has set the bar high around here. We all had to work harder and get better to compete with them.”

Besides Brittingham, the Redskins have quarterback Jason Wiater who has completed 104 of 177 passes for 1,380 yards and eight scores with just five interceptions. Keith Ennis has caught 47 passes for 738 yards and three touchdowns, while Brittingham has pulled in 12 passes for 186.

If Brittingham and Breaston cancel each other out the key player in the final might be Woodland Hills’ tailback Kareem Dutrieuille. He has rushed 215 times for 1,566 yards and 19 touchdowns.

The one thing Woodland Hills doesn’t do well is throw the football. Breaston has completed just 31 of 77 passes for 550 yards. That’s why it will be important for the Wolverines to get a lead.

The key statistic for the Class AAAA final is that Neshaminy has allowed an average of 141 yards rushing a game. If the Redskins can’t stop Woodland Hills’ ground assault they could be in for a long night.

Woodland Hills set to cap dream season

By Ryan Buncher
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, December 6, 2001

Woodland Hills has battled its share of distractions this season.

It started with very high expectations and the loss of both projected starters at cornerback to injury.

Throw in the hype of national rankings, the tragedy of a player dying during the season and a series of opponents locked in on keeping the Wolverines from going wire to wire on top, and Woodland Hills has had to display some mental toughness this season.

There only is one test left - the PIAA Class AAAA championship game against Neshaminy at 5 p.m. Saturday at Hersheypark Stadium.

"This is another challenge for them," Woodland Hills coach George Novak said. "The kids have reacted well to adversity. We've come from behind. We've played bad against good teams and still made big plays and won. Now, this is another challenge, to play for a state title. It doesn't happen often. We've got to be focused and not let all the outside conditions effect our mental and emotional preparation."

Neshaminy had its own challenges, including a schedule filled with powers like Central Bucks West and North Penn. The Redskins have had a lot more close games than the Wolverines this year.

"Early on this year, we had four games in a row that we played Penn Ridge, North Penn, C.B. West and C.B. East," Schmidt said. "It scared the heck out of me at the time, but we found out later it was a real plus for us."

The one break they got was playing their PIAA semifinal game last week at Hersheypark Stadium.

"We were fortunate to play a very good team in Cumberland Valley in Hershey," Neshaminy coach Mark Schmidt said. "We kind of got the travel part squared away. The first-time-at-Hershey thing is taken care of. That was a plus for us."

The biggest plus for Woodland Hills is the growth of its defense. Both Neshaminy and Woodland Hills opened the season with limited experience on defense, but the Wolverines were good during the season and dominant in the playoffs, giving up 8.2 points per game for the year and seven points or less in all five playoff games.

Tackle Doug Sellman anchors the Woodland Hills' line, with standouts Larry Connelly and Will Clarke at linebacker and Ryan Mundy leading a very fast secondary.

"They are very athletic and fast," Schmidt said. "They all can run. They are very disciplined. People say they are just a bunch of good athletes, but they also understand the game. They don't sell out and hope to get to you. They get there, but also cover their back door, too.

"I haven't seen anybody have a big play on them."

Neshaminy has some standouts on defense, particularly defensive backs Jamar Brittingham and Keith Ennis, but the unit has been erratic. The Redskins give up 14.9 per game.

"The defense is getting better and better," Schmidt said.

"Defensively, they are very aggressive," Novak said. "They play man-to-man, in your face. They come after you. They press a lot and put a lot of people on the line of scrimmage."

Brittingham and Ennis are the keys on offensive as well. Brittingham carries most of the load, rushing for 2,418 yards and 28 touchdowns.

"We have to do our best to get him to run the ball against that tough defense," Schmidt said. "They scare the heck out of me."

Ennis, a receiver, has 47 receptions for 726 yards and five touchdowns.

"He's as good as any back we've faced this year," Novak said of Brittingham. "He's a hard runner, very quick with great speed. (Ennis) is a good receiver. He's an all-round threat on special teams, too. Any time he touches the ball, he can hurt you."

Quarterback Jason Waiter has been solid, throwing for 1,359 yards and seven touchdowns only with five interceptions.

Woodland Hills has a more balanced running attack with quarterback Steve Breaston (1,644 yards, 21 TD) and tailback Kareem Dutrieuille (1,566 yards, 19 TD), but does not pass as much. Breaston has thrown for 546 yards and nine touchdowns. Mundy, the only two-way starter on the team, is the top receiver with 10 catches for 177 yards and three touchdowns.

"They can get you about four different ways on offense," Schmidt said. "(Breaston) is termendous. He's the first guy with the ball. Everybody else that gets it does something with it, too."

Ryan Buncher can be reached at rbuncher@tribweb.com or (412) 320-7934. 

Watch out for the West

WPIAL teams have a chance to sweep state finals

Thursday, December 06, 2001

ROD FRISCO:

The smugness level for this year's state football champi onships is way down in these parts, at least prior to this weekend's games at Hersheypark Stadium.

This is the year the West has been waiting for since, well, since 1988: The long-awaited and even longer-assumed West sweep of the four PIAA football championship games.

It's not that we're endorsing it or claiming certitude. In fact, we don't think it will happen.

But for the first time since the WPIAL superiority fable was crushed by the state championships -- we again delightedly report that the East leads in overall titles 32-20 after 13 years -- there appears to be at least the genuine possibility of a West sweep.

Such heresy.

It is in the interest of full disclosure that we now reveal our western Pa. roots, having long ago fled the dying coal fields of Pennsylvania fly-over country in a successful search for traffic congestion and higher property taxes.

(We were on board when the following pilot's conversation with the passengers occurred on a night flight from Pittsburgh to Harrisburg: "If you look to your left, you can see the lights of Altoona to the north. If you look to your right, you can see (muffled sound of microphone being covered followed by vague whispers) ... you can see Johnstown. Or Somerset. Or Bedford. One of those towns.")

Most agreed that our plane was going to land in Reading. If it landed.

Anyhow, we bring up this western Pennsylvania heritage for a reason. Spoon-fed the tales of District 7 dominance for years and having never seen eastern Pennsylvania football, we believed, like so many others, that the West would command the state tournament when it finally landed in 1988.

Oops.

The East, void of a WPIAL-like mythology and presumed to be less tough than the West, quickly changed the mental landscape of the PIAA Championships.

It has never really changed. Only once, in 1989, has the West won three games in a given year. The East has swept once (in 1992) and earned a 3-1 advantage five times. There have been six splits.

Enter 2001 and its brand-new set of presumptions. Woodland Hills, with its pair of 1,000-yard rushers, is the presumed favorite over Neshaminy in Class AAAA? Check.

Strath Haven presumed not as potent as the last two AAA state-championship years, this time facing West Allegheny's Tyler Palko as a senior? Check.

Class AA Washington presumed speedier and more explosive than the grinding Pen Argyl Green Knights? Check.

And another Rochester-Southern Columbia matchup in Class A? Checkmate.

There are plenty of reasons to think that in each game the team from the West holds some sort of difference-making advantage over its East counterpart. Those might even turn out to be true.

But to presume a West sweep, something that shatters the historical cookie jar? Easy there, Bull's-Eye.

Indeed, there are just as many reasons to think the East can manage a split, especially if Southern Columbia exorcises the hex that Rochester put on it in 1998 and last year.

Pen Argyl has shown exceptional grit in tough situations. Strath Haven hasn't lost since 1998. And Neshaminy? Balling the Redskins into a wad and tossing them into the bin is an ill-advised activity. They get out of tight jams more often than John Gotti.

Yes, the talk is all about the West so far, and bully for it if the sweep comes through.

In the meantime, we'll just enjoy the promise of four fine football games in Hershey this weekend.

Information you need:

State champs the talk of the school

Neshaminy High students and faculty couldn't get enough of their undefeated football heroes yesterday.

By JOHN GONZALEZ
Courier Times
 

Keith Ennis (right) can't resist another feel of the state championship trophy held by teammate Jay Collins after a trophy presentation yesterday at Neshaminy. (Photo: Kim Weimer/Courier Times)

LANGHORNE - He looked tired. His eyes drooped some and his shoulders slumped and his feet dragged. He was sorely in need of a nap.

Then, considering all Jay Collins and his pals have been through in the last few days, the obvious fatigue isn't overly surprising.

Since Saturday, since Neshaminy won the PIAA Class AAAA championship with a 21-7 win over Woodland Hills in Hershey, it has been an absolutely nonstop state of affairs for the Redskins. It has been fun, of course, as enjoyable and exciting and completely wonderful as they could have imagined.

But it's also been hectic.

"Man," Collins, a senior linebacker, said slowly while rubbing his head, "it was a long weekend."

It continued yesterday, the commotion and the demands on their time. Some of them - Jamar Brittingham, Keith Ennis, Geoff Donahue, Jay Wiater, Steve Brett, Nick Feszko and Collins - were assembled in the school lobby, along with head coach Mark Schmidt, for an official trophy presentation and yet more photos. Channel 6 showed up to shoot some video, and Neshaminy superintendent Gary Bowman was on hand, too.

Everyone smiled, laughed, joked and talked about the game. About how the players, their kids, had accomplished something so grand when few believed they could.

They were all proud of the players - the teachers, students and faculty perhaps even more than the team itself.

"There's a genuine happiness for these guys," said Neshaminy principal Mark Collins, grinning a crescent grin and nearly hopping with pride. "These kids, they're just so well thought of by their classmates and their teachers. They're just really good kids, and it's more than just sports. They do a lot with the community. The best part, though, is that they're humble. It's just made for a really great year. Everyone is thrilled for them."

That much was plain.

The players walked the halls at the end of the day but didn't get very far before having to stop and nod and say thank you to all the well-wishers. And there were lots of them. They came out of the woodwork, almost, shooting out of classrooms and bathrooms and offices just to tell the players what a good job they had done and how much it meant.

It didn't end with simple verbal congratulations. There was more. Much more.

Saturday night, with the victory fresh and the reality of it all still seeping into their collective consciousness, the Redskins loaded on the team bus and headed east, toward home. When they neared Lower Bucks, a police escort was waiting to lead their caravan the rest of the way.

"That was really cool," said Wiater, the senior quarterback who is rarely so moved. "At first, I thought there was an accident or something."

Naturally, that wasn't all.

The coaches office - which lies just behind the gym and only yards away from the practice field - was awash in pomp and copious gifts. There were balloons, colorful and pleasant, and cards. There were phone messages from as far away as Florida, and gift baskets from as near as the home economics department. There were candy bars and cookies and chips and, well, you get the idea.

They were very nearly swimming in the offerings.

Pleased as they were by the generosity, they kept a certain perspective. They remained thankful when no one would have faulted them for swaggering.

"There are a lot of kids out there who don't play sports who deserve this kind of recognition," Schmidt said. "I mean, our society is so quick to judge, you know? And if they judged some of our kids, just at a glance, maybe they wouldn't have done the things they've done. I really think that, in 90 percent of the kids out there, there's something good. They should get something, too."

Tuesday, December 11, 2001 

PIAA Class AAAA Log

Sunday, December 09, 2001

By Mike White and Paul Zeise, Post-Gazette Sports Writers

Woodland Hills probably wishes the PIAA championships were never moved out of Altoona.

From 1992-97, all four championship games were played at Altoona's Mansion Park Stadium. Mansion Park has artificial turf. Hersheypark Stadium, which has grass, was a muddy mess for the Class AAAA final last night because of a steady rain.

Neshaminy Coach Mark Schmidt acknowledged the rain helped his team's chances, especially against Woodland Hills star QB Steve Breaston.

"He's a heck of a player. He has a lot of speed," Schmidt said. "Thankfully, Mother Nature helped us out. The weather probably favored us because of the way our offense is designed."

Breaston missed four minutes of the second quarter and most of the final quarter because of a right ankle injury. Not only did his absence hurt Woodland Hills' offense, it hurt the Wolverines' psyche. "Just his presence on the field boosts everybody's level of play," said DB Ryan Mundy.

The total attendance for all four PIAA championship games was 18,355. The four WPIAL championship games drew more than 39,000 fans. The PIAA Class AAAA and AA games yesterday drew a total of 9,883 fans. Attendance for the Class A and AAA title games Friday was 8,472.

A WPIAL team won six of the first eight PIAA Class AAAA titles, but a WPIAL team hasn't won one since 1995 when Penn Hills beat Lower Dauphin, 35-14. Since then, teams from District 1, where Neshaminy is from, have dominated the game, winning five of the past six.

Woodland Hills is 0-2 in PIAA title games and has been outscored, 70-21, in those two games.

Since the inception of the PIAA championship games in 1988, the WPIAL has been represented 40 times between the four classes. In those games, teams from the district have won 17 and lost 23. However, 17 is the most wins by any district. District 2 (10) is the only other district with 10 or more -- and six of those came from Berwick. District 1 is third with eight.