PIAA sets site for Exeter’s Class 5A semifinal vs. Penn-Trafford

By Mike Drago Last updated Nov 29, 2021

Penn-Trafford’s Cade Yacamelli slips past Moon’s Jalen Broxie. (Photo courtesy Emily Matthews/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Apparently September football is overrated.

Penn-Trafford, like Exeter, was 2-2 after the first month of the season. Friday those teams will meet to determine a spot in the PIAA Class 5A championship game.

The Warriors (11-2) won their first District 7 championship Saturday, beating undefeated Moon 24-21 when the Tigers missed a potential 33-yard game-tying field goal with two seconds left.

The Eagles (10-3) took out an unbeaten, as well, topping Gov. Mifflin 31-28 in the District 3 championship.

Exeter meets Penn-Trafford Friday at 7 at Bald Eagle High School, in Wingate, just north of State College.

It will be the first PIAA playoff game for either school.

The PIAA championship game is Friday, Dec. 10, at Hersheypark Stadium at 7.

The Warriors lost two in a row in mid-September, losing to state-ranked Belle Vernon 27-7 and Peters Township 28-14. They haven’t lost since, winning nine straight.

They had little trouble in the early rounds of the playoffs, beating Fox Chapel 42-14 and defending state champion Pine-Richland 24-6 in the semifinals.

The title game, played at snowy Heinz Field, was a little tougher. The Warriors trailed 21-17 at the half before taking the lead in the third quarter on quarterback Carter Green’s 29-yard run.

Penn-Trafford’s top player is Wisconsin recruit Cade Yacamelli, who rushed for 36 rushing yards against Moon. He has 1,634 on the season. Green ran for 87 yards in the championship game and has 1,106 for the season.

Moon ran 70 plays, compared to Penn-Trafford’s 40, and drove the field in the final minutes. It used 15 plays to move from its 20, with 2:45 left, to the 16 before attempting a field goal. The kick sailed wide right.

Exeter got its go-ahead score early in the fourth quarter when Eric Nangle broke out of the pile and went 31 yards to the end zone for a 31-28 lead. Nangle rushed for 221 yards and scored two TDs and Colin Payne completed 13-of-21 passes for 161 yards. He threw a pair of TD passes to Joey Schlaffer.

The Eagles were 2-2 after a Sept. 17 loss to Hempfield and 4-3 after a 54-21 loss to Gov. Mifflin. They have won six straight since, including four in the district playoffs.