Top-ranked Wyomissing set for rematch Saturday in PIAA semifinal (updated)
Wyomissing will get a PIAA Class 3A semifinal rematch after Neumann-Goretti beat Northwestern Lehigh 38-6 Saturday at the South Philadelphia Super Site.
They’ll meet Saturday at 1 at Benjamin Johnston Stadium, the Germantown Supersite in Philadelphia.
The Spartans beat Neumann-Goretti 42-6 last year at Pennridge High School, sending them to their second straight PIAA championship game.
Wyomissing (13-0) advanced Friday with a thrilling 21-19 win at Danville, a game that wasn’t decided until the Ironmen missed a 32-yard field goal in the final seconds.
Wyomissing is ranked No. 1 in the state by PennLive.com; Goretti moved into the rankings last week at No. 9.
The Spartans dominated last year’s contest with the Saints, though there were some anxious moments in the first quarter as Goretti came out in Wildcat Formation Wyomissing hadn’t prepared for and went right down the field to take a 6-0 lead.
“We couldn’t stop what they were doing,” Wyomissing coach Bob Wolfrum said after that game. “We were getting out butts kicked.”
When Division I recruit Shawn Battle scored from the 2 six minutes into the game the Spartans trailed for the first time all season.
Wyomissing’s dominant front line and running game took over after that and the Saints managed just two more first downs the rest of the game.
Drew Eisenhower scored a pair of touchdowns and Ben Zechman threw a pair of TDs. Wyomissing broke the game open with three TDs in the first 6 1/2 minutes of the second half.
Amory Thompson and Tommy Grabowski each rushed for over 100 yards as the Spartans out-gained the Saints 347-141.
The District 12 champion Saints (8-3) had their way with District 11 champ Northwestern Lehigh (11-3) Saturday as Battle ran for three TDs and returned an interception 104 yards for a TD.
Wyomissing has beaten Goretti each of the four times they’ve met.
The Saints were 3-3 at midseason after losses to William Penn Charter, Bonner-Prendergast and Conwell-Egan. They started a six-game winning streak with a 38-0 win over Archbishop Ryan, beat Kipp-DuBois Collegiate Academy 52-0 for the District 12 championship and Scranton Prep 22-14 in its PIAA opener.
Goretti played on Thanksgiving Day, beating South Philadelphia 26-20, just two days before its state quarterfinal.
Wyomissing played at Johnston Stadium in 2012, beating Imhotep Charter 35-13 to reach rthe PIAA championship game for the first time.