DUNCANNON, Pa. – Chestnut Ridge entered the first round of the PIAA Class 2A football tournament against a powerful Steelton-Highspire team that averaged almost 50 points per game and the Steamrollers lived up to the hype. They held the Lions’ offense in check, and beat them 52-20 Friday night at Susquenita High School.
On the third play from scrimmage, Steelton-Highspire’s Jerome Ross broke through for 60 yards and a score. Ross added the two-point conversion and an 8-0 lead.
WTAJ | Chestnut Ridge at Steelton-Highspire
Aided by two penalties, the Lions marched down the field before the drive stalled.
Steelton-Highspire tallied another score on a Ross 13-yard scamper and Ross added the conversion for a 16-0 lead.
Chestnut Ridge fumbled the ball away and six plays later, the Steamrollers led 24-0 on a 26-yard pass from Kayden Cole-Stephens to Jaishawn George.
The Lions struggled to move the ball on offense, but did well on occasion. Turnovers and fumbles in particular hurt them. An underthrown pass on a drive in the red zone resulted in Silas Hernandez picking it off at the 1 and outracing everybody 99 yards for a score.
Chestnut Ridge (6-7) finally put a complete drive together and Carter Wharton capped it off with a 6-yard score. A fumbled snap doomed the extra point.
George returned the ensuing kickoff for a score, but the Steamrollers were called for holding and the score was nullified.
The Lions fumbled the ball on the second play of the final half and the Steamrollers scored on a Stephens pass to Kalvin Pillier for 10 yards.
After stopping the Lions on downs, George scored from six yards out and the Rollers led 46-6.
Cameron Hillegrass and Wharton scored second-half touchdowns for the Lions, who found their footing in the second half, but the mercy rule had kicked in by that point.
“The things that we do well, they were able to stop,” Lions coach Max Shoemaker said. “They scouted us well and took the things away. That team is loaded with talent and speed, and they took advantage of having those athletes on the field at the same time.
“Coach (Andrew) Erby does a great job with that team. We did a better job in the second half of running the ball and these kids never quit. We have a good group of seniors who were finally able to win a district championship and led the way for the younger players. They will be missed.”
Steelton-Highspire (10-2) moves on to play District 4 champion Southern Columbia, a 42-0 winner Friday over Troy.
