Knoch hosting South Park to begin 3A playoffs
JEFFERSON TWP — South Park head football coach Brian Abbey waited a long time to get that position.
He’s making it count.
Abbey was an assistant coach with the Eagles for 20 years. South Park won WPIAL and state titles in 1997 and 2005. He took over as head coach prior to this season. South Park is 6-4 and travels to Knoch (8-2) for a first-round WPIAL 3A playoff game at 7 p.m. Friday.
“They are a very talented team, offensively and defensively,” Knoch coach Tim Burchett said. “They come from a very good conference ... This feels like a No. 5 seed vs. a No. 6 rather than a 5 vs.12.”
The four teams to defeat South Park — Beaver, Avonworth, McGuffey and West Mifflin — have a combined record of 31-9 on the year. Knoch has lost only to East Allegheny and Elizabeth Forward, who sport a combined 17-3 mark.
“Knoch is a great story, vastly improved,” Abbey said. “Our teams are similar in a lot of ways. We play a lot of guys both ways and so do they. There are two standout teams in WPIAL 3A, then the playoff field seems pretty balanced.
“What’s happened before this week doesn’t matter much. Everybody’s starting over. That’s how we’re looking at it.”
The Eagles reached the playoffs last season, losing in the first round. The Knights were 1-9 last season, are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2014 and are hosting a postseason game for the first time since 2011.
Burchett said he’s trying to keep his team locked in on a normal week.
“There’s no denying the finality of the playoffs,” he said. “Either way, this is the last home game for our seniors. We just don’t want it to be our last game of the season. This is high school football. We’re dealing with 15 to 18-year-old kids.
“You never know what can happen. Teams get upset. Teams enjoy lopsided victories. I’ve been on both sides of that. We’re just looking to have a normal week of practice, go out and play the game.”
Quarterback Zach Ludwig has completed 42 of 90 passes for 691 yards, six touchdowns and nine interceptions for South Park. The 6-foot-3, 220-pound Ludwig has also rushed for 296 yards and plays middle linebacker, leading the team with 46 tackles.
Eric Doerue leads the Eagles rushing game with 1,197 yards and 11 touchdowns, including five 100-yard games. Kenyan Brown and A.J. D’Agostino have combined for 22 catches, 467 yarss and five touchdowns.
“We’re a run-first team,” Abbey admitted. “Eric is a second-year starter and a great athlete. He can run away from people in the open field and he’s not shy about running between the tackles.”
Trey Cunningham has four interceptions for South Park, which has 12 interceptions as a defense.
“Codi Mullen leads Knoch with 1,605 yards and 16 touchdowns passing. He’s rushed for 501 yards and four scores. Jackson Bauman has 34 catches for 487 yards and five TDs — though no receptions in last week’s 40-0 win at Valley — while Kaden Spencer has 32 catches for 579 yards and six touchdowns.
With Tony Nicolazzo likely out for the season, Ethan Alwine has taken over at running back. Alwine had three catches for 107 yards and two touchdowns last week and scored five touchdowns overall against Valley.
“He can do a lot more yet,” Burchett said of Alwine. “Ethan is good enough to be playing college football for free next year.”
Friday will mark the first football game played between the two schools.
