State Playoff Recaps, 2009

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CLASS AA
First Round
At Palisades
  West Catholic 13, Dunmore 0: With his brother, Rob, star rusher for the '08 Burrs, back from prep school to watch, Brandon Hollomon turned 33 carries into 217 yards. The TDs, however, went to Quran Kent on a pass from Jarred Evans and to Kaheem Summerville on a 4-yard run (as Hollomon nursed a cramp). Bill Tobin and Lamont Davis helped to preserve the lead by making fourth quarter interceptions.
Quarterfinal
At Palisades
  West Catholic 19, North Schuylkill 14: The Burrs showed variety in scoring their TDs as Jarred Evans passed 76 yards to Quran Kent, Kevin Malone went 42 with an interception and Brian Mosby ran for 20. Brandon Hollomon carried 17 times for 74 yards while Ray Manuel hustled for nine tackles and forced a fumble. John Ruppert recovered that one, and another. NS' final three possessions began inside West territory. Didn't matter.
Semifinal
At Coatesville
  Lancaster Catholic 23, West Catholic 21: Brandon Hollomon used a 49-yard run to give West a 21-17 lead with 7:31 left, but the Crusaders covered 72 yards in 10 plays as Kyle Smith, who already owned the state record for season TD passes, continued his magic. Jarred Evans finished 10-for-14 for 135 yards and a TD to Jim Lynch, who added 2 1/2 sacks and blocked a field goal attempt. Dante Dickens made seven tackles.

CLASS AAA
First Round
  Wood had a bye.
Quarterfinal
At Northeast
  Wood 30, Pottsgrove 28: Jerry Rahill ran or passed on 36 of Wood's 42 plays and scored the winning TD on a 9-yard, right-side keeper with 59 seconds remaining. Overall, he accounted for 339 yards thanks to 14-for-22, 245-yard passing (one TD) and 14-94 running (two more scores). Sam McCain, first cousin of Atlanta Falcons QB Matt Ryan, made six catches for 92 yards and five came on scoring drives. His last three snags were posted during the game-winner. Scott Adkins began the evening by returning the opening kickoff 85 yards for a TD. It was the sixth different way he'd scored in '09.
Semifinal
At Hersheypark Stadium
  Selinsgrove 28, Wood 0: Jerry Rahill passed 12-for-29 for 159 yards, but was victimized for four interceptions and lost a fumble as the victors blitzed early and often. Sam McCain made seven snags for 97 yards; he and Scott Adkins (career No. 13) posted picks.

CLASS AAAA
First Round
  La Salle and Washington met for the City Title.
Quarterfinal
At Bethlehem Liberty
  La Salle 17, Easton 14: Snow started shortly before kickoff and La Salle fell into a 14-0 hole within 6 minutes, 40 seconds. Its TDs came 2:41 apart in the second quarter as quarterback Drew Loughery negotiated 17 yards on a draw and then whipped a 5-yard pass to tight end Steve Jones. In between, Steve Szostak recovered a fumble. Mike Bennett, a left-footer, ignored the slick surface to hit his two PATs, blast a 35-yard field goal to break a 14-14 tie with 53 seconds left in the third quarter, and send all four of his kickoffs to at least the 2 (two sailed into the end zone). Steve Sinnott made eight tackles, with a sack and another TFL among them.
Semifinal
At Northeast
  La Salle 35, Ridley 7: Before an overflow crowd, the Explorers used a 28-0 second half to post an easy win. After passing 10-for-13 for 104 yards and scoring twice on 1-yard thrusts, Drew Loughery gave offensive coordinator Brett Gordon a game ball for his son, Luke Joseph, born two days earlier. Gordon arrived just as the game began and spent the first half upstairs. He ran the second half show at field level. Jamal Abdur-Rahman (21-118, two) and Tim Wade combined for three rushing TDs while Anthony Cognetti (two), Steve Szostak, Pat Resch and Vinny Migliarese recovered fumbles.
Final
At Hersheypark Stadium
  La Salle 24, State College 7: Again the white stuff agreed with the Explorers, who gave the Catholic League its first state football title in just Year No. 2 of PIAA membership. With heavy snow predicted (for once, the weather folks were correct), the game was moved up from 7 to 2 p.m. Mike Bennett opened the scoring by hitting a 37-yard field goal and that success enabled him to tie 2003 SJ Prep grad Pat Kaiser for the city record, with 26. Jamal Abdur-Rahman, Tim Wade and wideout Sam Feleccia (55 yards; 21-160), who received extended RB duty after Abdur-Rahman suffered a knee injury, ran for one TD apiece. Drew Loughery passed 5-for-11 for 109 yards. Steve Sinnott (seven tackles) forced/recovered a fumble and Vinny Migliarese intercepted a late pass. The artificial surface was kept relatively decent by a snow plow and guys with shovels. Due to safety concerns, La Salle officials canceled five buses (two for the band, three for other students).