There was plenty of trash talking going on at midfield during warmups before Friday night’s Pine-Richland and Woodland Hills game. A few players were held back by their coaches at the 50-yard line, and even a couple coaches — including Pine-Richland head coach Jon LeDonne — were barking at each other.
But when the game started, barely a peep was heard from Woodland Hills. Meanwhile, it was like Pine-Richland had a megaphone.
Pine-Richland made all the noise and dominated host Woodland Hills in every facet of the game on the way to a 28-0 victory in a big WPIAL Class 5A game at the historic Wolvarena.
Pine-Richland senior running back Ethan Pillar and the Rams’ offensive and defensive lines were too much for Woodland Hills, who had won five in a row. Pillar, who set a WPIAL record with 56 carries in a game two weeks ago, takes direct snaps in the Rams’ wildcat offense. He ran the ball 26 times in the first half against Woodland Hills, took it easy in the second half and finished with 141 yards on 34 attempts. Pine-Richland’s defense also was terrific, holding Woodland Hills to 91 yards total offense.
The win lifted Pine-Richland, the Post-Gazette’s No. 3 5A team, to 6-3 overall and 3-1 in the Northeast Conference. But the Rams still must win next week against North Hills to ensure themselves of a playoff spot.
Woodland Hills (6-3, 3-1) is still alive for the playoffs and finishes the regular season next week against Penn Hills.
But about all that talkin’ before the game.
“It was a little bit of fun and a little personal,” LeDonne said. “Guys want to cross the 50-yard line and challenge us? I don’t speak my mind too often. But we’re still the defending state champs until someone knocks us off. You’re going to bark like that, then you better be ready to bite.”
Pine-Richland’s interior offensive line certainly had some bite. Ryan Cory, a Wisconsin recruit, Connor Dripps, James Cardinali, Nate Brown, and Jon Smith deserve plenty of credit for what Pillar is doing lately. Pine-Richland went to the wildcat offense almost exclusively two weeks ago in an upset of Central Catholic. Against Woodland Hills, Pine-Richland attempted only two passes.
“We’ve got the personnel [for the wildcat offense], the attitude and the conditioning to do it,” Cory said. “We’re going to control the ball on offense, we’re going to play some good defense, and that’s how we’re going to win games the rest of the way.”
Pine-Richland lineman Ryan Cory, Wisconsin recruit, on the Rams’ terrific running attack and how some trash talking before the game lit a little fire under the Rams. pic.twitter.com/XW65fSRSkL
— Mike White (@mwhiteburgh) October 21, 2023
That’s exactly how the Rams beat Woodland Hills. Pine-Richland’s defense held the Wolverines to one first down in the first half. Scoop Smith, a big-play receiver for Woodland Hills who came in as the third-leading receiver in the WPIAL with 43 receptions, did not catch a pass. Woodland Hills sophomore quarterback Cam Walter completed only 3 of 8 passes for 34 yards before leaving the game in the third quarter with a possible ACL injury, according to Woodland Hills coach Brian Tarrant.
“[Pine-Richland] knows what they have, and they know what scheme they should employ,” Tarrant said. “We had them at our place. We felt good with five straight games we won. We just didn’t do it tonight.”
The game was won in the first half when Pine-Richland took a 21-0 lead into the break. Just about everyone knows what Pine-Richland is going to do offensively now, but stopping it is something different.
“What are you going to do, pull all the defensive backs off the field and put seven linemen and four linebackers on?” LeDonne said. “There aren’t many defensive backs who want to come tackle a 215-pound running back like [Pillar] every play.”
Pine-Richland RB had a “light” load tonight. Only 34 carries two weeks after 56 attempts. He gained 141 yards against Woodland Hills. pic.twitter.com/L80ErzDBoZ
— Mike White (@mwhiteburgh) October 21, 2023
Of Pine-Richland’s 16 plays on its first two possessions, Pillar carried the ball on 15 of them. He capped off a five-play, 42-yard drive on Pine-Richland’s first possession with a 27-yard touchdown run. An 11-play, 42-yard drive on the Rams’ second possession ended with Pillar’s 2-yard touchdown run.
“Our offensive linemen put in work every day,” Pillar said. “Having Ryan Cory helps, and the push they give me and the other backs is really good.”
Pillar now has 1,189 yards rushing for the season on 212 carries.
“We felt confident that we could tackle this kid, get off blocks and muck things up for them,” Tarrant said. “You’ve got to tip your hats to those guys.”
Something unusual happened late in the first half. Pine-Richland threw two passes. The first was by Pillar and was batted down at the line. Then, on third-and-goal from the 10, Pine-Richland brought in freshman Aaron Strader at quarterback, and he hit Tanner Cunningham in the right corner of the end zone for a touchdown.
Strader scored Pine-Richland’s final touchdown on a 1-yard run in the fourth quarter.
Mike White: mwhite@post-gazette.com and Twitter @mwhiteburgh
First Published: October 21, 2023, 3:18 a.m.
Updated: October 21, 2023, 3:20 a.m.
