YORK, Pa. — Steelton-Highspire's state-playoff quest continues after a dramatic last-second 42-35 victory over Northern Lehigh in Saturday's Class 1A quarterfinal.
The Rollers' reward?
A rematch with the team that ended their postseason run last year.
Steel-High will face District 4 champion Canton Friday night at 7 p.m. at Shamokin High School.
The Warriors defeated the Rollers 32-27 in the quarterfinal round of last year's state playoffs, before falling to eventual state champion Bishop Guifoyle in the semifinals.
Canton brings back several key figures from the team that eliminated Steel-High last year, including top rusher Riley Parker and imposing fullback/linebacker Weston Bellows.
Friday's winner will face either District 7 champ Union (12-3) or District 9 champ Port Allegheny (12-1) in the state championship game on Thursday, Dec. 8 at Cumberland Valley High School. Union and Port Allegheny will square off Friday night at Clarion University.
Here's a look at Friday's semifinal clash between Steel-High and Canton:
Steel-High (12-1) vs. Canton (13-1)
Friday, 7 p.m. at Shamokin High School
ABOUT CANTON: The Warriors captured their second straight District 4 championship with a resounding 42-7 victory over arch-rival Muncy, then opened the state playoffs with a 42-13 triumph over District 6 champ Northern Cambria last week.
In that game, Canton returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown on its way to a 28-0 explosion in the first half. Northern Cambria managed to play the Warriors evenly the rest of the way, but by that point the damage was already done.
Canton held Northern Cambria QB Cameron Bougher, a 2,000-yard passer, to 71 yards on 9-of-20 passing. The Warriors intercepted him twice, returning one 25 yards for a touchdown.
Northern Cambria managed 229 total yards and turned the ball over three times.
It was the fourth straight win for Canton. The only blemish on the Warriors' record is a 23-0 defeat against eventual District 4 Class 4A champ Jersey Shore on Oct. 21.
The Warriors average 40.7 points per game on offense, relying mostly on the ground game. Parker, a 6-0, 190-pound senior, is the leading rusher, with 1,397 yards and 25 touchdowns on 146 carries. He had 107 yards and a score on 10 rushes against Northern Cambria, and also scored on a 25-yard pick-six.
Bellows, a 5-10, 190-pound senior fullback, scored on a 77-yard kickoff return to open the game, while Hayden Ward and Hudson Ward both scored on rushing touchdowns as well. That trio has accounted for an additional 891 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns this season.
Canton has just 772 passing yards this season, though six different players have thrown at least once. Starting QB Austin Allen has completed 23 of 37 passes for 347 yards and three scores.
The Warriors have scored five special teams touchdowns, four on punt returns. Canton's defense has posted five shutouts this season and allows 8.2 points per game.
In last year's victory over Steel-High, Parker rushed for 134 yards and four touchdowns on 19 carries to lift the Warriors, who benefitted from four Steel-High turnovers.
Bellow added an 89-yard touchdown reception in last year's game for Canton.
Steel-High had a chance to catch Canton when the Rollers got the ball back with just over two minutes remaining, but the Warriors forced Steel-High to turn the ball over on downs after just four plays and knelt out the clock.
ABOUT STEEL-HIGH: The Rollers' flair for the dramatic was in full effect in last week's victory over Northern Lehigh. QB Alex Erby hit wideout Jaeion Perry on a 20-yard touchdown strike with four seconds left to lift Steel-High to victory.
The play capped a 58-yard scoring march that began with 23 seconds left. Perry, who finished with five catches for 68 yards, managed to keep his feet in bounds as he hauled in Erby's throw at the right sideline in the end zone.
It was a sloppy yet satisfying win for the Rollers, who committed 11 penalties for 141 yards and struggled to get their powerful offense untracked against the Bulldogs.
But Steel-High exploded for 28 fourth-quarter points, fueled by Erby's two touchdown passes and a pair of scores by running back Ronald Burnette, who rushed for 212 yards on 20 carries and found the end zone three times in all.
Erby finished with 134 yards on 12-of-15 passing and added a third touchdown on a 3-yard run.
The game featured 819 total yards, with Steel-High barely outgaining the Bulldogs 412-407.
It was the 11th straight victory for the Rollers, whose only loss -- a 38-18 setback to unbeaten District 8 champion and Class 2A state semifinalist Westinghouse -- came all the way back in Week 2.
Erby, a junior, led the Rollers to a state title as a freshman and has won three straight district crowns. He's already Steel-High's all-time leading passer, with 8,299 career yards and 113 touchdowns. This season, he's thrown for 2,545 yards and 42 TDs for the Rollers.
Burnette has rushed for 416 yards and six touchdowns in his last two games, nearly equaling his regular-season totals (455 yards, eight TDs).
Perry (44-576, 9 TDs) and Durrell Caesar Jr. (63-1,050, 15 TDs) are the Rollers' top receivers.
Steel-High is seeking its fourth PIAA Class 1A title since 1988. The Rollers rank fourth all-time among Pennsylvania programs with 793 victories, according to PA Football News.
