2022 D5 A Quarterfinal Game Preview Conemaugh Township @ Windber
Tagged under: District 5, News, Playoffs
Brian Ingalls | November 3, 2022
click to see brackets
The 2022 D5 A Football Playoffs begin this weekend. The 4 team tournament will conclude with the D5 A Championship on 11/11. The D5 A Champion will then enter the PIAA State A Playoffs to play the winner out of the D3 and D12 regional. Northern Bedford enters the D5 A tournament as the # 1 Seed and they have won the last 2 D5 A titles. Northern Bedford is undefeated on the season and is ranked as Honorable mention in the Pa Football News Rankings (check out all the rankings here: PFN Rankings ). Windber is the #2 Seed and they have won 8 D5 titles, but haven’t won the championship since 2008. Windber is ranked #6 in the PFN state rankings. Conemaugh Township is the #3 Seed and has 4 D5 titles with the last being in 2016. Tussey Mountain is the #4 Seed and has 3 D5 titles with the last being in 2019.
Conemaugh Township @ Windber
Windber is 9-1 on the season and finished #2 in the Western PA Athletic Conference. Windber beat Portage last week 31-0. Windber is ranked #6 in the Pa Football News State Rankings (check out all the PFN rankings here: PFN Rankings ). Windber’s only loss on the season is to the #8 AA State ranked team, Berlin. Windber is led on offense by Senior RB John Shuster, Senior QB Ethan Brady, and Junior RB Colin Marx. Shuster has rushed 149 times for 2,111 yards with 32 TDs. Shuster has a crazy 14.2 yards per carry this season. For his career, Shuster has over 6100 yards and has 97 TDs. Brady has passed 17-34 for 261 yards with 5 TDs and 1 INT. Marx has rushed 32 times for 449 yards and 8 TDs. The big Windber offensive line has led the way for 3,666 yards on the ground and 60 rushing TDs. Windber has averaged 47 points per game and has outscored their opponents 468-49. On defense Windber is led by Senior OLB/DT Dominic Bifano, Senior Blake Klosky, and Senior OLB Jake Hostetler. Bifano has 5 sacks and 32 tackles. Klosky has 68 tackles and 1 INT. Hostetler has 67 tackles. Windber has a very strong defense and has only given up, on average, 5 points per game.
Conemaugh Township is 6-4 on the season and finished 3rd in the Western PA Athletic Conference. Conemaugh Township started the season with 5 wins, but have dealt with numerous injuries especially at QB, which has derailed their season. Conemaugh Township has lost the last 3 games including a 34-7 loss to Northern Cambria last week. Conemaugh Township is led, on offense, by Senior QBTanner Shirley, Junior RB Jon Updyke, and Senior RB Ethan Black. Shirley has passed 67-107 for 1,248 yards with 13 TDs and 1 INT. The speedster Black, who won the PIAA AA State 100 and 200 meter race last year, has 39 receptions for 684 yards and 9 TDs. Black has also rushed 33 times for 210 yards and 3 TDs. Updyke has 30 receptions for 628 yards and 6 Tds. Updyke also has 51 carries for 342 yards and 9 TDs rushing. Conemaugh Township is led on defense by Senior Michael Shonko, Junior Tim Collins, and Senior Nathanael Snoeberger. Shonko has 71 tackles and 10 sacks. Collins has 63 tackles and 1 INT. Snoeberger has 56 tackles and 5 sacks.
Windber and Conemaugh Township played at Conemaugh Township two weeks ago. Windber won that game 61-0. Windber’s Shuster had 10 carries for 192 yards and 3 TDs in this game.
The winner of this game will play in the D5 A Championship on 11/11 against the winner of the Tussey Mountain/Northern Bedford game. Preview HERE
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