Waynesburg’s rise gives hope to Charleroi
Rob Burchianti
Rob Burchianti | 缅北禁地
Rob Burchianti | 缅北禁地
Charleroi coach Tyler Aeschbacher encourages his players during a timeout in Friday night鈥檚 game against Waynesburg Central at Myron Pottios Stadium.
Waynesburg Central coach Aaron Giorgi talks with Colby Pauley during a timeout in Friday night鈥檚 game against Charleroi at Myron Pottios Stadium. Giorgi led the Raiders to a 7-3 record and a playoff berth one year after a winless season. (Photo by Rob Burchianti)
Sometimes is you鈥檙e facing a difficult assignment, watching somebody else succeed at it can give you the boost of confidence you need to do the same.
Charleroi got a close-up look at Waynesburg Central鈥檚 football team on Friday night and watched the Raiders complete a 7-3 season and clinch a WPIAL playoff spot with a 45-27 win over the Cougars.
Waynesburg was coming off a 0-10 season.
The loss to the Raiders wrapped up a 0-9 season for Charleroi.
It may be unlikely for the Cougars to pull off a rare seven-game turnaround as Waynesburg did, but first-year coach Tyler Aeschbacher took note of the Raiders鈥� accomplishment.
鈥淐redit to them for what they did,鈥� said Aeschbacher, whose team showed great character against Waynesburg in not caving in after falling behind 28-0 midway through the second quarter.
Rather than dejectedly go through the motions, the Cougars fought back and got to within 28-20 and battled the Raiders fairly evenly the rest of the game.
Waynesburg didn鈥檛 completely put the game away until Dalton Taylor kicked a 22-yard field with 4:08 left to make it a three-score lead.
Raiders coach Aaron Giorgi guided the team last year but rather than dwell on the disappointment of their record in looking back, he commended his players for fighting through adversity.
鈥淭he guys that stepped in and played last year did the absolute very best that they could do,鈥� Giorgi told Observer-Reporter sports writer Jonathan Guth in August. 鈥淎nd I could not be more proud of the effort they gave.鈥�
Giorgi鈥檚 handling of the situation likely helped set the team up for this year鈥檚 success, although it鈥檚 safe to say no one expected a 7-3 season.
Waynesburg senior Jake Stephenson, who missed all of last year due to injury and also was inactive in Friday night鈥檚 game, felt a strong bounce-back season was possible and was thrilled to see his teammates come though Friday night.
鈥淚t鈥檚 awesome. From 0-10 to 7-3, not a lot of people can say they鈥檝e done that,鈥� Stephenson said. 鈥淲e knew we had a good group of guys and that we were going to be legit. We believed in ourselves.鈥�
Aeschbacher, like Giorgi, gave credit to his team for never giving up in tough times, and lauded his seniors, which included Gianna Pellegrini, who had 145 receiving yards, 55 rushing yards and two touchdowns against Waynesburg, and Daniel Hudock, who caught an incredible 16 passes for 131 yards.
鈥淚 love the seniors and am so proud of them,鈥� Aeschbacher said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been tough for them over the last four years. They鈥檝e had to go through covid and so many coaching changes and they鈥檝e battled through that adversity, and I think they鈥檝e all come out as better men.
鈥淭hey were some big pieces for us and we鈥檙e going to miss them. But I鈥檓 excited about our future. We鈥檙e so young. My offensive line, most of those kids are freshmen and sophomores. To be able to put some weight on those guys and get them back next year, they can only get better.
鈥淎ll these kids deserve credit for fighting and battling all season, I don鈥檛 care what our record was. I couldn鈥檛 be more proud of them.鈥�
Aeschbacher, a Carmichaels graduate who played under coach Ryan Krull and once returned a kickoff 78 yards for a touchdown in a playoff game, has been part of a successful program, and is determined to see the Cougars鈥� rise up again.
鈥淚f we as a team continue what we鈥檙e doing, there will be improvement, as there was throughout this season,鈥� Aeschbacher said.
鈥淚鈥檓 confident things will turn around for us.鈥�