WPIAL 1A Champions

When the OLSH Chargers football team took the field for the first time ever on Saturday, September 11, 2010, there was no way to predict that just eight years (and two months) later the team would be stepping onto Heinz Field to play for – and win – the WPIAL 1A Championship game. For a program that had the mercy rule invoked in the majority of its games just three years ago, earning the title of WPIAL Champion seemed out of reach. But with a combination of hard work, tenacity, and talent among the players, and a solid strategy for success on the part of their coaches, the Chargers turned a dream into a reality.

Throughout the 2018 season, the Chargers took down one opponent after the next, winning all but one regular season game against defending state champion Jeannette in a nonconference match-up. Throughout the season the local sports media sang the praises of the talented Chargers squad, and with sixteen seniors on the team, there was plenty to talk about. Quarterback Tyler Bradley ‘19 ended his high school career with 8,346 passing yards – the fourth best in WPIAL history. He reached that feat by having solid offensive line protection and a wealth of receivers to target including Austin Wigley ’19, Richard Banks ’19, Sig Saftner ’19, and Andrew Schnarre ’19. The Chargers defense including linebackers Matthew Gauntner ’19 and Ryan Parry ’19 and defensive linemen Brock Saftner ’20, Eric Olexa ’19, and Noah Campalong ’19, consistently did its job, earning the nickname “Purple Reign” from fans and the OLSH Sports Network broadcasters.

On November 17, the Chargers suited up at Heinz Field, ready to take on the Rochester Rams for the second time this season. OLSH dominated in the first half, starting with Eric Olexa

‘19 forcing a turnover on Rochester’s first offensive play. The game remained scoreless and focused on defense as the teams’ offensive strategies proved unsuccessful. Tyler Bradley ’19 ran the ball in for the first touchdown of the game and then threw a perfect pass to Andrew Schnarre ‘19 for the second TD. Ryan Gehring ‘22 was solid with both extra points, and the Chargers led 14-0 at halftime. The Rams scored a touchdown in the 3rd quarter to make it 14-6, but that is as close as it would get. Sig Saftner ’19 and Richard Banks ’19 each scored touchdowns in the fourth quarter, taking the score to 28-6. Bobby Brazell ‘21’s interception with 4:27 left in the fourth quarter ended a Rochester drive and gave the Chargers control at the end of the game. The team and fans celebrated as team captains accepted the WPIAL trophy, representing OLSH’s first WPIAL Football Championship in school history and only the second WPIAL team championship for the school (Boys Cross Country won the WPIAL title in 2012). The celebration continued as the Coraopolis and Neville Island Volunteer Fire Departments escorted the team back to campus and the school celebrated the victory with a pep rally Monday morning. But, the excitement had to be contained as the team would continue on into the PIAA playoffs.

Ironically the historic 2018 Chargers football season began and ended in the same place – Slippery Rock University. The team attended camp together there in August. The foundation laid at the training camp at SRU surely paid dividends throughout the season, which came to an end on November 30 when the Farrell Steelers defeated our Chargers in the PIAA 1A Semifinal game played at Slippery Rock University. While the team’s hope of a state championship was not realized, the players, fans, parents, alumni, and coaches are all proud of the team’s outstanding and historic run. •