This week’s WPIAL Blitz show features an interview with Fort Cherry Head Coach Tanner Garry. Coach Garry is in his first year as head coach of the Rangers. Both his father and grandfather coached Fort Cherry and the field is named in honor of his grandfather. His passion for the program certainly shines through. He inherited a program that had lost 18 straight games and that streak extended to 21 before the Rangers topped Northgate in Week 4. Then last week they pulled what is possibly the upset of the season, beating undefeated Rochester 21-19. Fort Cherry has a strong tradition as a program with WPIAL Championship Game appearances in 2001 (where they lost to Rochester) and 1997. They also boasted the vaunted “Snake Pit” defense of 1974 that featured future Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis.
RANGER THROWBACK
Fort Cherry has always been vaunted for defense and this 1974 club might’ve been the best! Nicknamed “The Snake Pit” by head coach Jim Garry, this squad surrendered 0 points in 6 of their 9 games that season! #KnowYourRoots pic.twitter.com/hBuSUc4vW9
— #TheFort (@FortCherryFB) September 17, 2020
The WPIAL Blitz Show features Ian and Bruce from Small Player Big Play. The WPIAL Blitz Show is available for FREE all season on YouTube and through the Small Player Big Play App, which provides schools and youth sports organizations the opportunity to fundraise by live-streaming their games and events. Check out their Twitter page and get the app for free on Apple or Andriod devices.
Topics covered on this week’s show include:
- Interview with Coach Garry
- Update on WPIAL Playoff Structure and the Impact of COVID
- Key Results from Week 5
- Rundown of WPIAL Standings and Key Matchups for Week 6
On the show we talked a bit about Aliquippa’s big win over Chartiers Valley. Here is the picture of the 35-player Quip roster that has been floating around social media:
It’s some talented kids within this small roster as well!! We will compete no matter what tho!! ???? #QUIPS???? #WhateverA pic.twitter.com/xDTR5rxO3c
— QuipBBallAnFB??) (@EverythingQuip) October 12, 2020
Also, the highlight of the week was the 102-yard pick-six that the Quips had to put them ahead 14-0 early in the first quarter:
Thanks you to all who took park in #WTAE "Play of the Week" voting! 33,000-plus votes cast and here's your winner: Aliquippa's Cyair Clark with the end zone pick and 102 yard interception return for the score! So nice we are going to show it to you twice. pic.twitter.com/sYSjxlQNUE
— Andrew Stockey (@astockeyWTAE) October 12, 2020
Don’t forget to follow our WPIAL-focused Twitter account @WPIAL_Blitz, check out our WPIAL Standings Page and follow along with all of our WPIAL football coverage here on Steel City Blitz.
