Avonworth, TJ, Farrell High Schools All Get Big Sendoffs To Hershey For Football Championship Games
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Some Western Pennsylvania high schools are going for football glory over the next several days.
Farrell High School, in Mercer County, is looking to repeat as Class A champs. They got an escort from local police and firefighters as they left for Hershey.
Farrell beat Bishop Guilfoyle 10-7 in overtime to win the state title on Thursday.
Thomas Jefferson won the Class AAAA title game with a win over Dallas on Thursday.
The Jaguars got their own big sendoff yesterday with a pep rally attended by kids from Jefferson Hills Intermediate School, which is right across the street from the new TJ High School.
That's not all.
Avonworth High School is playing in the Class AA title game on Friday. The team left for Hershey on two big charter buses this morning.
Central Valley went for the Class AAA championship on Saturday but lost 21-14 to Wyoming Area.
WATCH: Avonworth HS Sendoff --
PLAYING FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP! ???? The Avonworth High School Football team is getting ready to leave for Hershey! They'll play in the Class AA Title Game tomorrow. MORE: https://cbsloc.al/2qohSMl
Posted by KDKA-TV | CBS Pittsburgh on Thursday, December 5, 2019
For Jax Miller and his teammates, the chance to play in a state championship football game is a dream come true. The Avonworth High School senior is a star running back, who led the team to its first WPIAL championship in 60 years.
"It's definitely a cool experience," said Miller. "It's fun to go out our senior year and go as far as we can. It definitely sends a message to the rest of the kids underneath us."
The AA champion Avonworth Lopes, which is short for antelopes, have won all 15 games this season.
Head coach Duke Johncour says his team has what it takes to bring home a state championship.
"It's us," Johncour told KDKA's Lisa Washington.
"We talk about doing and being us -- and pick each other up, next man up and they've played together and they've worked together and they're unselfish. And that's been the tribute to our success, absolutely. They play as a team," he said.
Junior Drew Harper, an outside linebacker and wide receiver said the team already has a winning attitude.
"We're all excited for this game," said Harper. "We worked really hard to get here, and every season everybody looks forward to this and we got a chance to carry it out, which is awesome."
The team is supported by the Avonworth community.
Thursday morning, a few parents stood out in the cold to watch the team and coaches board buses for Hershey.
The Avonworth Lopes lost to Southern Columbia on Friday in the championship game.