For 12-27-92 
Boycott Baseball? Ok, Fine -- But You Go First 
It Doesn't Seem So Long Ago That Kirby Puckett Created A Fuss By Becoming The 
First Baseball Player To Collect A $3 Million Salary.

What About 
Those Raises?

By BOB NOCEK; Times Leader Sports Writer
 Monday, December 21, 1992 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 





ALTOONA -- Still wearing the worn white-and-blue jersey, Ron Powlus fought
back the emotions, trying hard not to believe it was all over. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 His coach asked him if he was going to take off that legendary No. 7 any
time soon, and Powlus said, "I don't want to." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Saturday, he turned in another remarkable performance in the most
incredible of careers, and it was certainly the most important of them all. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 After all, Berwick's 33-6 win over Blackhawk (14-1) gave the Dawgs (15-0)
the PIAA Class AAA Football Championship at Mansion Park in Altoona Saturday
before a crowd of over 10,000. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "They could be one of the best ever," Berwick coach George Curry said of
his Dawgs, who have been the nation's top-ranked football team -- according to
USA Today -- all season long. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "If I'm voting, they're the No.1 team in the nation," said Blackhawk coach
Joe Hamilton. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Even after trailing for the first time all year, Powlus rallied his Bulldog
teammates and led them on to Berwick's first state title since 1988, the
second-ever in school history. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But his 200-yard, four-touchdown-pass afternoon was the last high school
game ever for Powlus, who has earned national Player of the Year Honors from
PARADE Magazine, Gatorade Circle of Champions and the Tampa Touchdown Club. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 What a day, what a season, what a career it all was. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "It was perfect," said Powlus, who at times was clearly fighting tears.
"Everything about my season, my career has been perfect. That's the only word
for it." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 His 200 passing yards was a record for a PIAA Class AAA state championship
game, and he completed 14 of his 28 passes, and was intercepted once. He even
reversed roles in the second half, catching a 13-yard pass from wide receiver
Dan Pecorelli. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "We're going to read about him for years," said Hamilton. "He's the best
I've ever seen. He's the catalyst that makes that team go, and he's got a
great supporting cast." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Chris Orlando and Bill Hetler shared center stage with Powlus at the
post-game press conference. Orlando was there for his three touchdown catches
and Hetler for his pair of scores in an outstanding, unexpected role as
Berwick's fullback after Jason Soboleski was hobbled in the first half by a
sprained ankle. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 For the senior trio, it was clearly an emotional time. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "This is the best," Orlando said. "I'd start it all over if I have to. I
love it." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Before we went out for the game we said it's our last game together, and
we all knew it," Hetler said. "We played our hearts out." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Orlando wound up catching six passes for 110 yards, including three
first-half touchdowns that brought the Dawgs back from the early 6-0 deficit. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Meanwhile, Hetler rushed for Berwick's two second-half touchdowns,
collecting 41 total yards on seven carries in place of Soboleski, who didn't
run all day because of the first-half injury. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "They didn't skip a beat," Hamilton said. "He's at least as good, if not
better." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 For the first time all year, Berwick found itself trailing after Blackhawk
quarterback Jeff Weaver scored on a five-yard touchdown run on the Cougars'
first possession of the game, just three minutes into the first quarter. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But for Blackhawk, that was all, despite some solid rushing by Pat Cutshall
and Brian Smith, who teamed up for 121 of Blackhawk's 150 yards. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The Cougars were devastated by three lost fumbles and a pair of
interceptions, as well as nine penalties for 90 yards -- their share of a
playoff record total 20 penalties for 183 yards between the two teams. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "That was very uncharacteristic of us," said Hamilton. "But we're not
making any excuses. (Penalties) didn't beat us, Berwick beat us." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Soundly. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 It took Powlus just six plays on Berwick's first possession to drive the
Dawgs into the Blackhawk end zone after the Cougars' early score. He completed
four of four passes for 76 yards on the drive, including the 36-yard touchdown
pass to Orlando that tied the game. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "We saw our task on the scoreboard," Powlus said. "They happened to break
one for a touchdown, but we knew what we had to do. Them scoring showed us
what we had to do." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 And Berwick just did it over again. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Powlus hit Orlando with two more touchdown passes in the first half, an
eight-yarder late in the first quarter and a 17-yarder in the second, for a
19-6 halftime lead. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Any time he throws," said Blackhawk's Smith, "he can put it in the end
zone." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 That happened once more in the fourth quarter, but not before Hetler
delivered his first touchdown on a five-yard carry in the third for a 26-6
Berwick lead. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "He just told me to give him the ball, and he'd get the job done," Curry
said. "If Billy Hetler were at any other high school, he'd be an all-state
fullback. He's a great football player." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 From one great player to another, Powlus threw his last Berwick touchdown
to Hetler with 3:20 remaining in the game, a six-yard completion that wrapped
up the Dawgs' state title. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 And it put the finishing touch on Powlus' incredible career. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "It's the last time ever," he said sadly. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "It was perfect. Nothing could have been more right." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 BERWICK 12 7 7 7--33 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 BLACKHAWK 6 0 0 0-- 6 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 First Quarter &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 BLA - Weaver 5 run (kick blocked) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 BER - Orlando 36 pass from Powlus (kick blocked) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 BER - Orlando 8 pass from Powlus (kick blocked) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Second Quarter &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 BER - Orlando 17 pass from Powlus (Powlus kick) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Third Quarter &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 BER - Hetler 5 run (Powlus kick) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Fourth Quarter &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 BER - Hetler 6 pass from Powlus (Powlus kick) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 RUSHING: BERWICK -- Powlus 8-52; Hetler 7-44; Sobolewski 10-25; Hayes 4-16;
Stoker 1-0; Pecorelli 1-(-2); Mason 1-(-5). BLACKHAWK -- Cutshall 16-88; Smith
12-41; Wissner 1-8; Je.Weaver 2-7; McGraw 2-6; Hage 1-0. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 PASSING: BERWICK -- Powlus 14-28-1, 200 yds; Pecorelli 1-1-0, 13 yds.
BLACKHAWK -- Je.Weaver 1-11-2, 9 yds; Cutshall 0-2-0. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 RECEIVING: BERWICK -- Orlando 6-110; Hetler 4-35; Pecorelli 2-23; Hayes
2-32; Powlus 1-13. BLACKHAWK -- Landsberger 1-9.

1c It's All Dawgs! Berwick Wins State Aaa Title Powlus, Bulldogs Solidify Spots As The Best In The United States