Charleroi High School Football

Ladies get ready! The Charleroi Cougars varsity football program will host a ladies night event featuring a "Purse Bash" on Friday May 31st at Fallowfield Fire Hall in Fallowfield township.   This year's event is sponsored by purse designers MICHE and COACH.  The bash will feature live paddle auctions, designer purse and prize giveaways, additional raffles as well as food and beverages throughout the evening.  Fan Association parent Shellie Shepherd is looking forward to the event. "The purse bash provides an opportunity for a fun girls night out, while supporting a great cause!" Shepherd's son will be a senior on the Cougars squad this year.  

Charleroi Football Fan Association (CFFA) President, Linda Waggoner, whose son is entering his junior season believes it's a unique way to fundraise for the program. "It's something different and exciting that will help our boys as we continue to build the football program at Charleroi."  Tickets for the event are $20 and only 300 are being sold.  To purchase tickets, contact Waggoner at (724) 366-0661 or any CFFA member, football player or coach.  

Eight Cougars were named to the Interstate Conference Football All-Star Team, which was released this week.

Five of those are Yough Cougars and three are Charleroi Cougars.

Charleroi’s contingent includes senior wide receiver Jim Diaz and juniors Eric Johnson (wide receiver) and Brandon Bowman (linebacker).

Bowman made the first team while Johnson and Diaz garnered honorable mention.

Bowman was not only a defensive standout and a ferocious tackler, he was also the team’s second leading rusher at fullback and scored four touchdowns.

Johnson, a converted quarterback, led Charleroi in receiving with 25 receptions for 351 yards and in rushing with 303 yards on 34 carries. He scored a team-high five touchdowns.

Diaz caught 17 passes for 311 yards, averaging 18.3 yards per catch, and scored four TDs.

“I’m really happy for our kids who made it,” said Charleroi coach Ed Jenkins. “For a team that had a tough season, going 2-7, to get three kids named to the all-conference team is a testament to how hard those kids worked.”

Yough’s selections were senior wide receiver Ben D’Amico, juniors Tyler Donahue (quarterback) and Jake Brundage (offensive line) and sophomores Clay Waldron (utility player) and Tom Sever (defensive line).

D’Amico, Waldron, Brundage and Sever were first-team selections.

Donahue threw for 1,255 yards, hitting 95 of 189 passes with eight TDs and 11 interceptions. He also rushed for 283 yards and scored seven TDs.

D’Amico hauled in 20 passes for 200 yards and also rushed for 180 yards while scoring three TDs.

Waldron led the Cougars in receiving with 26 receptions for 405 yards and was second in rushing with 345 yards on 49 carries. He also led the team in scoring with eight TDs.

While Sever made the team as a defensive linemen, he was also a key performance on offense with 225 yards rushing and five TDs.

“I’m ecstatic that we had five kids make it and four get on the first team,” said Yough coach Mark Crovak. “They are all very deserving.”

Noting that four of the five are underclassmen, Crovak added, “Next year will be the first senior-dominated team for Yough since I’ve been here. I hope that translates to more wins.”

Conference champion Washington led the 44-player team with nine selections, featuring junior running back Shai McKenzie, who led the WPIAL in rushing with more than 2,600 yards and scored 41 TDs.

The Interstate Conference Football All-Stars will be honored at a luncheon Dec. 14 at Cedarbrook Golf Course in Rostraver Township.