Stewart steers Steelers: Senior's 2 TD catches lifts Farrell to 30-12 win over Karns City

Nov. 27—KARNS CITY — There's an old-school truism that the name on the front of the uniform is infinitely more important than the name on the back.

However in some communities certain names resonate. In the city of Farrell, Stewart stands for greatness.

"No pressure at all. I can live up to the name. My last name is Stewart," said a smiling Omar Stewart Jr.

Stewart scored on a pair of touchdown passes — 33 yards from Trian Holdan and 84 yards from Kabron Smith — forging Farrell High's football team to a 30-12 PIAA Class 2A quarterfinal-round KO of Karns City.

Friday night at Diehl Stadium, Steelers' senior standout Anthony Stallworth was held in check — at least during the 1st half — before he broke loose for 102 second-half yards, including a 20-yard scoring sprint. The Steelers were without Kylon Wilson, also.

But Stewart took up the slack, hauling in a handful of receptions for a game-high 171 yards. Farrell (11-0) finished with 368 total yards.

Omar Stewart Sr. was a great player during his Steelers' scholastic career and now serves as the "best defensive coordinator in the state," according to Head Coach Amp Pegues.

Omar Stewart Jr. has become a student of the program's history, and has been able to share this season's experience with his father. The Steelers are a step shy of advancing to Hershey in pursuit of the proud program's 3rd PIAA championship in 4 years.

Farrell will face Serra Catholic — a 35-12 winner over Beaver Falls in the WPIAL championship game — next weekend at a site and time to be announced.

"That's all we know is states. Comin' up this senior class has not lost a playoff game, except last year (to Wilmington in the District 10 title tilt), so all we know is states," the younger Stewart said, asserting the significance of his family's name.

"Most definitely. I get to watch film on (Omar Sr.) to see how he played, and obviously he gets to watch me. I kind've want to be like him on defense in some ways, but I can be my own person on offense, make a name for myself," Stewart Jr. said.

Following a scoreless 1st frame in which a 15-play Farrell drive came up empty, the Steelers scored with 7:58 remaining to intermission on Holden's 2nd-and-7 strike to Stewart. Stallworth followed with the 1st of his trio of 2-point PATs.

But 2-time District 9 champion Karns City (11-2) drew within 8-6 with 61 seconds remaining in the half. On a 2nd-and-10 play from Farrell's 39-yard line KC quarterback Eric Booher split a pair of Steelers' defenders and Micah Rupp reeled in the throw with one hard, then secured it with his other, completing the TD toss. The Gremlns' bid for a game-tying 2-point PAT run by Luke Garing failed.

Farrell muffed the 2nd half-opening kickoff; however the Steelers staged a 7-play, 91-yard scoring sequence, culminating in Stallworth's 20-yard sprint and subsequent 2-point run at the 8:40 juncture.

The Steelers extended their edge to 22-6 with 1:49 left in the 3rd period. Faced with a 3rd-and-14 situation from his own 16-yard Smith spun a pass to Stewart, who out-jumped a pair of KC defenders and completed the 84-yard pitch-and-catch.

The teams traded 4th-frame TDs. Karns City cut its deficit to 22-12 on the 4th play of the period as Luke Cramer crashed in from 7 yards out.

Down 10 points with 10:07 remaining Rupp recovered an ensuing on-sides kickoff; however, a 4th-and-5 play from Farrell's 41-yard line ended in disaster as the center snap to Booher, in shotgun formation, sailed over his head for a 21-yard loss.

With 4:09 left Dwight Gregory-Allen annexed a 15-yard Pick-6 for Farrell.

" ... Tough (weather) conditions, sluggish most of the time, I think we had a lot of penalties (10), but we were able to survive and advance," Pegues said, continuing, "Our bus got stuck — we were twenty-five, thirty minutes late gettin' here — it was just kind've one of those days. One of our kids, we didn't know if he was gonna play or not, a spectacular kid ... then we get here and the field is covered (with snow). It was just one of those days we had to grind it out, play through a little adversity and get the job done.

"Kabron was nursing his knee — actually, we didn't know if he was gonna play at all (Friday) night," Pegues admitted. "But we just felt like it was his time to come in and give us a little spark, and he hooked up with the senior, Omar Stewart. ... Those guys were able to get the job done and we move on."

Karns City Head Coach Joe Sherwin lamented his team's mistakes. And the normally great Gremlins' ground game was stymied by the Steelers' defense.

"Some of our runs, we couldn't get goin' and we had to throw the ball a lot more (19 attempts) than we usually do," Sherwin asserted, "and that kind've played into (the Steelers') hands a little bit — that's not our forte, but that's what we had to do in a tight game like this. We wanted to keep it close and try and pull it out in the end."

Sherwin summarized, "They've been a great group of seniors (Austin Brown pilfered a pass), great leaders for us, and I couldn't be prouder of a group of guys. Our whole offensive line were seniors, our two backs, Jayce (Anderson) and Luke (Garing) were seniors (each gained 1,000 yards this season). There's other guys who didn't get on the field who really helped us out, as well. So we're gonna miss those guys, and it's gonna be hard to replace them."

Regarding state semifinal foe Serra Catholic, Pegues said, "Very athletic, a well-coached team. Coach (Jose) Regus is a good coach.

"We're gonna be well-prepared, see what happens, and try to advance and get to go to Hershey."

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PIAA CLASS 2A QUARTERFINALS

FARRELL 0 8 14 8 30

KARNS CITY 0 6 0 6 12

Scoring plays

F — Stewart, 33 pass from T.Holden (Stallworth run)

KC — Rupp, 39 pass from Booher (run failed)

F — Stallworth, 20 run (Stallworth run)

F — Stewart, 84 pass from Smith (pass failed)

KC — Cramer, 7 run (run failed)

F — Gregory-Allen, 15 interception return (Stallworth run)

Team stats

FARRELL KARNS CITY

11 First downs 12

154 Rushing yards 112

214 Passing yards 105

14-9-1 Att-comp-int 19-8-1

368 Total yards 217

1-0 Fumbles-lost 3-0

10-89 Penalties-yards lost 1-5

Individual stats

Rushing: FARRELL — Stallworth 20-138, Strickland 2-7, A.Jackson 2-6, T.Holden 1-6, Smith 3-(-4); KARNS CITY — Anderson 14-70, L.Garing 12-43, Cramer 2-12, Booher 6-8, Coyle 1-2, N.Garing 3-(-2), Team 1-(-21).

Passing: FARRELL — T.Holden 11-7-1, 92; Smith 3-2-0, 122; KARNS CITY — Booher 19-8-1, 105.

Receiving: FARRELL — Stewart 5-171, Stallworth 2-21, Strickland 1-18, Samuels 1-4; KARNS CITY — Coyle 4-42, Rupp 2-51, L.Garing 2-12.