18 · SUNDAY, AUGUST 20, 2017 CHRISTIAN TYLER RANDOLPH | TRIBUNE-REVIEW Derry’s Tyre Hairston (left) and Ligonier Valley’s Jackson Daugherty at Latrobe Memorial Stadium. Derry, Ligonier Valley WHAT FOR ANENCORE? It was quite a season for the Ligonier Valley and Derry football The two bordering eastern Westmoreland County schools excitement for fans in their districts only separated by the Chestnut Ligonier Valley finished 14-1 and won its first PIAA District semifinals before falling a game short of playing for the state Along the way the team captured the Heritage Conference The Rams also featured record performances from quarterback and wide receiver Aaron Tutino, who caught 55 passes for 1,183 Derry was equally as impressive. The Trojans finished 11-1 title with their first undefeated regular season. Running rushing for 1,726 yards and 22 touchdowns. These results were a few years in the making. Ligonier Valley has been the more consistent of the two programs, making the playoffs in 10 of the past 13 seasons, including two straight years. Derry has steadily improved each season after going 0-10 in 2013. Can these teams repeat their 2016 seasons? Can they join some of the elite programs in the county, such as Jeannette, Penn-Trafford, Franklin Regional, Belle Vernon and Mt. Pleasant? Ligonier Valley senior wide receiver Jackson Daugherty thinks the Rams can. “We know what it takes to win,” Daugherty said. “We’ve worked hard in the off-season, and we’ll need players to step up and be leaders.” The excitement around the Ligonier Valley, stretching from Stahlstown and Laughlintown to the south and Bolivar and Seward to the north, came to a boil during the playoffs. The Rams were invited to the Ligonier Days’ parade, they received police and fire truck escorts and the entire community united around them during their success. The scenes during the playoffs were reminiscent to the movie “Hoosiers.” “It was pretty exciting to see the student body and community support,” Daugherty said. “The further we went,watching amazing.” by PAUL SCHOFIELD
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