WPIAL PLAYOFFS Boardman's Vestal has team in AAA game

The Boardman native has Hopewell High riding an 11-game winning streak.
By JOHN KOVACH
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
The Hopewell High football team of Aliquippa, Pa., has made giant strides since losing the season opener to West Allegheny.
But first-year coach Dave Vestal, a native of Boardman, is hoping his Hopewell team, which has won 11 in a row, has improved enough to turn the tables on West Allegheny in their second meeting.
The two Western Pennsylvania powers will clash again Saturday in the WPIAL District 7 Class AAA championship game at 4:30 p.m. at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh.
The rematch will be one of four WPIAL District 7 finals Saturday at Heinz Field, the other three being in Class AAAA, AA and A.
The prize for each winner will be a berth in a state semifinal.
Semifinal wins: Hopewell (11-1) is coming off a 21-14 win over Thomas Jefferson last Friday in a WPIAL semifinal. West Allegheny (10-2) advanced with a 38-7 romp past Highlands.
"We made mistakes and they're a good football team," said Vestal regarding the season-opening loss to West Allegheny.
"We improved each game as the season progressed and we found different ways to win.
"We have a lot of confidence that we are a good football team."
No. 4 ranking: The steady improvement throughout the year pushed Hopewell to a No. 4 ranking in the state AAA rankings, while West Allegheny, which lost in the state final the past two years, is rated No. 3.
Vestal, who didn't play football at Boardman High but became a walk-on strong safety at Miami of Ohio, credits his defense, offensive ground game and special-teams plays for Hopewell's strong comeback.
"Our defense has come up with some big turnovers and scored some points for us," Vestal said. "And the offense is consistent and we don't make a lot of mistakes and we control the ball."
Defense is tops: In fact, Hopewell has improved so much that it is ranked No. 1 in both rushing defense and rushing offense in the area.
And with such a good rushing defense, "If you can do that and make the teams throw, you got a good chance to win," Vestal said. "We are very aggressive defensively, and we blitz a lot. I think its the play of our special teams that is making us a good football team."
One of the team leaders is Paul Posluszny, a junior tailback-inside linebacker. He has rushed for 1,300 yards and scored about 18 touchdowns, and is a defensive standout.
Quarterback Matt Fontana has contributed almost 1,000 yards on the ground.
Option QB: "He can run the option well," said Vestal of Fontana, who also excels at outside linebacker. "We're a running team, but we can throw when we have to."
Another defensive ace is Ben Boni, a senior inside linebacker.
"We have a lot of confidence that we are a good football team," said Vestal, who hopes that Hopewell's strong defense against the rush will continue against West Allegheny.
"They've [West Allegheny] gone more to a running offense the second half of the season," Vestal said. "They are still very dangerous throwing the football, but I think they are going to come out running the ball."