Front, L to R — Bill Tobin, Jake Zuzek, Ray

The West Catholic football team cannot wait to get into the P.I.A.A. Class AA playoffs.

It will not be forced to play the same teams anymore.

In what an only be described as absurd, the Burrs last weekend were forced to play Bishop McDevitt of the Catholic League AA Blue Division for a third time, not only this season, but for the third time in four weeks for the right to play for the District 12 AA Title  against Public League AA champ Bok this weekend.

West beat McDevitt in it regular season meeting 28-12. In the AA Catholic League final, the Burrs defeated McDevitt 35-7. 

Then in what is called a P.I.A.A. Sub regional, West handled the Lancers one more time 44-22.

The game ended up a lot closer that the final score might indicate.

West led 23-0 at halftime. But instead of getting closer to the 35-point Mercy Rule margin needed to have a running clock, the Lancers pulled to within eight points at 30-22 with 10:12 left in the fourth quarter.

But two touchdowns – one by Jarred Evans the other by Brian Mosby – by West sealed the deal and gave the Burrs the opportunity to play for the District title this Saturday (noon) at Northeast High School.

“They are a tough team, they have some weapons,” coach Brian Fluck said of the Lancers. “When you are up 23-0 and you’ve played the team three times you can get lackadaisical, sometimes…they’ve got some athletes and made some plays down the stretch…but we got our poise back we took over the game.”

One key for the Burrs was their defensive line started to stop people at the line of scrimmage as it had in the first half.

Fluck said without solid line play, West Catholic cannot expect to go far in the state playoffs.

“(Line play) is always key for us,” Fluck said. “If we don’t win up front we can’t win games.”

The centerpiece of West’s line play – on offense and defense – is senior Jake Zuzek.

The 6-foot-2, 294-pounder said McDevitt was able to pull off some quick strike scores and before they knew it, it was a football game again.

“It was one big play and people started getting down,” Zuzek said. “We wanted a shutout, but it’s hard to beat a team three times in a row, so you know they’re not just going to give up. We needed to come out hard in the second half…we didn’t do it. But in the fourth quarter we came back out and played well.”

Zuzek said the his teammates up front decided enough was enough and knew they had to re-establish their will to avoid an upset.

“Our front seven, we believe we’re the best around here,” Zuzek said. “I think we can play with anybody.”

Zuzek believes this West Catholic team can go back and claim the title that slipped through their hands last year in the final, in overtime to Wilmington High School from Western, PA.

“Our defense is the difference from last year,” said Zuzek, who was named to the AA All-State second team as a junior. “I think our defense this year is one of the best defenses ever at West Catholic. That’s what I believe.”

One thing is for sure, he won’t have to prove it to McDevitt again.