Pine-Richland star quarterback Phil Jurkovec was sick all week, missed a few days of school, a couple practices and lost 10 pounds.
“I just feel drained,” said Jurkovec. “I haven’t been able to eat.”
Jurkovec is awaiting test results from a doctor. He said he has been told he could have Lyme Disease or mononucleosis.
“I just haven’t been able to eat anything,” he said. “I’ve been taking antibiotics and everything. I just want to know what it is.”
He certainly wasn’t at his best in a PIAA Class 6A semifinal Saturday.
But even a less-than-100 percent Jurkovec is still pretty good – and so is Pine-Richland.
Pine-Richland beats Manheim Township 28-7 in PIAA class 6A semifinals.
Jurkovec finished with 323 yards offense and Pine-Richland defeated Manheim Township, 28-7, to earn a trip to the state championship game Saturday in Hershey. The win lifted Pine-Richland’s record to 15-0 and the Rams will play St. Joseph’s Prep in a long-awaited title game. St. Joseph’s Prep has been the No. 1-ranked 6A team in the state since the preseason and Pine-Richland No. 2.
Against Manheim Township, Jurkovec completed 20 of 33 passes for 243 yards and also rushed for 85 on 13 carries. That would be a terrific game for most QBs and 28 points would be good for most in a PIAA semifinal. But Jurkovec and Pine-Richland have set the bar high this season. Before this game, Pine-Richland hadn’t been held below 42 points and was averaging 49 a game.
Afterward, Jurkovec said he felt better than he had all week, but certainly wasn’t full strength.
But he said he will still play in the PIAA title game. Pine-Richland receiver Jason DeFrancisis has mono, but still played and had six catches.
Jurkovec did not ride on the team bus to Saturday’s game. He came with his parents.
Manheim Township trailed by only 13-0 at halftime, and made things interesting when it drove 80 yards in 12 plays for a score in the third quarter to make it 13-7. Grayson Sallade capped the march with a 15-yard touchdown run.
The score must have caught Pine-Richland’s attention because the Rams stepped on the gas. They moved 89 yards in only six plays, with Jordan Crawford running for a 25-yard touchdown. Two plays after the ensuing kickoff, Manheim fumbled the ball away for the fourth time in the game. On the next play, Jurkovec ran 31 yards for a touchdown and suddenly the Rams had a 28-7 lead.
Manheim Township had little offense in the first half and had to feel fortunate to be trailing by only 13-0 at the break. Manheim had only four first downs and 98 yards in the first two quarters, and 68 came on one pass play.
But Manheim had a good chance to score when Drake Puffenbarger blocked a punt and Manheim recovered at the Pine-Richland 14 with 4:24 left in the half. But three plays gained only 7 yards. Rather than take a short field goal, Manheim Township tried for a first down, but Pine-Richland’s Crawford tipped away a pass in the end zone intended for Hilton Ridley.
Jurkovec was 12 of 20 for 147 yards in the first half and threw two touchdown passes. The first was a 6-yarder to Raymond Falcone with 9:36 left in the first quarter. The score was set up when quarterback Luke Emge fumbled the ball away on the third play of the game, and Pine-Richland’s Cameron Ballay recovered at the Manheim 17.
Pine-Richland scored again on its third possession, needing only four plays to move 62 yards for a score. The touchdown came when Jurkovec, with a defender clinging to his legs, flicked a 30-yard pass to Crawford. Pine-Richland held a 13-0 lead at that point, but didn’t scored again the rest of the half. http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/high-school-football/2017/12/02/Pine-Richland-beats-Manheim-Township-28-7-in-6A-semifinals-high-school-football/stories/201712020139
Video above: PENNSYLVANIA'S TOP RECRUITS: PHIL JURKOVEC published 2. okt. 2017
Dec 4, 2017 Latest news/update: Phil Jurkovec should be good to go in Saturday's 6A championship
There were concerns he could have mononucleosis or Lyme disease.
The doctor’s office called and had great news for the Pine-Richland High School football team: Phil Jurkovec doesn’t have mononucleosis or Lyme disease or any other ailments. http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/high-school-football/2017/12/04/phil-jurkovec-illness-notre-dame-recruit-pine-richland-piaa-6a-championship-st-joseph-s-prep/stories/201712040121
Pine-Richland, quarterback Phil Jurkovec was a Penn State Football recruiting target who chose University of Notre Dame. Watch him in action and hear what he has to say about committing to the Notre Dame football program.