Pine-Richland v. PCC: In-person Evaluations

<h2 class="wp-block-heading"></h2>   <p>From the very first whistle at Carnegie Mellon, the matchup between Pine-Richland and Pittsburgh Central Catholic delivered fireworks. The first two kickoffs of the game were returned for touchdowns, setting the tone for a night that was fast, physical, and loaded with talent.</p>    <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='415124' first='Roman' last='Thompson'] stole the show. Pine-Richland had no answer for him, and by the end of the night, it was clear they didn't want to keep tackling him. Known primarily as a downhill linebacker, Thompson made his strongest recruiting statement yet on the offensive side of the ball. He embodies the hard-nosed, angry runner that punishes defenses if they're not strapped up. With a blend of vision, burst, and power, he ripped off chunk gains all night, finishing with three touchdowns. Defensively, he was just as impactful, flying around as a physical tackler. Thompson firmly planted himself in the conversation as one of the best two-way players in Pennsylvania's 2027 class.</p>    <h3 class="wp-block-heading"></h3>    <p class="text-gray-700">Herrick looked like the real deal and helped beat a team that central had fell to the past three seasons. For a sophomore making his first run as the guy, he showed composure and talent well beyond his years. He was in control from the opening snap calm, confident, and unshaken even with Pine-Richland bringing heat all night. When the Rams took their first lead late in the first half, Herrick didn't blink. He marched Central 64 yards in just over a minute, capped by a 13-yard strike to Maceo Watkins with :25 left. That was a big-time drive in a big-time moment. He took hits, stood in against pressure, and delivered with zip and accuracy. Later, he slammed the door with a gutsy 4th-down play-action completion to [player_tooltip player_id='256526' first='Colsen' last='Gatten']. Herrick already operates the RPO game with comfort, his mechanics are advanced, and the ball jumps out of his hand differently he's got upper-echelon arm talent that separates him from most young quarterbacks. For only being a sophomore, his poise and polish are special. He's already on Syracuse's board, and it's only a matter of time before Power Four programs stack up offers.</p>    <h3 class="wp-block-heading"></h3>    <p class="text-gray-700"><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard">Webb made his presence felt in the trenches. He has a very impressive twitch at his size and has natural strength that allowed him to disrupt Central Catholic's backfield throughout the night. He's equally valuable on the offensive side of the ball, where he anchors the Rams' line at center. Webb is a true two-way interior presence who projects as one of the top linemen in Pennsylvania's 2027 class.</span></p>    <h3 class="wp-block-heading"></h3>    <p class="text-gray-700"><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard">Timmons had another strong outing for the Rams. He opened with a deep touchdown, later flashed in coverage against Watkins Jr., and rotated to safety in spots. His versatility was on full display. One of the most underrated sequences came on a punt return where he broke multiple tackles, showing elite playmaking instincts. Simply put, Timmons is a complete football player who impacts the game in all three phases, and Florida State is getting a rare talent in their 2026 commit.</span></p>    <h3 class="wp-block-heading"></h3>    <p class="text-gray-700"><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard">Black wasted no time making his mark, taking the opening kickoff 101 yards to the house. His explosive burst makes him a threat to score anytime he touches the football. Beyond the return, he added tough yards as both a runner and receiver, consistently breaking tackles. Black is already flashing as one of the premier young playmakers in the WPIAL's 2028 class.</span></p>    <h3 class="wp-block-heading"></h3>   <p></p>