HAZLETON - On a frost-bitten evening, Old Forge rose to another challenge and is headed to Hershey.
This time the defense, sometimes overshadowed by a big-play offense, answered the call, turning two interceptions into touchdowns as the Blue Devils celebrated a 26-7 win over Steelton-Highspire on Saturday in a PIAA Class A semifinal at Harman-Geist Stadium.
Old Forge (14-1) will play for its first state football championship against District 7 champion North Catholic (15-0), which defeated Clarion 39-12, at 1 p.m. Friday at Hersheypark Stadium.
"You know, we were preaching all week and all game that defense wins championships," Old Forge linebacker Shane Schuback said. "We really came to play.
"This is like a dream come true."
Brandon Vahey and defensive end Corey Souryavong each returned interceptions for touchdowns, Jake Manetti had an interception, and the Old Forge defense kept James Warren, Steelton-Highspire's electrifying quarterback, in check for all but one play to lead the team to a school-record 14th win.
It was another stern effort by a defense that has yielded only 34 points in five playoff games.
Despite allowing Warren to score on a 55-yard run, the Blue Devils limited Steelton-Highspire to 106 yards rushing on 31 carries. Schuback had five tackles, Joey Bruno had two tackles for loss and Paul Papi added three tackles.
With the defense holding firm, it gave the Blue Devils an opportunity to overcome three lost fumbles and two failed fourth-down attempts.
"You just don't find a group of guys with this type of heart and determination," Manetti said. "Fumble after fumble after fumble, and every time our defense came up big, time and time again.
"This is what this whole team worked for since we were on the D team in junior football."
In spite of some struggles against a quick and aggressive defense, Old Forge had 186 yards rushing on 56 carries and 15 first downs.
Brandon Yescavage ran for 146 yards on 39 carries and a touchdown. Manetti completed two passes for 73 yards and a score to Joey Gutowski that gave Old Forge an 18-7 lead and all but sealed the game with 56 seconds remaining.
"There were a million things going through my mind," Gutowski said. "I didn't want to drop it. This was for the game. It seemed like it was up there forever. When it hit my hands and I saw No. 3 (Warren) coming at me and I held onto it, that was the best feeling ever."
Old Forge, which entered the game with a decided size advantage along the line of scrimmage, imposed its will on the Steamrollers on four straight runs to start the game. But the Blue Devils turned the ball over on a fumble.
After giving up a 31-yard pass from Warren to Jorge Caraballo on Steelton-Highspire's first offensive play, the Blue Devils responded. Schuback finished off the threat with a tackle of Warren for a 4-yard loss on fourth down.
Then, Old Forge ran the ball on seven straight plays before Manetti hit Schuback for a 17-yard pass against the Steelton-Highspire defense that began creeping closer to the line of scrimmage to slow the running game.
Two plays into the second quarter, Yescavage scored his 45th touchdown of the season and the Blue Devils had a 6-0 advantage.
"That was amazing," Yescavage said. "They were making me work for every yard. I was getting yards, but that first touchdown always breaks the seal and gives you momentum."
Following a 46-yard punt by Schuback that put the Steamrollers in the shadow of their own goal line, and avoiding disaster when Warren stepped out of bounds on a run that appeared headed for an 89-yard score, Vahey intercepted a wobbly pass and returned it 40 yards for a touchdown that made it 12-0.
"When I caught it, I just saw a whole wall of Devils," said Vahey, who returned a punt for a score last week against Schuylkill Haven. "I just went with it and I scored."
The Devils took that 12-0 lead to halftime.
Old Forge stopped Steelton-Highspire on its initial drive of the second half when it failed to execute a fake punt. But the Blue Devils' offense got stymied on a fourth-and-1 from the Steamrollers 45, and Warren made them pay on the next play with a 55-yard touchdown run.
With Old Forge marching again and looking to slam the door, Yescavage lost a fumble at the Steelton-Highspire 3 that Sy-heed Johnson recovered.
Old Forge also lost a fumble on its next possession, but the defense kept rising to the occasion. Yescavage had a sack and pressured Warren into a loss forcing a punt.
Finally, facing a fourth-and-3 from the Steelton-Highspire 20, Manetti hit Gutowski off a play-action for a touchdown setting off the celebration. With the fans showering the Blue Devils with an ovation, Souryavong put the finishing touches on the win by intercepting a screen pass and rolling in for the final touchdown.
"I just thought that my uncle was with me on that one," said Souryavong, whose uncle Nary died Nov. 22, the day of the Southern Columbia game. "This is one of the best feelings in the world.
"This is just amazing."