SHALER — Shaler\’s Jacque DeMatteo, a 1986 graduate of Clearfield Area High School, will be one of several WPIAL football coaches who will be guests of the Pittsburgh Steelers at their home NFL game with Denver Sunday afternoon at Heinz Field.
DeMatteo was selected the Hagan Ice Cream High School Coach of the Week after Shaler surprised North Hills 14-8 in Week Five. The Homecoming win in the Northern Five Conference opener was the Titans\’ first over their neighboring rivals since 2000, also the last year the school had a winning season. North Hills was ranked No. 5 in WPIAL Class AAAA by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette at the time.
\”That was a big win,\” DeMatteo said Friday prior to the Titans\’ WPIAL Class AAAA first-round playoff game against Gateway. \”North Hills is one of the premier powerhouses, not only in our conference, but in all of the WPIAL. We\’ve only beaten them twice in my seven years.\”
Shaler (4-1) finished runner-up to North Allegheny (5-0) in the conference, the first time in six years the Titans have finished in the top three. They were 7-2 overall, losing only to North Allegheny and non-conference foe Plum.
DeMatteo and the other honorees will be on the sidelines during the first half of the Steelers-Broncos game and will be introduced to the crowd via the stadium Jumbotron during the two-minute warning in the second period.
All of the coaches will be featured on the Bill Cowher Show, and each will receive a $1,000 check for his school\’s football program as well as a framed certificate from first-year NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Steeler Head Coach Cowher.
\”It\’s pretty neat because of all the schools (123) that are down here,\” said DeMatteo of the honor. \”I\’ll be representing all the kids (at Shaler) who run and throw the ball and block and tackle.\”
DeMatteo, who lettered in football, basketball and baseball at CAHS and was a standout defensive back at Clarion University of Pennsylvania, is the son of Gustino \”Mo\” and Penny (Domico) DeMatteo of Clearfield.