Only four games remain in the regular season. Each week climbs in significance. This week is no exception.
The Varsity Letters is looking forward to these Friday matchups:
1. Clairton at Chartiers-Houston (4 stars)
OK, we know Clairton is manhandling opponents. We know the Bears are, by far, the fastest team in Class A. We realize they are good enough to give some Class AAA and AA schools a good game.
Right now, the only thing standing in the way of a Black Hills Conference championship for undefeated Clairton is undefeated Chartiers-Houston.
The Bucs, off to their best start in years, want to take away the big play. Against Clairton, that's not easy. If C-H can accomplish that major task, expect a competitive game.
2. Ringgold at Chartiers Valley (3.75 stars)
Not many people outside the Ringgold locker room figured the Rams would have an opportunity to finish second in the Class AAA Big Seven. Beating a very good Chartiers Valley team would be the biggest step in making that happen.
Last week, Ringgold quarterback Shane Mountain threw for 340 yards and four touchdowns. He'll need similar production and Ringgold will need big plays from Simon Bekavac and Jake Spaziani to curtail the Colts' high-powered offense.
The Varsity Letters has been on the CV bandwagon for weeks. Both teams are better than people think.
3. California at Carmichaels (3.5 stars)
Anytime these two tangle, whether it's baseball, basketball or football, postseason implications follow.
This one could determine second place in the Tri-County South if Monessen continues to struggle.
California runs a balanced offense - Winston Clements is a big-time end zone threat - while Carmichaels is pass happy. The Mikes finally have senior quarterback Joby Lapkowicz back. His big-game experience could come in handy.
4. Jeannette at McGuffey (3 stars)
Last week, Charleroi became the first team to score against Jeannette. Yep, without Terrelle Pryor, the Jayhawks are still a viable championship contender.
McGuffey helped itself last week by beating South Allegheny. Plus, the Highlanders turned in a competitive performance at Greensburg Central Catholic.
5. Peters Township at Mt. Lebanon (2.5 stars)
At 1-0 in the Great Southern Conference, Peters Township can basically clinch a Quad-A playoff berth with a victory at winless Mt. Lebanon. (How weird does that sound?)
The Indians are improving behind sophomore quarterback Austin Hancock, who has found a reliable receiver in Brandon Hoffman.
6 comments:
the char valley ringgold game looks to be a good one, both can put up points from the spread so it could be interesting
#1 Clairton vs. #3 Chartiers-Houston
Analyzing this week’s big match up in the WPIAL Class A Black Hills Conference.
The Bucs are coming into this game with a 5-0 record having outscored their opponents 192-48. CH’s signature win on the season came last week on the road against a suspect Frazier team by a 44-14 margin. Brad Banas has been the offense for CH and this team will only go as far as he can take them this week (or as far as the Bears will let him go…). Taking a look at CH’s schedule, their opponents have a combined record of 6-19 with three of those teams combining for only 1 win on the year (West Greene, Avella and Burgettstown). The only game that CH has struggled with so far was against the 1-4 Blue Devils of Burgettstown, a 28-13 victory that was a little closer than the score would indicate. From what I have heard of/seen of this team, it appears that this could be the best offense and defense that Clairton will face in the regular season.
The Bears also come into this game with a 5-0 record, outscoring their opponents 239-13. The Bears lead the WPIAL (all classes) in scoring and are third in the WPIAL (all classes) in points allowed (Jeannette 7, Rochester 10). Andrew Currington, Kevin Weatherspoon and Deontae Howard have led the way for the Bears this season. Deontae Howard ran for 210 yards and 4 scores against Fort Cherry and Kevin Weatherspoon (a junior) is 27 yards away from becoming the all time leading receiver in Clairton history (Daven Holley, DB Cleveland Browns). Clairton’s signature win came last week at home against previous #3 and undefeated Fort Cherry by a 55-7 count. Clairton’s closest game to date was the first game of the season, a 41-0 win over the Laurel Spartans out of the Big 7 Conference. The Bears have not allowed a team to gain over 100 yards of offense in each game they have played thus far and the mercy rule has been instituted in each contest. If Clairton has a weakness, it is their tendency to start games a little flat and allow opening drive touchdowns to the better teams they have faced (Frazier, Fort Cherry).
What teams have tried to do against Clairton is play keep away for as long as possible. Frazier began its game against Clairton with a 5-6 minute drive that resulted in a touchdown as did Fort Cherry. However, no team has been able to sustain that success outside of the first offensive series. While I think Chartiers-Houston is going to give Clairton a fight early, I don’t see it lasting much more than a quarter. As the game wears on into the 2nd quarter and 2nd half, Clairton speedsters Andrew Currington, Deontae Howard, Kevin Weatherspoon and Troy Webb along with defensive anchors David Spence and Eddie Ball are going to be too much for the Buccaneers to handle. This could be the first and only week this season that Clairton doesn’t inflict the mercy rule on its opponent…but don’t count on it.
Clairton by 35.
i agree with clairton alum.. clairton can contend with some really good AAA programs and they look like the juggernaut of A, might as well write them a ticket to heinz right now, fridays game wont even be close
I will say this: Chartiers Valley with Santino Coury has a very good offense. Chartiers Valley without Coury, a decent offense. In the game tonight (9-3-08) Ringgold played Char Valley. Coury got hurt, and CV was stumped and stymied. Ringgold and CV took a 7-7 tie to overtime. When it was all said and done CV won 17-16. I will not elaborate on much more, but I hope Jeff Petrucci acknowledges in the local papers that the Ringgold High School football team got screwed by the officials when it mattered most. I do not know why the officials have such a negative disposition for RHS. Some schools need to get the refs of the payroll, or better yet: the officals need to take a football competancy test.
Clairton 42
Char-Hou 0
Before i start, does anyone know how the young man (#5) for char-houston that was taken off on a stretcher in the 4th is doing?
Someone has to explain to me what in the world the Chartiers Houston offense was trying to do last night. In the first half, the bucs were more concerned about not giving the ball to Clairton than they were trying to score and do something with it. CH was using all of the playclock on every single play and running a power I right at the center of the defense every single time. It was almost like they were afraid to take a chance. I understand the premise...run the ball at them, pick up a couple of first downs, chew up clock, dont let the playmakers on the field. However, what they created was just a really awkward first half that lulled the fans...and apparently the bucs to sleep. Chartiers Houston could not find a rythm in that first half and it was just ugly...when the 2nd half started, Clairton hit two quick strikes and that was all she wrote. Clairton held the 2nd highest scoring class A offense to 0 points, less than 50 yds of offense...and held Banas to 39...wow. I have a couple of questions for those of you who follow CH closer than me: 1. Is that the same offense that is the 2nd highest scoring offense in Class A? 2. How do you look at game film all week and decide that running the ball at the heart of the bear defense is the best course of action to beat them? I understand that two teams have had opening drive success doing that...but once the bears have keyed on that teams havent gained a yard. The bears keyed on it right away and shut them down. Again, i understand playing keep away...i even referenced that in my analysis...but at some point you have to get into some type of rythm and attempt to score...that rhythm just wasnt there.
Also, there was a lot of jawing going on before the game. I hate the fact that the bears insist on doing that week in and week out. That is the only aspect of this team that i dislike. I personally wish they would shut up and just prove how good they are on the field...and they are good.
i agree.. the refereeing of the char valley ringgold game is pretty much the same as what ed hochuli did to the san diego chargers.. also, props to rams defense for their goal line stand on char valley with 4 chances from inside the 3 yard line and not getting in
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