Beth-Center 38, Serra Catholic 17.
Beth-Center's WPIAL Class A first-round playoff victory over visiting Serra Catholic Friday night might not seem like much to the outside observer but the victory carries some significance.
For the Bulldogs, who lost their entire starting backfield from last year due to graduation or moving or lack of interest in the sport, it proved that they're a little ahead of schedule when it comes to recapturing the success achieved in 2006. That team went 11-1 and reached the WPIAL semifinals.
Now, this doesn't mean Beth-Center (8-2) is going to knock off No. 2 seed Laurel (9-1) Friday night in Beaver, but any time a team as youthful as B-C can win in the postseason, it serves a strong barometer for future success.
And, in typical Beth-Center fashion, the Bulldogs won the game with a balanced offense, big special teams play and five forced turnovers. Those have been characteristics of every Beth-Center team since head coach Ed Woods rebuilt the Bulldogs.
This might be the biggest reason Beth-Center is still playing: the defense has forced 34 turnovers in 10 games. The Bulldogs have recovered 21 fumbles, picked off 13 passes and have around 50 tackles for loss on the year.
++ South Fayette put up an impressive 35 points against a strong Beaver defense. It's the same Beaver that lost at Aliquippa, 7-0, in Week 4.
South Fayette, undefeated and the top seed in Class AA, plays Aliquippa Friday night at Chartiers Valley High School in a game to be televised by FSN. It might be the night the casual WPIAL football fan gets to know Lions quarterback Christian Brumbaugh.
++ Beth-Center's victory did more than notch the Bulldogs fourth WPIAL playoff victory since 2005, which is tops among teams within the Observer-Reporter's coverage area.
It broke the postseason winless streak for teams from Washington and Greene Counties.
In 2008, those teams went a combined 9-0 in the first round of the WPIAL playoffs. This year, the record was 1-7. Trinity, McGuffey, Washington, Fort Cherry, Jefferson-Morgan, Burgettstown and Carmichaels each lost.
Trinity, Washington and Fort Cherry were shutout.
++ While the season continues at Beth-Center and South Fayette, it's over for the rest of the area and it figures to be an interesting offseason.
Which school booards will force out coaches?
Which coaches will find other jobs?
Will any schools drop football?
And will conferences look anything like they did the past two years? There promises to be plenty of teams dropping in classification for the next two-year cycle.
11 comments:
Lets go Beth Center...find a way to knock off the spartans Friday night...
Beth Center wins because they always have scrappy kids who don't care whose name makes the paper. They are the true definition of "team" and that has always been the tradition there.Some of these other schools should follow their example and commit to winning more and worry less about personal accolades. I recently went to the Waynesburg/Brownsville game to watch the Falcons and overheard several people complain about the Waynesburg coach giving the ball to one kid too many times. HE HAD OVER 200 YARDS AND 4 TDS!!! and they were complaining! I am a fan of the opposite team and I am more supportive of what their coach is doing then they are! Hate to say it, but as good as their new coaching staff is, they cannot be successful there with a culture like that! Just WIn Baby!
I think as you go up in levels from A to AAAA the football coaching staffs gets better. This is not a slam on A or AA it is more a slam on facilities and support systems within larger school districts which in large part what make one program more attractive than another. The biggest problem is school districts sticking with a good coach long enough for him to become a great coach. We all know school boards that are startin to feel the pressure to fire football coaches. It will be interesting.
In A & AA ball you cna be scrappy and win. In AAA & AAAA you better be skilled as well as scrappy.
To: Good Old Days
I am not surprised by anything that is said at high school football games anymore. That kid was a little bit quicker than I thought he would be.
Anonymous - What in the world are you talking about. Your saying a man's knowledge of football depends on what level of football he is coaching? Jeff Metheny, Don Yanessa, Jim Garrey, Gene Matsook, Jan Haiden - all A or AA coaches now or at one time. If you can find coaches with more to offer the game of football thn these guys, I would be surprised. I would like to see some of those big school coaches win with a roster of less than 30 athletes.
I remember when my kids played midget football and I was always impressed with the Beth Center coaches (these guys were volunteer and had their kids well prepared and fundamentally sound)...Its not surprising that the high school staff is solid too....
Some of the best high school football coaches I've seen are at small schools. Classificaion has nothing to do with how well a head coach or a staff teaches.
Ya, when did classification have anything to do with coaching?? People think that class A coaches are inferior to higher classes. Some of the best coaches I have seen are in Class A. You are given less to win and build a program.
Good Old Days - I hear you! Waynesburg won three games this year after only winning one in the previous two years, yet this new coach is taking heat for not making the play-offs!
Listen up...Beth Center wins because they play chump teams not because they are scrappy. They lost to Monesson and BURGETTSTOWN! Yep. Burgettstown. They beat the likes of Geible, Mapletown, Jeff Morgan and West Greene. (Don't forget the high powered Mapletown juggernaut). What I am saying is this team could play with 15 players on defense and not beat Laurel. They are a very average team.
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