Saturday, August 14, 2010

Preseason predictions

Ten things I predict will happen during the 2010 WPIAL football season ...

1. Clairton repeats as WPIAL Class A champions.
2. Peters Township qualifies for the Class AAAA playoffs.
3. Wash High, which plays Clairton in one dandy of a season opener, and Fort Cherry each top last year's win total.
4. So does Beth-Center, and head coach Ed Woods will wear a tie and sweater vest for every victory.
5. Despite rumors of 2010 being a "down year", Thomas Jefferson repeats as champion of the Class AAA Big Seven Conference.
6. Trinity's defense will be better than last year's even without a player headed to the University of Michigan.
7. South Fayette quarterback Christian Brumbaugh repeats as Observer-Reporter Player of the Year.
8. At least two teams – South Fayette and Beth-Center – reach the WPIAL semifinals in their respective classifications.
9. Avella loses its "Loveable Losers" tag.
10. Ringgold contends for the Keystone Conference championship and the much-maligned league wins another playoff games this year.

Now it's time for your predictions ...

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Char Valley is going to give TJ a run for their money for the conference title.

Clairton and Wash High is going to be a good game in week 1. Dont be surprised if Wash High wins that game, Clairton has a tendency to start slow in the opening week.

I think Avella is going to be ok this year. The addition of Brentwood made the black hills a tougher conference though.

Anonymous said...

ive heard a rumor that the wash high/clairton game was going to be televised. is that true?

mike_kovak said...

FSN is not doing the Wash High/Clairton game and I haven't received a schedule yet from Comcast. I'll check into it. Maybe they plan on doing that game.

mike_kovak said...

Agreed 1st anon.

CV will contend for the title and the Colts have the best player in the conference in Capers. Still, I just can't pick against TJ until someone knocks them off.

R. Keith Taylor said...

I think Ringgold will be ok this year. The Rams competed in the Big 7 when people were picking them to finish second to last. The same core of players and a few pleasant additions will make for an exciting team. Despite the Keystone Conf. being revamped, the Rams have a strong shot at a conf. title.

prexie said...

keeping my mouth shut er my keypad quiet. we will see after week one alot of names not mentioned, scouts will find them.

Anonymous said...

yea we know. keep playing.. We know we have the best fresh, soph, football player of their class in the o.r. area. also we have one of the most athletic seniors but no love of course.

mike_kovak said...

I visited the High Wednesday, my third of six stops during the 2010 preseason.

There is certainly some talent, as the Prexies displayed last year and a lot will be written about those guys as the days progress.

Patience.

More names will be dropped, particularly if the on-field production lives up to what I'm hearing.

Sarcastic Sword said...

I agree about Ringgold.....Senior-laden offensive line that has some size and strength, run oriented attack this yr as opposed to the 3 and 4 WR sets last year.....If there are four better teams in the Keystone, then this conference is really on the up and up....Not alot of depth so a key injury could cripple them but Im optimistic about their chances in the Keystone - at least to finish in the top 4 and make a playoff appearance....

Anonymous said...

Mike so you see Sto-Rox as being a big factor in Class A, Ive been hearing they have a pretty good team.....

mike_kovak said...

I've been working on my preseason rankings and, right now, I've got Sto-Rox in my top 5 Class A.

Anonymous said...

Sto Rox is WAY down from last year...but with the absence of Monaca and Laurel and what is being called a VERY weak Big 7 conference outside of Rochester, Sto Rox will be the #2 team to come out of the Big 7.

The top teams in Class A are going to be Clairton, Rochester, North Catholic, Sto Rox, Bishop Canevin, Beth Center, Brentwood, and Fort Cherry with teams like Monessen and Avonworth and Springdale on the fringe.

But, lets be honest, Clairton and Rochester right now are on another planet compared to the rest of Class A.

prexie said...

let me put it this way for wash high. if the coaching staff dont screw it up we will be ok. i say it every year you have to utilize your talent. look at rochester, alliquipa,clairton, tj. take advantage of what you got and quit trying to analyze everything.

Anonymous said...

I saw Clairton play in their scrimmage against Oliver yesterday...man oh man are those guys good. I dont know if it was because Oliver is that bad or Clairton is that good but those guys looked unbelievable. I know Green is number 7 and I watched him play. I think he got bigger from last year. He was just a terror on defense yesterday and he was throwing some really good passes. They have some other guys too but I dont know their names. #1 and #2 (that might have been coles) were the receivers and they were super fast and #51 was a lineman that looked like he was an NFL player playing against middle school kids...the kid was enormous and strong and fast. I realize it was only a scrimmage but boy oh boy did they look good.

Anonymous said...

Mike, have you had the chance to see or hear anything about peters township this year? I've heard there sopposed to be pretty good this year

mike_kovak said...

I've been to Peters Township during my preseason travels and I do feel the Indians will make the playoffs and there's a chance they'll be in the mix at the end for a conference title.

PT has 18 starters back so this is a big year to get something done.