Several upsets highlighted the first Friday night of the WPIAL football playoffs. While yours truly watched Monessen dismantle Chartiers-Houston, several lower-seeded teams not off single-seeded opponents. Even more pushed home teams to the final minute of competition.
The lowest seeded team moving on the the WPIAL quarterfinals is Keystone Oaks, the No. 15 seed in Class AA. The Golden Eagles beat No. 2 Greensburg Central Catholic, 20-16, despite losing three games at the end of the season after Jordan Maddox left the South Fayette game with an injury.
In speaking with a few Class AA coaches this week, none were surprised at the result.
What was surprising was a mediocre 25-7 record and failing to pick a clean slate in any of the four brackets. For the season, my record is 65-21 (a .756 win percentage).
On the the picks.
Class AAAA
Pittsburgh Central Catholic over Gateway
North Allegheny over Bethel Park
Woodland Hills over Mt. Lebanon
North Hills over Upper St. Clair
Class AAA
Montour over Indiana
West Allegheny over Mars
Thomas Jefferson over Hopewell
Central Valley over Knoch
Class AA
Beaver over Aliquippa
Seton-La Salle over Ford City
Beaver Falls over Keystone Oaks
South Fayette over Freeport
Class A
Clairton over Bishop Canevin
Monessen over Springdale
Rochester over Beth-Center
North Catholic over Avonworth
13 comments:
Bob Jackoby should be ashamed of himself and his Bishop Canevin Crusaders. I know this man has been a coach in the WPIAL for a very long time...but if he is teaching his team to play dirty like they did tonight with us then I have no respect for that man or his program. That was PATHETIC. Cheap shots, personal fouls, late hits, ripping our kids helmets off...no respect for them. I wish we could have put 60 up. As it is, I'll take 47-0.
Did you really expect much more out of BC? Like I said they were overrated. Several teams they beat were better and BC caught them on an off day. 47-0 is about the best they could pull off and I will assume Clairton let up on them. Guess the other picks this week were also off, 50% winning in Class A. North Catholic is not a top team, I am not sure what happen at storox. I am shocked by springdale, they were not in that class all year, too bad they go up against clairton now. Top 4 teams I think are easy picks next week though
Really, Alum? I didn't see Canevin do that last week against Fort Cherry. Not that I'm saying I'm doubting you. I trust you more than Kovak. Canevin did have two personal foul penalties on kickoff returns but apart from that, there didn't seem to be much rough stuff until the end, and that was triggered by Fort Cherry. Maybe Canevin's players talked a lot of trash during the game. Until the last snap, I thought the FC-BC game was pretty clean (few penalties) and competitive. Sad to hear Canevin resorted to thuggery.
Yes, it was 35-0 at the half and they let up in the second half just like we do every week.
I had heard through some of the Fort Cherry players that BC played the same way with them...I dont know, I wasnt there...but I do know how they played with us last night and it was bad.
I have to say that Clairton has faced teams that were undefeated and teams that are considered good, but not the best in the WPIAL. That of course is why the playoffs happen. I am very interested in the game with Springdale and I don't think that Clairton is going to have to "ease up" so much as they are going to have to work hard. I also look forward to a HUGE showdown betweenst Clairton and Rochester!!! This one is simple If Clairton underestimates Springdale, their season is over! Rochester looks just as powerful as Clairton in terms of absolutely dominating their opposition. It will only now start to get good!
I wanted to wait until after last night to answer Friday Night Fan's question about Clairton's line play. Canevin's lines was big and slow. Their line came out strong in the first series to open up a nice 35 yard run but after that.
As Clairton Alum said, Canevin seemed like a team out to hurt someone more than play a football game. Instead of blocking a punt in the 1st Q they literally tackled him. Canevin took themselfs out of this game early and often. Many late hits was never called etc.
Mike Kovak or South Fayette fans, did you notice any of this when Canevin played South Fayette in the past?
Leonidus...
I can ASSURE you, after Springdale ended Clairtons season in 2007, the Clairton Bears will not be looking past the dynamos. Had it not been for that loss, you could quite possibly be talking about Clairton going for WPIAL title #5 in a row. The Bears are going to be extremely focused on shutting this team down I promise you. One game at a time...
Clairton Alum, I don't just mean take them lightly before the game. There's no doubt that Clairton is the team to beat and as long as they stay focused I don't really see ANYONE in the state possibly beating them. There are however, several unanswered questions though, even after a whole regular season. The most interesting question being: Now they are headed into tougher competition, If they run into adversity, what will happen? Will they be resilient and work as a well oiled machine or will disaster strike? I guess what I am saying is that this team has never even been challenged yet, what happens if the shoe is on the other foot? Will they keep their poise and composure?
Its hard to say what is going to happen. Take a look at last year. They were in a tight game early in the season with Laurel and lost because they lost their composure. After that, they tore threw every other team until they got locked in a tight one with Rochester and prevailed. They were again tested by Farrell in the western final and again they came out on top. The state title game was 3-3 in the 4th quarter when clairton pulled it together and beat Bishop McCort 15-3. Clairton can win close games...they have done it before...they just havent had to this year. Eventually, somewhere that close game is coming. But I'll be honest...its not this week. Clairton 35, Springdale 0.
Hey last year Avonworth hung in there a little, it was 24-0. At least the D hung in. That is the problem, you might keep Clairton scoring down some but you still have to score too
I hate Clairton so much. I used to just hate them cause they were good and unbeatable, but "Clairton Alum" has made me literally despise them. Get a life dude, seriously.
that avonworth score is a little skewed. Clairton turned the ball over 3 times on avonworths goal line. avonworth had one drive that went for more than 15 yards. in all honesty that game should have been 42-0. avonworth only hung in because clairton kept beating themselves. in fact, the only way clairton is going to lose this year is if they beat themselves and that includes to rochester.
I think Clairton may be good enough that they can make mistakes and still beat everyone with ease. Time will tell. One way or another, they seem like one of the best teams to come out of the WPIAL in a long time.
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