WPIAL Class A playoffs preview

Top seeds: 1. Clairton (9-0), 2. Sto-Rox (9-0), 3. Bishop Canevin (9-0), 4. Rochester (8-1)
Defending champion: Clairton
Best first-round game: No. 11 Fort Cherry at No. 6 Beth-Center
Sleeper: Winner of Fort Cherry/Beth-Center game
Players to watch: Sal Faieta (Beth-Center) pictured, Jake Sofran (Beth-Center), Tanner Garry (Fort Cherry), Ryan Babirad (Fort Cherry), Daniel Lis (Chartiers-Houston), Javone Hairston (Chartiers-Houston), Chavas Rawlins (Monessen), Jalen Madison (Monessen), T.D. Conway (California), Skyler Dickinson (California), Jon Girvin (Northgate), Rock Vargo (Frazier), Lenny Williams (Sto-Rox), Deaysean Rippy (Sto-Rox), Mike Giampole (Avonworth), Capri Thompson (Clairton), Tyler Boyd (Clairton), DeAndre Moon (Rochester)
Noteworthy: Strange as it sounds, the Fort Cherry at Beth-Center game would be better served played on turf. Both teams run multiple formations on offense and an artificial surface would suit the skill players. B-C coach Ed Woods said there was no chance of getting a change in venue.
Fort Cherry debuted a single-wing formation against Chartiers-Houston, and it worked to near perfection. The Rangers really found ways to include Koltan Kobrys in the offense.
Beth-Center features an advantageous defense, but the Bulldogs score points in bunches. Their 412 points tops all local teams.
California enters the playoffs with a 7-2 record and four-straight wins. The Trojans have allowed 14 points the past four games and notched back-to-back shutouts of Jefferson-Morgan and Frazier.
Chartiers-Houston and Monessen each enter the playoffs with identical 6-3 records and look to shake off disappointing performances to end the regular season. The Bucs were stymied at home by Fort Cherry, while the Greyhounds lost at Frazier.
Quotable: "There's a lot of similarities with us and Fort Cherry. We know each other pretty well, especially with us being in the Black Hills Conference before," B-C coach Ed Woods said. "Tim (Garry) and I know each other well and this game is great for both schools. We're looking forward to Fort Cherry coming to our place."
Championship: Clairton over Sto-Rox

Week 8 thoughts from a Monday afternoon quarterback

The eighth week of the high school football season was not a kind one.

Several teams had an opportunity to solidify playoff standing or a conference championship. Ringgold, Waynesburg, South Fayette and Burgettstown struggled with those situations.

The results from Friday indicate that the second round of the WPIAL playoffs won't feature many local teams.

Beth-Center looks like the team most likely to advance. The Bulldogs should be seeded No. 6 in the Class A bracket, barring any last week upsets of teams ranked higher. A winnable home game puts B-C on turf in the quarterfinals, where its talent is better suited to play.

Washington struggled mightily but edged South Allegheny, 14-12. The win clinched a home playoff game for the Prexies, their first since 2001. Washington could be seeded anywhere from 5-7 in the Class AA playoffs and are always a tough team to play at Wash High Stadium. If the Prexies avoid a Beaver County team in the first round, thier chances of advancing are right there with Beth-Center's.

Ringgold hurt its stock with a 38-0 loss at Franklin Regional. The Rams went from a possible top four seed to most likely a No. 8 as long as undefeated FR beats a tough Greensburg-Salem team which is not a given. If Ringgold gets the No. 8 seed, the Rams will likely draw the third-place team from the Parkway Conference. Playing West Allegheny or Blackhawk is one tough draw.

The winner of Friday night's Fort Cherry at Chartiers-Houston game puts itself in a better position to advance than the loser, which finishes fourth and probably plays at a conference champion in the first round.

Given the lack of quality teams in Class AA, South Fayette could advance, but the Lions have struggled offensively against quality teams. Still, a first-round game against a team from the Greater Allegheny Conference is winnable.

Friday notebook

I'll be at tonight's Ringgold at Franklin Regional game. For updates, follow me on Twitter @TheMikeKovak, and feel free to send updates of your game to me as well.

The WPIAL spotlight will shine - of all places - on the Keystone Conference tonight when one-loss Ringgold plays at unbeaten Franklin Regional.

"This is the first time we've gotten this much publicity going into a game since I've been here fore sure," Ringgold coach Matt Humbert said. "It's a good thing for the conference. Everybody always wants to knock our conference, and sometimes they're justified."

Those knocks are because of the conference's dismal postseason record, but Ringgold and Franklin Regional are both intriguing Class AAA contenders.

Should Ringgold win, the Rams all but lock up the conference title with a win against Greensburg-Salem already in the books. Ringgold won the Keystone last year, part of the team's first undefeated, untied season.

The Rams got good news today when they learned quarterback Quad Law is cleared to play, and not doubt the playmaker will prove vital to their chances.

But Ringgold will be counting on several others players, particularly on defense against a Franklin Regional team that has yet to be tested.

"I kind of disagree with people who say they haven't played anybody," Humbert said. "They beat two Quad-A teams and I don't care who they are, that's not easy to do by the margins Franklin Regional did it."

Key to that defense is senior defensive end Michael Beveridge.

"When we pinpoint people we need to have a big game, he's one of those guys," Humbert said. "He needs to be extremely disciplines to do what we need him to do, and we're confident he'll be exactly that."

Beveridge, a member of the Observer-Reporter Elite 11 as a junior, has a knack of playing his best in big games. Earlier this year at Greensburg-Salem, Beveridge had four tackles behind the line of scrimmage during the fourth quarter. He also forced a fumble and recovered another.

* Fort Cherry quarterback Tanner Garry ranks second in the WPIAL in passing yards and first in touchdown passes.

Waynesburg's Nick Zupper ranks third in the WPIAL in rushing yards.

Ringgold's Quad Law leads the WPIAL in yards per carry.

Fort Cherry's Ryan Babirad and South Fayette's Zach Challingsworth rank high in receiving yards.

Beth-Center has intercepted 19 passes, and quarterback Sal Faieta has accounted for 25 touchdowns.

* Six area golfers - Tom Nettles and Trent McPherson of Peters Township, Canon-McMillan's Ben DuCarme, South Fayette's Evan Lestini, Bentworth's Garrett Damich and Waynesburg's Emily Rohanna - qualified for the PIAA West Region semifinals, which were held Tuesday at Tom's Run Golf Course in Blairsville.

All six golfers advanced to the PIAA Championships, a two-day event which tees off Monday at Heritage Hills in York. That's hardly a surprise, but considering how the top of the leaderboard was crowded with the local competitors, it's safe to say the Washington-Greene region is a high school golfing haven.

Nettles enters the state championship as the PIAA West Region champ after he birdied three of the final four holes to finish with an even-par 72. Nettles, a junior attracting serious Division I interest, became the first golfer from Peters Township to win the West Region.

McPherson, DuCarme and Lestini all tied for fourth, while Damich tied for 11th.

Rohanna finished tied for third on the girls side.

What is about the area that produces so many top-notch individuals and golf teams?

* Washington junior Jaylin Kelly will not play tonight against South Allegheny. Kelly injured an ankle during last Saturday's win over Quaker Valley.

Kelly starts at linebacker and running back for the Prexies.

* Waynesburg hasn't been in many postseason discussions since the playing days of Lee Fritz and Lanfer Simpson, but the Raiders play a key game tonight at Mt. Pleasant.

If the Raiders beat the Vikings, they position themselves for their first postseason berth since 2003.

* I'd imagine Beth-Center senior linebacker Jake Sofran would rather the Bulldogs be undefeated at this point, but he's still notched a a couple impressive milestones the past two weeks.

Sofran, who is receiving interest from a number of Division I-AA and II schools, set B-C's career tackles mark during the Bulldogs' 46-0 win over Monessen two weeks ago. Last week in a one-point overtime loss to Avonworth, Sofran set a single-game record with 20 tackles.

A four-year starter, Sofran has 400-plus tackles in his career.

State football rankings

Pennsylvania high school football rankings from The Patriot-News of Harrisburg for the week of Tuesday, Oct. 18, with school’s district in parentheses, followed by the school’s record and last week’s ranking. NR means not ranked. Honorable mention teams listed alphabetically. (P)-2010 PIAA champion.

CLASS AAAA
Team Rec Pvs
1. Pittsburgh C.C. (7) 7-0 1
2. North Allegheny (P) (7) 7-0 2
3. LaSalle College HS (12) 6-1 3
4. Upper St. Clair (7) 6-1 4
5. North Penn (1) 5-2 5
6. Woodland Hills (7) 6-1 6
7. Nazareth (11) 7-0 7
8. Abington (1) 7-0 8
9. Whitehall (11) 6-1 9
10. Penn-Trafford (7) 7-0 10
Teams to watch
Bethlehem Freedom (11) 6-1, Central Dauphin (3) 6-1, Coatesville (1) 6-1, Council Rock South (1) 6-1, Cumberland Valley (3) 6-1, Downingtown East (1) 6-1, Gateway (7) 5-2, Roman Catholic (12) 5-2.

CLASS AAA
Team Rec Pvs
1. Archbishop Wood (12) 6-1 1
2. Central Valley (7) 7-0 2
3. Grove City (10) 7-0 3
4. Bishop McDevitt (3) 5-2 4
5. Montour (7) 5-2 5
6. Cathedral Prep (10) 5-2 6
7. Valley View (2) 7-0 7
8. West Allegheny (7) 5-2 9
9. Franklin Regional (7) 7-0 NR
10. Hopewell (7) 4-3 8
Teams to watch
Greater Johnstown (6) 7-0, Greensburg Salem (7) 6-1, Knoch (7) 7-0, Marple-Newtown (1) 6-1, Ringgold (7) 6-1, Thomas Jefferson (7) 5-2.

CLASS AA
Team Rec Pvs
1. Aliquippa (7) 7-0 1
2. Lancaster Catholic (3) 7-0 2
3. West Catholic (P) (12) 4-3 3
4. North Schuylkill (11) 7-0 4
5. Seton-LaSalle (7) 7-0 5
6. Mount Carmel (4) 6-1 6
7. Lewisburg (4) 5-2 7
8. Greensburg C.C. (7) 7-0 8
9. Trinity (3) 5-2 9
10. Beaver Falls (7) 6-1 10
Teams to watch
Beaver Area (7) 6-1, Hickory (10) 6-1, Jeannette (7) 7-0, Northern Lehigh (11) 6-1, Pen Argyl (11) 7-0, Pine Grove (11) 7-0, Richland (6) 6-1, Wilmington (10) 6-1.

CLASS A
Team Rec Pvs
1. Clairton (P) (7) 7-0 1
2. Southern Columbia (4) 7-0 2
3. Sto-Rox (7) 7-0 3
4. Dunmore (2) 7-0 4
5. Rochester (7) 6-1 5
6. Bishop Canevin (7) 7-0 6
7. Pius X (11) 6-1 7
8. Line Mountain (4) 6-1 8
9. Sharpsville (10) 6-0 10
10. Bishop McCort (6) 5-2 9
Teams to watch
Avonworth (7) 6-1, Bethlehem-Center (7) 6-1, Juniata Valley (6) 6-1, Mercer (10) 5-2, Mercyhurst Prep (10) 6-1, North Star (5) 7-0, Youngsville (10) 7-0.

Week 7 thoughts

Maybe the most impressive aspect of Washington's 42-7 dismantling of Quaker Valley Saturday night at Chuck Knox Stadium (how many readers remember that guy?) is that the offense did not attempt a pass until the final play of the second quarter.

And, of course, with the way the Prexies have played the past month, Josh Wise hit Mijerean Witcher for a 30-yard touchdown on the play.

Washington makes no secrets about its game plan. The Prexies want to run the football behind a continually improving offensive line and with one of the deepest stable of backs in the WPIAL. Jaylin Kelly, who was injured Saturday, can gain the tough yards or hit the long play. Shai McKenzie is a threat to score on every carry, as is Daron Whitaker. Joe Phillips runs north-south and is tough to bring down.

Defenses don't know who will get the football, and it helps that every skill player on offense can score on any play. How about the 33-yard reverse to Matt Brower on a third-and-16?

The Prexies, like most teams, do have a weakness or two, but this team is going to be one difficult out in the postseason.

* Speaking of impressive, Prexies senior Eric Ellis continues to make big plays along the defensive line.

Against the Quakers, Ellis forced a safety and recovered a fumble on the Prexies' first defensive series. Washington finished with six sacks and allowed 70 yards.

The quest for the top defensive player in the area this season starts, and most likely stops with Ellis and Ringgold's Michael Beveridge.

* Waynesburg senior Nick Zupper had one of the great single-game performances in Greene County history Friday night against Yough.

Zupper rushed for 383 yards (yes, 383) and scored four touchdowns. We're checking into whether that total is a Greene County record or not. There's a chance that Derek Bochna (Mapletown) or Rodney Wilson (West Greene) rushed for more yards in a game.

Former career WPIAL rushing leader Mike Vernillo (Fort Cherry) rushed for 424 yards and four touchdowns against Avonworth during the 1997 season. At the time, it was the best single-game total in the WPIAL since 1970.

Zupper has 1,277 yards and 14 rushing touchdowns. He leads all local runners in both categories. Ringgold's Quad Law (1,133 yards, 12 TD) is second, while Peters Township's Andrew Erenberg (974, 12) is third.

* Great news for Ringgold that Law believes he'll be able to play Friday night at Franklin Regional. For more on Law, http://www.observer-reporter.com/or/sports11/10-16-2011-quad-law-update.

* The playoff chances for Erenberg and Peters Township took a significant upswing with Friday's 21-6 win over Baldwin.

Erenberg scored three first-half touchdowns for the up-and-down Indians.

Like Washington, Peters Township doesn't play many guessing games on offense. Erenberg is getting the football and it's up to the defense to stop him.

* I had no trouble with Beth-Center going for two points in overtime to try and beat Avonworth in a non-conference loss that will hurt the Bulldogs' postseason seeding.

Avonworth pretty much controlled the game starting in the second quarter. Considering that, a two-point try was B-C's best chance of getting a win.

Both teams left plenty of plays on the field - the lack of a pass rush and field conditions hurt B-C.

The field at Beth-Center was muddy mess. In the past, that type of conditions who have been to B-C's benefit. Not with this team.

As long as the Bulldogs get past the first round, they'll be a tough team to play on an artificial surface.

* This might be my favorite stat of the year - the Monessen at West Greene game lasted one hour, 48 minutes. I haven't covered a game this year that was under two-and-a-half hours.

* The WPIAL Class A playoffs will be without a regular this year as Carmichaels dropped to 1-5 in the Tri-County South with a loss to Frazier. The Mikes last missed the playoffs in 1997, and the last time they had a losing record came in 1995 when they were 3-7.

* South Fayette had two 100-yard rushers against South Allegheny. Wondering when the last time that happened there.

* Fort Cherry's Tanner Garry has 21 touchdown passes. That's an average of three per game.


Follow me on Twitter @TheMikeKovak

Friday notebook

I'll be tweeting live from tonight's non-conference game between Avonworth and Beth-Center. You can follow me @TheMikeKovak for occasional updates.

Readers, feel free to send me score updates from your games, and I'll do my best to send them to followers.

Also, please follow @SportsOR, where the O-R sports staff provides score updates throughout the night. Joe Tuscano (@JosephGTuscano) will tweet from tonight's California at Jefferson-Morgan game.

The Avonworth at beth-Center game isn't typical for a late-season non-conference contest. The game will have a significant impact on the seedings for the Class A playoffs. A win for Beth-Center should wrap up a top-five seed as long as the Bulldogs win out. A win for Avonworth could make the Antelopes a top-five or six seed, and would hurt the seedings of other playoff qualifiers from the Tri-County South Conference.

* Trinity will use more two-back sets with the season-ending knee injury to Ty Yocca, but Dalton is pleased with the play of Kyle Dugan.

"Kyle's a different type of runner than Ty, but he's done a good job when we've but him in there," Dalton said. "We'll continue to use him."

* Former Mapletown High School and California University standout Kevin Pincavitch, who advanced as high as Class AA in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization, was recently hired as the Waynesburg High School baseball coach.

Pincavitch, a former assistant with the Washington Wild Things, replaces Steve Coss, who had three successful seasons with the Raiders before he resigned in August. Waynesburg reached the WPIAL Class AA championship game this season, and qualified for the state playoffs for the first time since 2001.

Stephen McCaw was the Raiders' starting catcher and the WPIAL Class AA Player of the Year, as selected by the baseball coaches. I recently spoke with McCaw for an upcoming story and talked to him about the hiring.

"He seems like a really good guy and he knows a lot about baseball," said McCaw, a senior. "We're all excited to get the season started."

* Hopewell's Rushel Shell committed to Pitt Friday morning. For the Panthers, it's a big moment as Shell is the first top-rated WPIAL prospect to commit to Pitt in some time.

That said, it hardly means Pitt is set for the next three to four years. I've spoken with a couple old friends from Beaver County who believed it was in Shell's best interest to get away from Western Pennsylvania.

Will he be the next Tony Dorsett? Or the next Brian Davis? Pitt should be happy with something in between.

* Ringgold freshman Kirsten McMichael might already be the best girls cross country runner in Washington and Greene counties.

* Peters Township finished third at the WPIAL Division I boys golf team championship Thursday at Cedarbrook.

The Indians won the title in 2010 and were favored to do so again, but lost to section rival Upper St. Clair. For Peters Township, the fact that not winning a WPIAL title is news, shows how strong the program has become under head coach David Kuhn.

"When I first got here, we were in a terrible section and couldn't finish any higher than third in it," Kuhn said. "We've made it to the finals eight times over the past nine years. We've come a long way."

Observer-Reporter WPIAL football rankings

Class AAAA
1. Pittsburgh C.C. 6-0, def. Plum 60-6
2. North Allegheny 6-0, def. Kiski Area 63-17
3. Upper St. Clair 5-1, def. Peters Township 42-14
4. Penn-Trafford 6-0, def. McKeesport 17-13
5. Woodland Hills 5-1, def. Fox Chapel 38-0

Class AAA
1. Central Valley 6-0, def. Montour 27-16
2. Franklin Regional 6-0, def. Uniontown 56-7
3. Blackhawk 5-1, def. Ambridge 35-3
4. Knoch 6-0, def. Indiana 56-31
5. Thomas Jefferson 4-2, def. Chartiers Valley 37-22

Class AA
1. Aliquippa 6-0, def. Ellwood City 35-9
2. Seton-La Salle 6-0, def. South Allegheny 38-14
3. Jeannette 6-0, def. Yough 49-13
4. Greensburg C.C. 6-0, def. Brownsville 25-0
5. Beaver 6-0, def. Mohawk 43-0

Class A
1. Clairton 6-0, def. Bentworth 54-0
2. Sto-Rox 6-0, def. S.S. Beaver 62-14
3. Bishop Canevin 6-0, def. Wilkinsburg 41-6
4. Rochester 5-1, def. Western Beaver 41-6
5. Beth-Center 6-0, def. Monessen 46-0

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Week 6 thoughts

Beth-Center reached the WPIAL Class A semifinals in 2006 behind a staunch defense, and hard-as-nails approach to offense.

That team earned hard-fought victories over a Donte Valentino-led California, a Jordan Clemons-led Fort Cherry and a Serra Catholic team one year from reaching the state championship game.

Beth-Center finished 11-1 for one of the best seasons in team history. That fine season ended with a 31-6 loss to Clairton.

In the years since, Beth-Center has been a consistent program. The Bulldogs are always a threat to win a conference title, and rarely lose in the first round of the playoffs.

After watching Beth-Center dismantle Monessen, 46-0 Friday night in a performance where the Bulldogs dominated all three phases of the game, the Bulldogs have their most dangerous team since 2006.

Scratch that. This is the most dangerous Bulldogs team during the coaching tenure of Ed Woods.

In quarterback Sal Faieta, Beth-Center boasts a heady playmaker capable of breaking a big run, or checking out of a play and hitting a big pass. Faieta turned in a sensational performance against Monessen as he accounted for four touchdowns and more than 300 yards of offense.

Cody Durant, DeShan Brown and C.J. Novak can stretch the field, while Jake Sofran and Matt Riggle wear down defenses in the second half with tough running.

Beth-Center hasn't been this deep or as fast at the skill positions in years, and that's what makes them a threat.

Can the Bulldogs equal of better their run in 2006?

That depends. Beth-Center can get a good jump on that by beating Avonworth Friday night. That non-conference game is vital to the Bulldogs' postseason seeding. If they win out, they'll probably be seeded anywhere from three to five, more likely four of five. That would put them on the same side of the Class A bracket as Clairton, assuming the Bears win out.

* As long as Washington holds serve the rest of the way, the Prexies will host their first postseason game since 2001.

* With games remaining against Keystone Oaks and Washington, Burgettstown controls its own postseason chances. The Blue Devils moved to 4-2 overall, and 2-2 in the Century Conference with a 14-7 win Saturday over Quaker Valley.

* Monessen junior quarterback Chavas Rawlins has the best arm I've seen for a high school player since Cody Endres played at Trinity.

* Gotta admit: I believed Fort Cherry would beat Brentwood two weeks ago, and I thought Chartiers-Houston would beat Brentwood Friday night. Instead, the Spartans beat both teams in overtime and put themselves in prime position to finish the regular season with an 8-1 record, barring some sort of crazy win over Clairton.

Which, of course, would come in overtime.

* I'd love to hear from some Bucs fans. I was told C-H had 11 penalties to two for Brentwood.

* Jefferson-Morgan/Carmichaels isn't just the oldest and most-played rivalry in Greene County history, it's one of the oldest in the WPIAL.

There haven't been many outings better than the Rockets' 42-41 win in overtime that was decided on Tom Seddon's extra point.

Jefferson-Morgan took a major step in solidifying its postseason chances, while the loss really hurt Carmichaels chances. I believe Bill Clinton was president the last time Carmichaels missed the WPIAL Class A playoffs.

* Last year, only a small handful of runners rushed for 1,000 yards.

Ringgold's Quad Law eclipsed the milestone already. Waynesburg's Nick Zupper is rapidly approaching the mark.

* Elizabeth Forward only has one win, but for a Trinity team playing without three starters, including leading rusher Tyler Yocca, the Hillers did a nice job in a trap game.


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Friday notebook

Monessen showed plenty of toughness last year when several Greyhounds moved from skill positions to the offensive line during a key win over Beth-Center.

Fullback Jalen Madison and tailback Brett Crenshaw (graduated) made the moves to help an offensive front decimated by injury. The Greyhounds looked fine as they rolled to a 20-6 win that locked up the Tri-County South Conference and may not have been as close as the final score indicated.

That Greyhounds toughness will be on display again tonight as Monessen travels to Beth-Center. Both teams are unbeaten in the Tri-County South and the winner basically locks up the conference championship.

Monessen junior quarterback Chavas Rawlins, one of the top athletes in Class A, suffered an injury to his throwing hand during last week's shutout loss at North Catholic. Rawlins told me he will play at Beth-Center despite a chipped and dislocated knuckle bone.

That will likely limit Monessen's passing game, so expect the Greyhounds to run Madison behind a big offensive line.

* Beth-Center junior Cody Durant is turning into a big-play specialist.

Durant leads a balanced Beth-Center offense with 301 yards rushing and he has 125 yards receiving. Durant is averaging 10.7 yards per carry, 17.9 yards per catch, 35 yards per punt return, 31 yards per kickoff return and he returned an interception for an 89-yard touchdown.

Durant's 11 touchdowns is tied with Nick Zupper of Waynesburg for most in the area.

* Trinity senior Tyler Yocca posted on his Twitter feed Thursday that his knee injury is a "full torn acl in need of surgery."

Earlier in the week, Trinity head coach Ed Dalton said he believed Yocca would not play the remainder of the season. Yocca led the Hillers with 274 rushing yards and had several big plays through the first four games.

Trinity plays at Elizabeth Forward tonight.

Observer-Reporter WPIAL football rankings

Class AAAA
1. Pittsburgh C.C. 5-0, def. Penn Hills 36-6
2. North Allegheny 5-0, def. Seneca Valley 49-28
3. Upper St. Clair 4-1, def. Baldwin 42-0
4. Penn-Trafford 5-0, def. Connellsville 39-0
5. Woodland Hills 4-1, def. Altoona 28-7

Class AAA
1. Central Valley 5-0, def. Moon 51-20
2. Franklin Regional 5-0, def. Derry Area 49-3
3. Blackhawk 4-1, def. Hopewell 37-13
4. Montour 4-1, def. New Castle 35-25
5. Knoch 5-0, def. Hampton 42-6

Class AA
1. Aliquippa 5-0, def. New Brighton 41-6
2. Seton-La Salle 5-0, def. Steel Valley 28-0
3. Jeannette 5-0, def. Charleroi 46-20
4. Greensburg C.C. 5-0, def. Mt. Pleasant 21-14
5. Beaver 5-0, def. Brownsville 28-6

Class A
1. Clairton 5-0, def. Avella 84-0
2. Sto-Rox 5-0, def. Union 38-0
3. Bishop Canevin 5-0, def. Springdale 26-20
4. Rochester 4-1, def. Shenango 47-7
5. Beth-Center 5-0, def. California 39-2

Week 5 thoughts

Clairton 84, Avella 0.

Only to be outdone by Gateway 85, Norwin 0.

According to reports, Avella head coach Ryan Cecchini placed no blame on Clairton for the final score. Instead, Cecchini said a series of Avella mistakes, particularly on botched punts, continually gave the Bears prime field position.

The final score makes me think several things.

1. It's time for Clairton to move up to Class AA. Aliquippa does it. Jeannette does it. Monessen does it in basketball; and all are very successful. How much fun can it be knowing you will not face competition until the WPIAL championship game at the earliest?

2. Even before Cecchini disclosed some details of the game, I found it hard to place blame on Clairton. Seriously.

It's not Clairton's fault it is that much better.

Also, the Bears have been criticized for many things. They've taken knees after halftime (a move that still baffles me). They've acted unsportsmanlike after games, but if the starters were pulled and they weren't throwing the football, you can't put blame on them for the final score against Avella.

3. There needs to be mergers.

* Weather can be a great equalizer, and it certainly helped Brentwood during the Spartans' 20-19 overtime win at Fort Cherry. For the Rangers, it's a crippling loss with Clairton and Chartiers-Houston remaining on the schedule.

Brentwood did a better job at the line of scrimmage than Fort Cherry, and the Rangers hurt themselves with a myriad of mistakes - fumbled snaps, poor punts, missed extra points and missed assignments.

I covered the last two Fort Cherry-Brentwood games and thought both times the Rangers were the more talented team. Yet, the Spartans won both games. As stated many times on this blog, it takes a lot more than talent to win at the varsity level.

* Speaking of talent, Washington sure looks like its coming into its own.

The Prexies notched a second consecutive impressive victory, the latest a 41-16 romp at Keystone Oaks.

Shai McKenzie, a sophomore, is emerging as Washington's top runner and, with Jaylin Kelly, that's a dynamic one-two punch. Quarterback Josh Wise and receiver Ethan Gordon are bringing balance to an offense that is emerging as a big-play bunch.

A win against Steel Valley should lock up second place in the Century Conference for Washington. Considering the reaction following losses to Clairton and Seton-La Salle, not sure the Prexies faithful saw this coming.

* Beth-Center continues to get things done, and senior Sal Faieta is in the midst of his best season.

Faieta is a workout warrior, intelligent football player with a high motor, and he's a proven winner. Now, Faieta and Beth-Center face a difficult test in Monessen.

The Greyhounds aren't happy after being shutout at North Catholic, a game where quarterback Chavas Rawlins suffered a broken hand but continued to play. Monessen has also beat Beth-Center the past two seasons.

There isn't a bigger game in the area this Friday than Monessen at Beth-Center. The winner will win the Tri-County South Conference and should earn a top five seed in the WPIAL Class A playoffs.

* Waynesburg's Nick Zupper is in the midst of a monster season. He's already pushing 1,000 yards rushing.

* If the season ended today, Ringgold's Quad Law would be the Observer-Reporter Player of the Year.


Follow me on Twitter @TheMikeKovak

Games of the Week

Beth-Center at California
When California is solid, which certainly appears to be the case, this is a heated rivalry. These schools have a history of disliking one another, but, on the football field, things have been decidedly Beth-Center since the Bulldogs move to the Tri-County South. Beth-Center has quietly gone about its business, rolling up three consecutive blowout wins. California is battle-tested, with tough games already played against Riverview and Monessen.

Washington at Keystone Oaks
Washington, behind a dominating performance from the offensive and defensive lines, firmly placed itself in the WPIAL Class AA playoff picture with last week's win over South Fayette. Things rarely get easier in the Century Conference and, tonight, the Prexies travel to Dormont Stadium to face Keystone Oaks, which has a 2-0 conference record. The Golden Eagles are always solid, but getting a read on them this year has been difficult. They lost to Ambridge and beat Quaker Valley by seven.

Brentwood at Fort Cherry
The Spartans edged the Rangers last year in a game that Fort Cherry held the statistical advantage, particularly in average yards per rush. Brentwood is 4-0 and yet to be tested. Could that record be deceiving? The combined record of the teams Brentwood has faced is 0-16. Repeat, 0-16. This game is critical for Fort Cherry, which plays Serra Catholic and Bentworth the next two weeks. A win here and the Rangers could take a 6-1 record into a Week 8 game against Clairton.

Monessen at North Catholic
The Greyhounds faced some adversity last week against California. One, Monessen allowed its first points of the season. Two, the Greyhounds trailed by 13 points before rallying to win. Undefeated and the fourth-ranked Class A team by the Observer-Reporter, Monessen can use to win at always tough North Catholic to bolster its portfolio come playoff time. It would also be a nice win for the Tri-County South Conference.


I'll be providing occasional updates from tonight's Brentwood at Fort Cherry game, live from Jim Garry Stadium. Follow me on Twitter @TheMikeKovak.

Week 4 thoughts

The wait is finally over.

Washington notched a signature win.

It came Friday night at Wash High Stadium as the Prexies rushed for 258 yards during a 33-14 win over south Fayette that was nothing short of impressive.

Earlier in the week, South Fayette coach Joe Rossi said that no team in the Century Conference – not even high-powered Seton-La Salle – boasted a backfield with the talent of Washington's. And South Fayette sure saw a lot of Jaylin Kelly, Shai McKenzie and Joe Phillips.

Kelly rushed for 103 yards; McKenzie scored three touchdowns; and, Phillips help wear down the defense. Washington was far from one-dimensional as Josh Wise threw a pair of touchdowns, one to talented receiver Ethan Gordon, who sometimes gets lost in the Prexies' run-oriented attack.

Maybe the most impressive fact of the win – the Prexies trailed 7-0. Granted, that's not a significant deficit, but they've clearly played their best playing with a lead in the past.

I'm calling it Washington's best win since the 14th-seeded Prexies shutout Aliquippa, 7-0, in the first round of the WPIAL Class AA playoffs in 2005. That win, coincidentally, remains the High's only postseason win since winning the PIAA Class AA championship in 2001.

* Ringgold senior Mike Beveridge is an absolute menace as a defensive end, and his disrupting presence plays a significant factor in the Rams' fun-to-watch 42-41 win at Greensburg-Salem.

Beveridge might be this area's most disruptive defensive lineman since some fella named Dan Mozes helped Washington win that state title.

* If I'm a local Division II football coach, I'm recruiting Ringgold's Quad Law. Like right now.

* Former Fort Cherry standout Mike Vernillo held the WPIAL career rushing record for 12 years before Hopewell's Rushel Shell broke it Friday night.

Shell, who regularly faces some of the toughest teams around, has an opportunity to put the record where it may not be touched for decades.

* Mapletown snapped a 15-game win streak with a 22-12 win over West Greene. It's always a little easier coming to practice after a win, and it's a nice reward for all the players who have hung around throughout the streak.

* I always thought the one thing that hurt Beth-Center during the postseason was the lack of a playmaker with the speed to hang with players on elite teams. Say 'Hello' to Cody Durant.

Durant is averaging around 15 yards per carry ans scored four times against Carmichaels.

Durant and the Bulldogs face a tough test this week against neighboring rival California. The Trojans' held a double-digit lead at Monessen, but lost 20-13.

* I'm guessing that Tanner Garry's 99-yard touchdown pass to Koltan Kobrys is not only a school record, but a WPIAL and PIAA record as well. Heck, add the National Federation of High Schools to that list as well.

Week 1 thoughts

When Fort Cherry received the No. 5 ranking in Class A from the Observer-Reporter, the Rangers' placement drew the ire of a few readers of The Varsity Letters.
When it comes to skill players, Fort Cherry's ranks right up there with the better groups in Class A, and that group put on a show Saturday afternoon during a 55-40 win at Western Beaver.
Ryan Babirad and Corey Garry tallied three touchdowns apiece, while Tanner Garry threw for three. It's a strong trio of players, and when added with running back Jeff Whalen and a offensive line that always has size, Fort Cherry looks like a team poised for a breakthrough in 2011.
But one anonymous poster guaranteed that Fort Cherry would not finish second in the Black Hills Conference this season. Clairton is the prohibitive favorite to repeat as conference champs, and, yes, the Rangers could finish below the top two.
Why?
Well, Chartiers-Houston is far from being a pushover. The guess here is the Bucs will at least approach last year's win total, and they finished 7-3.
In quarterback Daniel Lis, Mykel Dorsey, Garrett Vulcano and Jevone Hairston, C-H has four more-than-capable runners. Players like Nate Grandelis make the Bucs a strong team up front.
When Fort Cherry plays at Chartiers-Houston during the final week of the regular season, expect the winner to get a home playoff game.
* At least a few coaches in the Tri-County South Conference believe that Beth-Center senior Deshan Brown is one of the league's premier weapons, and if the Bulldogs' results during a season-opening win against Frazier are an indciation, Brown will play a big role.
He caught five passes for 118 yards and two touchdowns from Sal Faieta.
Brown also intercepted three passes. He ranked among WPIAL leaders in that category last season.
During the preseason, I asked Brown is he had a knack for making plays on defense and he said he did not. Basically, he credited his interceptions to his ability to read what the offense was doing on a particular play and putting himself in the right position.
* There's a lot of season remaining but it looks like Ringgold and a handful of the area's Class A teams have the best chances for long playoff runs. Fort Cherry, Chartiers-Houston, Monessen and Beth-Center are quality football teams.
Got a chance to briefly talk with Canon-McMillan offensive coordinator Russ Moore - one of the more colorful guys I've come across - Friday night and one of the first things the former head coach at Waynesburg and Ringgold told me was to watch out for the Rams.
* As long as Mike LaRocka remains healthy, there's no doubt Burgettstown will be much improved from last year.
Imagine if Burgettstown had a slightly smaller enrollment (talking just a couple boys) and competed in the Black Hills Conference this season. The Blue Devils would be a playoff team for sure. Heck, maybe they still will be in Class AA.
* Really liked what I saw out of Kenyadda Brown Friday night against Trinity. When Brown got the football, his eyes and body were directed toward the line of scrimmage, and he's got the speed to blow past defenders.
* Also liked what I witnessed from Trinity back Tyler Yocca.
Trinity's offense did next to nothing during the first quarter, and it took a crafty run from Yoccas to get things going. Yocca set up Trinity's first touchdown - a one-yard run from Patrick Frey - with a 66-yard scamper where he found a small running lane, exploded through it, then made a nifty cutback to get past a Big Macs defender.
The Hillers new offense appears to suit Yocca's talents well.

A long, winding road carries Camp Kovak to Beth-Center

Inside the music room at Beth-Center Elementary, where the Bulldogs coaching staff have used as living quarters since training camp began, is a dry-erase board with the last names of several key players.

Beside each name is a number - a recent 40-yard dash time.

Some of those numbers may not stack up with the likes of Ringgold or Washington, but, for Beth-Center, they represent a faster, hard-working group. Senior Deshan Brown, a multi-purpose threat on offense and an all-state defensive back according to Pennsylvania Football News, was clocked at 4.47 - the top time on the team. Senior quarterback/linebacker Sal Faieta, who is drawing some Division I attention, came in at 4.5. Junior running back Cody Durant (4.6) is not far behind.

For Beth-Center, those times might prove significant. The Bulldogs have been a steady Class A program for years. The past two seasons, however, they lost to Monessen during the regular season and did not advance past the WPIAL quarterfinals.

Team speed and undersized offensive lines have hurt the Bulldogs against strong competition both seasons.

"I'd say both things are what's kept us from taking the next step," Beth-Center coach Ed Woods said Thursday afternoon. "We had to get faster, and we had to get stronger. To be honest, we have to work harder, though I'm not sure that the kids can work harder than they are."

Top players: Sal Faieta, Jake Sofran

Faieta has heard from Pitt, West Virginia and is a top target for Youngstown State. He was team MVP as a sophomore and might be the strongest quarterback in the WPIAL. Sofran was the Bulldogs' MVP last season, and he's led the team in tackles and rushing yards in each of the past two seasons.

Watch out for: Cody Durant

Durant made the most of his touches last year as he averaged 8.8 yards per carry and 13.7 per reception. With the loss of Kyle Colborn, who moved to North Carolina, Durant along with Brown figure to be more prominent in the passing game.

Key position(s): Offensive line

The front five has been a concern for the Bulldogs in recent years, mainly due to a lack of size in comparison with opponents. Led by Zach Miller, the line is bigger and stronger, and they'll be counted upon to do more as Beth-Center adds more to its offense.

Follow me on Twitter @TheMikeKovak

2010-11 Boys Athlete of the Year finalists

Mike Hull may no longer be at Canon-McMillan and, contrary to recent rumors, the school will not be renamed Canon-MikeHull. Still, Hull carved quite a legacy during his high school days and, as a senior, he was selected as the Observer-Reporter's Boys Athlete of the Year.

This year's honoree will come from the following finalists:

Nate Bellhy, Fort Cherry
Bellhy became the first local basketball player to commit this year when he picked Seton Hill. A three-time first-team all-district player, Bellhy averaged 25.8 points and finished his career as FC’s all-time scoring leader with 1,518 points. In his first year of varsity football, Bellhy excelled at receiver and caught 50 passes.

Nick Bolias, Monessen
A defensive stopper in football and basketball, Bolias was an second-team all-state defensive back but made an equal impact as the leading receiver for the Greyhounds. Bolias started at point guard for Monessen, which won the WPIAL Class AA championship (convincingly) and reached the state semifinals. Bolias would always draw the opponent’s top offensive player, whether he was 5-10 or 6-6. Bolias also played soccer during the fall, and helped Monessen to a strong season.

Christian Brumbaugh, South Fayette
A William & Mary football signee, Brumbaugh established every WPIAL passing record imaginable during his senior season from career yards to single-season yards. He also established a PIAA record for single-season TD passes for South Fayette’s WPIAL championship team, which reached the state final. Brumbaugh started at center for a team that reached the WPIAL Class AAA finals and the PIAA semifinals.

Derrick Fiore, Ringgold
A Cal U football recruit, Fiore was selected to the O-R Elite 11 and he rushed for 1,200 yards and averaged 10 yards per carry for the first Ringgold team to go undefeated and untied in the regular season. Fiore was also an all-conference defensive back, where he was recruited by Cal. Fiore joined the basketball team as a senior and cracked the rotation for a team that made a 14-game improvement from the previous year. A sprinter in track, Fiore ran the anchor leg on Ringgold’s WPIAL championship 400 relay team.

Austin Hancock, Peters Township
Few area athletes possess the natural leadership skills of Hancock, a two-sport standout in football and baseball. The Fordham-bound football player quarterback Peters Township to the WPIAL Class AAAA playoffs for the first time, and the Indians were the only team to hold a lead on PIAA champion North Allegheny in the postseason, albeit a 7-0 lead early in the game. Hancock was a dual threat in football, and some believe he may be a better baseball player. Batting in the middle of the Indians' order, Hancock delivered power numbers and was a four-year starter.

Josh Patterson, South Fayette
Patterson has the rare distinction of competing for WPIAL team championships in all three sports seasons as a senior. He was the third-leading receiver on the football team, and made several big plays during the postseason. In basketball, Patterson served as South Fayette’s defensive specialist and earned third-team all-district honors. Patterson also qualified for the PIAA championships in the triple jump. He will play basketball at Grove City, but has been asked to join the football and track teams as well.

Jeff Tarley, Beth-Center
Tarley will wrestler for West Virginia and returned to his three-sport ways as a senior. Tarley served as B-C’s tailback and nearly rushed for 1,000 yards despite missing several games. In wrestling, Tarley won his second WPIAL championship and placed second at the state tournament. In baseball, Tarley’s presence helped the Bulldogs to one of their better seasons.

WPIAL baseball games postponed

All WPIAL baseball playoff games scheduled for Tuesday have been moved to Wednesday. Games will be played at the same time, same location as originally scheduled.

Class AA
No. 2 Laurel (13-3) vs. No. 15 Washington (9-7), Wednesday at the Burkett Complex in Robinson Township, 4:30 p.m.

No. 7 Greensburg Central Catholic (12-4) vs. No. 10 South Fayette (10-6), Wednesday at North Allegheny High School, 4 p.m.

No. 3 Waynesburg (15-1) vs. No. 14 Freeport (11-4), Wednesday at Gateway High School, 4:30 p.m.

Class A
No. Rochester (9-4) vs. No. 9 Carmichaels (10-5), Wednesday at W&J's Ross Memorial Field, 2 p.m.

No. 5 Chartiers-Houston (9-5) vs. No. 12 Avonworth (10-5), Wednesday at the Burkett Complex in Ross Memorial Park, 2 p.m.

No. 7 Beth-Center (12-3) vs. No. 10 Vincentian Academy (11-6), Wednesday at Gateway High School, 2 p.m.

No. 6 Bentworth (11-4) vs. No. 11 Leechburg (10-6), Wednesday at Mt. Pleasant High School, 2 p.m.

Varsity notebook

Like many readers of The Varsity Letters, I make a regular practice of reading Mike White's Varsity Blog, available on the Post-Gazette web site. It's highly informative and always a good read.

And that's where I saw the sad news concerning Lawrence "Deuce" Skurcenski, a Western Pennsylvania high school statistical institution.

Deuce, as he's called by everyone, suffered a stroke last week and remains in Allegheny General Hospital. Deuce is one of those guys that, if you've been around high school football or basketball for any amount of time, you know.

He's quite the character, so much so that a documentary film was made about him. (Yes, I got to see it.)

The last time I encountered Deuce was during the PIAA basketball playoffs and he was quick to tell me that the game was the 10,987,345th or so that he's attended. He's been to nearly as many football games and the man is literally known by coaches from Class A high schools to major college basketball powers.

Deuce is a fountain of information, and other things. He also can provide some great tips, like letting me know that a young man named Dan Davis was transferring from Peabody High School to Fort Cherry. Davis went on the be the O-R Boys Basketball Player of the Year. He also loves to share his opinions, like he did with me while trying to write near deadline following the WPIAL Class AAA championship basketball game between South Fayette and Montour.

Here's to a speedy recovery and hope to see you out this fall.

* This is the absolute worst spring for rain that I can remember.

* Fort Cherry junior Tanner Garry struck out 17 Southmoreland batters in an eight-inning game last Friday. That's the most I can remember in a varsity game for a local pitcher in some time.

* Speaking of the Rangers, junior Jessie Merckle had another outstanding early-season javelin throw.

In a meet Thursday at Burgettstown, Merckle had a WPIAL-best throw of 143-5. Merckle's personal best is a 147-7, which came during her sophomore year and is the 16th best throw in WPIAL history according to Jim Faiella's honor roll.

Merckle, the Girls Field MVP at Saturday's Washington & Greene County Coaches Meet, is ranked sixth nationally according to milesplit.us. With Beka Bellhy and Jenna Lucas, Fort Cherry has three of the top six javelin marks in WPIAL Class AA.

* Clairton's Trenton Coles ran a wind-aided 10.37 in the 100-meter dash at Thursday's Blackhills Invitational at Chartiers-Houston. It may be wind-aided, but that is an outstanding time regardless.

* The WPIAL will announce its fifth Hall of Fame class Tuesday, April 26 at the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum at the History Center in Pittsburgh's Strip District. A total of 15 inductees will be announced, in addition to the 2011 WPIAL Courage Award winner.

Former O-R sports writer and proud Wash High graduate Jim Montecalvo, who died on June 7, 2008 at the age of 26, was honored posthumously with the Courage Award in 2010.

* Washington is dropping varsity boys golf.

* Beth-Center senior Jeff Tarley is a three-sport standout who is in the middle of baseball season for the Bulldogs, who look like one of the better teams in Class A at this point.

Tarley's best sport is wrestling and there's a chance he could end up signing with West Virginia University soon.

* Burgettstown has hired Rich Tranquill as its new boys varsity basketball coach. Tranquill, an Avella graduate, spent the past three seasons with the Blue Devils as an assistant coach.

* The Washington-Trinity alumni football game is scheduled for July 8 and, according to Robert Bishop of Alumni Football USA, there are waiting lists to play for both teams and a venue outside of Washington is interested in hosting.

Both teams will hold a meeting Saturday at the Vernon C. Neal Sports Complex at noon.

* Follow me on Twitter: @TheMikeKovak

Five storylines from 2010

Ed Dalton and the Trinity Area School District

The ongoing story of Ed Dalton and the Trinity Area School District dates back to last December, when the school board opened all fall coaching positions, including Dalton's positions as football coach and athletic director.
In early January, following significant public backlash, the board unanimously rescinded its rulings, but another controversial decision was only months away.
By an 8-1 vote at June's board meeting, Dalton was transferred from athletic director to a teaching position and the search for a new athletic director – a position Dalton held for the previous 12 years – was under way with the school year rapidly approaching.
Former St. Francis (Pa.) men's basketball coach Bobby Jones was hired as athletic director in late July.
Dalton, who remained as the Hillers' football coach, took the next step when he filed a lawsuit against the school district, claiming a breach of an oral employment contract. Dalton claims damages in excess of $100,000.
"We went out of our way not to go this route," Dalton said.
Dalton coached Trinity during the 2010 season, his 12th with the Hillers. Trinity finished 6-4 and made the WPIAL Class AAA playoffs for the ninth time in Dalton's coaching tenure. The Hillers lost to West Allegheny in the first round of the playoffs.

Ringgold football
Once a pipeline to Division I, Ringgold football hit hard times the past decade as there were nearly as many coaching changes as victories.
That changed in 2010 as the Rams, led by first-year coach Matt Humbert and a roster equipped for a track meet, made history at the tradition-rich school.
Bolstered by a move to the Keystone Conference, Ringgold got off to a strong start and gained confidence with a come-from-behind win at Hollidaysburg in Week 3. A spread offense geared toward the run suited Derrick Fiore, Quad Law and blossoming playmakers Alfon Cook and Demetrius Louis.
The wins kept coming in a variety of ways and Ringgold won the conference, plus it finished the regular season 9-0 – its first undefeated regular season.
The season ended in the first round of the WPIAL Class AAA playoffs against Central Valley, which went on to win the WPIAL title.

Guy Montecalvo
Guy Montecalvo, the only high school football coach from Washington County to win a state championship, resigned in April after 30 seasons on the sidelines.
Montecalvo spent the first 23 seasons as a head coach at Washington and the last seven at Canon-McMillan, where he remains the school's athletic director. During his tenure, Montecalvo compiled a 225-107-2 record.
"The passion (for coaching) just isn't the same right now," said Montecalvo.
At 23, Montecalvo accepted his first post as head coach at Wash High. He guided the Prexies to WPIAL Class AA titles in 1993 and 2001. Washington won the 2001 state championship. The Prexies were also district runners-up in 1990, 1995, 1998 and 1999.
In 2004, Montecalvo guided C-M to a victory over Belle Vernon in the first round of the WPIAL Class AAA playoffs, the only postseason win in Canon-Mac history.
With an opening at Peters Township and the possibility of one at Trinity, Montecalvo's name is again making rounds as a candidate to coach in 2011.

The Peters Township School Board

In a situation with similar tones to the Ed Dalton and Trinity saga, Peters Township made waves when football coach Nick Milchovich had his job opened following a WPIAL Class AAAA playoff appearance.
Then, in another interesting move explained as a school policy that has rarely if ever been enforced, all fall sports coaching positions were opened. Given the success of girls soccer, boys soccer, boys golf, girls tennis and others at Peters Township, the move seemed strange.
Is it a cover-up to oust Milchovich?
Is it a case of a school policy being enforced?
Are sports programs unfairly being included with other student activities?
These questions, and others, could still be answered as further action is taken.

Ed Woods
Beth-Center's Ed Woods, the longest-tenured football coach in Washington County, guided the Bulldogs to another WPIAL Class A playoff appearance this season as the second-place team from the Tri-County South Conference.
Woods, however, was forced to coach Beth-Center's first-round victory over Cornell from the press box after a near-death experience.
On a Saturday in late October, Woods fell 20 feet off the roof of his house but remained alert enough to call Jefferson-Morgan football coach Jan Haiden for help. The Bulldogs and Rockets played later that week.
Woods missed that game while at Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh with several injuries, including broken ribs.

Boys basketball AA-A team capsules

Class AA
California
The Trojans are one of the smaller teams playing in Class AA but that didn't stop them from qualifying for the postseason a year ago. California beat Apollo-Ridge in an entertaining, back-and-forth preliminary round game before being ousted by Greensburg Central Catholic.
Thanks to realignment, California and Greensburg Central Catholic are both in Section 4-AA. The Centurions are tabbed as preseason favorites to win the section and the WPIAL. California figures to be one of the teams GCC must contend with to win the section title.
Leading scorer John Tyler, a 6-0 shooting guard who suffered a season-ending foot injury before last postseason, returns.
So do sophomores Tanner Huffman and Brian Fisher.
Huffman was California's point guard and Fisher came off the bench to provide energy, rebounding and defense.

Beth-Center
The Bulldogs have made three WPIAL playoff appearances during the 10-year coaching tenure of Barry Niemiec. If you know anything about the history of Beth-Center basketball, that's a successful run.
Making the playoffs from Section 4-AA, which includes preseason favorite Greensburg Central Catholic and Jeannette, won't be easy but Beth-Center returns three starters and eight lettermen, including Lucas Diethorn, to give Niemiec one of his more experienced teams.

Charleroi
The Cougars opened the season with a win at Belle Vernon. The Leopards played Ringgold earlier in the day after a scheduling mishap forced Elizabeth Forward to withdrawl from the Belle Vernon Tipoff Tournament.
Charleroi won't wow many in the point total but the Cougars play defense and rebound, plus have several key returning lettermen including Vinnie Scirotto.

Fort Cherry
Heading into tonight's non-section game at South Fayette, Fort Cherry senior Nate Bellhy needs 17 points to reach 1,000 for his varsity career. A 6-5 scoring a,d rebounding machine, Bellhy averaged nearly 29 points per game as a junior and he committed to Division II Seton Hill during the fall.
The Rangers will go as Bellhy goes and an improved defense could work wonder. Fort Cherry yielded 69.5 points per game. Only three WPIAL teams, one being Ringgold, allowed a higher average.

Burgettstown
The Blue Devils are 0-2 after playing a pair of Class AAA schools in Washington and Trinity at the Canon-McMillan Tournament. Point guard Tyler Pavan was one of the top players in Section 5 last year, and that was with Washington in the league.

Chartiers-Houston
The Bucs return only two lettermen and no returning starters from last year's senior-filled lineup. First-year coach Eugene Briggs, the former head coach at Fort Cherry, will rely on Josh Counihan and Kevin Welsh and hope the sophomores and freshmen develop quickly.

Monessen
The Greyhounds opted to remain in Class AA, they've been playing up for several cycles, but lost some natural rivalries when they were shipped to Section 3. Instead of playing Washington, Burgettstown or even teams from Section 4, Monessen draws Bishop Canevin, Seton-La Salle, Steel Valley and others.

It wasn't a popular move in Monessen, but it shouldn't keep the Greyhounds from contedning for a section title and a possible deep postseason run.

Monessen is 1-1 after playing in Franklin Regional's tipoff tournament and the loss was a 94-90 setback to Class AAA Norwin. With point guard Jalen Madison, athletic swingman Jaisen Irwin and big man Cam Johnson, the Greyhounds are on of Class AA's more talented teams.

Class A
Avella
The Eagles haven't won a section championship since 1970 and there are only two in team history. According to coaches in Section 3, Avella could add to that number this year.
Head coach Joseph Hough has four starters back and a nice mix of height and experience.
Junior guard Joe Yamber averaged 15 points per game last year and he'll be complemented by 6-7 senior Neil Gossett and 6-5 senior Damon Cupp.
Avella, already 2-0 on the year, returns nine of its top 10 from a year ago, including Cameron Geresti and Jed Fernbaugh.

Carmichaels
The Mikes lost leading scorer Bill Musgrove but returned the other four starters and six lettermen, which makes them a contender in Section 3 for head coach Don Williams, who has won 415 games in 35 years with the team.
Jon Krall, Seth Krall and Jordan Kennedy are three of the top returnees in a lineup that will rely on speed and defense to win games.

Jefferson-Morgan
The Rockets will be guided by first-year head coach Chris Niemiec, brother of Beth-Center coach Barry Niemiec. Jefferson-Morgan will be one of the younger teams in Class A with no seniors and only six juniors.

Bentworth
The Bearcats' non-section schedule isn't made with ready-made victories in mind. It's designed by veteran head coach Joe Kennedy (pictured) to prepare Bentworth for the playoffs. That's why there's always games against the likes of Clairton, Burgettstown and OLSH.
The defending Section 3 champs return all-district guard John Barker (14.9 ppg) and forward Gannon Walls-Mitchell (12.1) and they should anchor a lineup that is expected to contend for another title.
Bentworth returns eight lettermen.

Mapletown
Junior Marcus Cumpston could be one of th top players in Section 3 for a Mapletown team that qualified for the postseason last year despite numbers problems. Head coach Bo Garnek has a few more bodies on the bench this year as Mapletown fields an 11-player roster.

West Greene
The Pioneers won only one game and ranked last in the WPIAL in offense at 23.9 points per game last year. Curtis Jones is West Greene's top returning player.