The West: 6A Top 10….October 25th (#1 -#5)
1 Pine Richland 9-0, D7; Top seeded Pine Richland beat Butler 64-0 for their 3rd shutout of the year, taking their offensive per game average on the year to 50 against 21 allowed. Impressive stuff knowing most of those games saw starters pulled at the half or early into the 3rd quarter. This one had them with a 43-0 halftime lead. Phil Jurkovec completed 10 of 12 passes for 164 yards and 3 Tds while Jordan Crawford and Vince Buchino both broke the century mark with 122 and 104 rush yards respectively. Each scored twice. Kenny White had a 2 yards run for a score as did Connor Kirby. Jason DeFrancisis was Jurkovec’s favorite target catching tosses of 17, 31 and 40 yards for scores. Next up is North Allegheny who crushed them last year 47-10 without Phil Jurkovec. NA’s quarterback Ethan Maenza went berserk with 305 total yards of offense. Good seeing the Rams finally get a test with NA coming in hot on a 6-game winning streak. But then, a number of people thought Bethel Park and Central Catholic would give them a game!
2 Cumberland Valley 7-1, D3; Cole McCoy ran for 188 with Jake Palmer adding 202 as the top seeded Eagles pounded out 540 yards on the ground (!) despite missing a number of starters; hence the keep away. Three red zone turnovers helped! FB Galen Witmer added 98 in a 24-14 crossover win against Lower Dauphin to avenge last year’s stunning 15-10 upset. They’re at dangerous Central Dauphin East this week possibly still with out All Everything Charlie Katshir, their standout WR/ RB/ SS/ special teams, etc, player meaning they will likely keep it close to the vest like they did last week. With Harrisburg the following week, they cannot afford even the slightest look-ahead with the Panthers prowling for a playoff spot.
3 Bethel Park 7-1, D7; The Blackhawks had an expected easy time of it, defeating Altoona (2-7), in a 42-3 rout of the Mountain Lions. Tanner Volpatti led the way with 122 yards rushing while the team churned out 432 total yards of offense against hapless Altoona (3-7) who is allowing 42ppg. Mt. Lebanon is next in a key Southeastern Conference battle that will decide the issue. Lebo bounced them last year 35-14 but this is a far more polished team from Bethel, scoring 35 a game and allowing 17. Take out the Pine Richland points (54-20 loss) and you’re at 12 ppg. So they bring a big offense and solid defense that should be enough to eke out a road win here. They currently hold the 3rd seed and are on a 4 game winning streak.
4 Pittsburgh Central Catholic 7-2, D7; The Vikings cranked things up the last 3 weeks winning their 3rd straight game by an average score of 48-14 when they defeated Norwin 35-14 to secure a playoff spot in the postseason. This sets up what could be an exciting finish ending the regular season at home against Penn Hills. After playing Butler, Altoona and Norwin, this is just what the doctor ordered with the post season a week away. With PH allowing 22ppg, Central will score. But the Indians counter with a prolific offense that is averaging 29ppg. The Vikings will counter with an offense averaging 32ppg or 38 minus Cathedral and Pine Richland losses….and a defense allowing 19ppg, or 12 minus the same losses. Central’s great 14-2 silver medalist team stormed them last year 42-13, getting 438 total yards of offense.
5 Manheim Township 7-1, D3; Who else should put an end to “The Streak” than the Streaks!? 2nd seeded Manheim Township ended Wilson’s 68 game winning streak of conference games with a emphatic 38-14 win in Lancaster last week. Interestingly, they were the last team to beat Wilson back in 2007….(2007!)....winning 26-7. This was a typical Township-Bulldog game through the 1st half with Township holding on to a precarious 21-14 lead. But Grayson Sallade and the Blue Streak D were just warming. A 2nd half explosion blew open what had been a tight game into something approaching a rout when the Streaks scored 17 3rd quarter points to ice it. Wilson was held to 190 total yards of offense, 69 on the ground as Township’s D really stepped up. Lebanon is next, a team they beat last year 71-20
1 Pine Richland 9-0, D7; Top seeded Pine Richland beat Butler 64-0 for their 3rd shutout of the year, taking their offensive per game average on the year to 50 against 21 allowed. Impressive stuff knowing most of those games saw starters pulled at the half or early into the 3rd quarter. This one had them with a 43-0 halftime lead. Phil Jurkovec completed 10 of 12 passes for 164 yards and 3 Tds while Jordan Crawford and Vince Buchino both broke the century mark with 122 and 104 rush yards respectively. Each scored twice. Kenny White had a 2 yards run for a score as did Connor Kirby. Jason DeFrancisis was Jurkovec’s favorite target catching tosses of 17, 31 and 40 yards for scores. Next up is North Allegheny who crushed them last year 47-10 without Phil Jurkovec. NA’s quarterback Ethan Maenza went berserk with 305 total yards of offense. Good seeing the Rams finally get a test with NA coming in hot on a 6-game winning streak. But then, a number of people thought Bethel Park and Central Catholic would give them a game!
2 Cumberland Valley 7-1, D3; Cole McCoy ran for 188 with Jake Palmer adding 202 as the top seeded Eagles pounded out 540 yards on the ground (!) despite missing a number of starters; hence the keep away. Three red zone turnovers helped! FB Galen Witmer added 98 in a 24-14 crossover win against Lower Dauphin to avenge last year’s stunning 15-10 upset. They’re at dangerous Central Dauphin East this week possibly still with out All Everything Charlie Katshir, their standout WR/ RB/ SS/ special teams, etc, player meaning they will likely keep it close to the vest like they did last week. With Harrisburg the following week, they cannot afford even the slightest look-ahead with the Panthers prowling for a playoff spot.
3 Bethel Park 7-1, D7; The Blackhawks had an expected easy time of it, defeating Altoona (2-7), in a 42-3 rout of the Mountain Lions. Tanner Volpatti led the way with 122 yards rushing while the team churned out 432 total yards of offense against hapless Altoona (3-7) who is allowing 42ppg. Mt. Lebanon is next in a key Southeastern Conference battle that will decide the issue. Lebo bounced them last year 35-14 but this is a far more polished team from Bethel, scoring 35 a game and allowing 17. Take out the Pine Richland points (54-20 loss) and you’re at 12 ppg. So they bring a big offense and solid defense that should be enough to eke out a road win here. They currently hold the 3rd seed and are on a 4 game winning streak.
4 Pittsburgh Central Catholic 7-2, D7; The Vikings cranked things up the last 3 weeks winning their 3rd straight game by an average score of 48-14 when they defeated Norwin 35-14 to secure a playoff spot in the postseason. This sets up what could be an exciting finish ending the regular season at home against Penn Hills. After playing Butler, Altoona and Norwin, this is just what the doctor ordered with the post season a week away. With PH allowing 22ppg, Central will score. But the Indians counter with a prolific offense that is averaging 29ppg. The Vikings will counter with an offense averaging 32ppg or 38 minus Cathedral and Pine Richland losses….and a defense allowing 19ppg, or 12 minus the same losses. Central’s great 14-2 silver medalist team stormed them last year 42-13, getting 438 total yards of offense.
5 Manheim Township 7-1, D3; Who else should put an end to “The Streak” than the Streaks!? 2nd seeded Manheim Township ended Wilson’s 68 game winning streak of conference games with a emphatic 38-14 win in Lancaster last week. Interestingly, they were the last team to beat Wilson back in 2007….(2007!)....winning 26-7. This was a typical Township-Bulldog game through the 1st half with Township holding on to a precarious 21-14 lead. But Grayson Sallade and the Blue Streak D were just warming. A 2nd half explosion blew open what had been a tight game into something approaching a rout when the Streaks scored 17 3rd quarter points to ice it. Wilson was held to 190 total yards of offense, 69 on the ground as Township’s D really stepped up. Lebanon is next, a team they beat last year 71-20
