Week 1 rankings include the team, geographic district, season record, and last week’s result.  Teams listed as honorable mentions are arranged in numerical order by geographic district. AAAA: 1. Cumberland Valley (3, 1-0), def. Red Lion 45-6 2. LaSalle College (12, 1-0), def. North Penn 27-14 3. Pittsburgh Central Catholic (7, 1-0), def. Akron Buchtel [...]

TURTLE CREEK, Pa. – While entering the press conference area of Saturday’s “Rally at the Wolvarena,” Steubenville head coach Reno Saccoccia tripped over one of the camera bags. If only McKeesport Area’s defense could have tripped over a camera bag. In the third quarter, the rather impressive Tigers’ defensive unit suddenly began tripping over itself. [...]

SIDMAN, Pa. – Veteran Forest Hills head coach Don Bailey knew his rushing attack would be pretty potent, as three 600-yard rushers returned from a season ago. Friday night, Bailey learned that he’s also got a pretty effective junior quarterback to run the show. Justin Gdula threw four touchdown passes in his first varsity start [...]

George Novak (243-118-1) said he has 38 seniors on his roster this year at Woodland Hills.  That’s quite an impressive number, to say the least.  The Wolverines have quite a number of athletes at its disposal this year, from all-everything athlete Lafayette Pitts (Pitt commit), QB/S Javonte Pitts, C Julian Turner, DL Quinton Jefferson, LBs [...]

The Indians are more than just Wisconsin recruit Mike Caputo (2,626 rushing yards, 34 TD) and his game-changing ability on both offense and defense, though #7 will certainly make his share of significant impacts this coming season.  West A. landed a transfer in former Burgettstown QB Dylan Bongiorni (career 1,946 yards, 25 TD), who threw [...]

The Vikings have Damion Jones-Moore and his more than 1,450 rushing yards back for another season, but the key lies at quarterback, where Central Catholic might have found the key to loosening up opposing defenses. Junior field general Perry Hills (20-of-36, 362 yards, 5 TD, 1 INT) went 4-0 to end PCC’s regular season, and [...]

In the Ramblers’ first non-AAAA season of football in God-knows-how-long, Cathedral Prep enjoyed an 11-3 record and a run to the PIAA quarterfinals against West Allegheny. Senior running back Justin Wiley (1,374 rushing yards, 405 receiving yards, 34 total TD scored) returns, as does K Noah Ackerman, S Mario Sanders and OL/DL Jake Geanous. Replacing [...]

The Gators’ season did not entirely go down the tubes when prized senior Dondi Kirby tore his ACL in a 7-on-7 passing camp. Sure, Kirby, who was nearing 20 Division-1 scholarship offers, was going to play a pivotal role on defense and possibly even quarterback, but there are some other athletes who can help stir [...]

The Red Hurricanes could be a year away from cooking up something pretty special out in Lawrence County. Junior field general John Matarazzo (2,134 yards, 17 TD; 39 rush, 4 TD) returns, and is on pace to throw for more than 6,300 yards. RB Justin Fleo (78 rush, 732 yards, 9.39 yds./rush, 34 rec., 530 [...]

Consecutive seasons of 6-4 and opening round exits from the WPIAL AAAA playoffs may not be quite what the Panthers are accustomed to. But, following Upper St. Clair’s 5th WPIAL and 2nd PIAA championship in 2006, the best the Panthers have done is reached the WPIAL quarterfinals in 2007, falling to Gateway, 32-20. The Panthers [...]

Mt. Lebanon served us notice last season when they upended Pittsburgh Central Catholic in the third week of the season to start 2-1, and the Blue Devils finally appear to be moving upward after a few years in the basement after a 5-5 season a year ago. OL Tim Cwalina committed to Virginia, TE Paul [...]

Thomas Jefferson finished 11-1 last season, but failed to reach the WPIAL finals for the first time since 2002. No matter. While the 2010 edition of the Jaguars may not be its strongest team in recent memory, its top three rushers from a year ago (Ryan Ruffing, Dylan Breisinger and TJ Matrascia) all return, as [...]

The Tigers are banged up, but should be one of the teams competing for the Northern Seven Conference championship in the end, along with North Hills and Erie McDowell. NA landed two key transfers in the off-season from Buffalo, N.Y. – Rob and Patrick Kugler. Rob, a senior, committed to Purdue, and Patrick is a [...]

To Head Coaches: Many colleges all over the USA come to our web site to look at possible recruits. Last year we started a player bio page using the information that head coaches sent us about their players. The recruiters liked it as well as the coaches and players. Click below for a sample of [...]

Kickoff times for the Sept. 4 “Rally at the Wolvarena” have been tentatively established. Ken Halloy, president of Halloy Boy Sports Marketing, Inc. in New Albany, Ohio, has put together the four-games-in-one-day event and has brought two teams each from Florida and Ohio to participate against WPIAL representatives McKeesport, Pittsburgh Central Catholic, Woodland Hills and [...]

Lafayette Pitts’ verbal commitment to the Pitt Panthers during the 2010 Dave Wannstedt Team Passing Camp at the Panthers’ UPMC South Side facilities yesterday was big in many ways. Pitts was the Panthers’ third commitment from the Keystone State this 2011 recruiting class, joining OL Artie Rowell (Central Dauphin) and LB Ben Kline (Dallastown). Pitts [...]

Woodland Hills’ versatile athlete Lafayette Pitts has verbally committed to the University of Pittsburgh during the Panthers’ annual 7-on-7 passing camp at the university’s South Side facilities today. More information on Pitts’ commitement will be posted later.

The Lezzer Lumber Classic isn’t filled with division 1 all stars but the players chosen for this game play like D1 recruits. And this year was no exception. Heart, strength and the love of the game are what drives these central PA players, and this year there was something else….memory. That being the memory of [...]

Keanu Reeves would have been proud. This night in Altoonas’ Mansion Park a team of replacements proved they weren’t just the second choice, they showed they should have been the first choice when it comes to picking all stars. Led by defensive linemen Mike Tucker of Downingtown East and Josh Coulter of Downingtown West, the [...]

Join Jeff Reinhart from LancSports.com LIVE from Mansion Park Stadium, Altoona PA for the East/West All-Star game. Click the link below. Cover it Live

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Rob Kugler, a 6’3, 240-pound athlete who transferred to North Allegheny High School after his father Sean was named offensive line coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers, has made a verbal commitment to play football at Purdue, according to Rivals.com. Kugler had quite a few offers before committing to the Boilermakers – nine to be exact [...]

U.S. ARMY ALL-AMERICAN BOWL NOMINATES 12 PENNSYLVANIA STUDENT-ATHLETES Group Honored among the Nation’s Top 400+ Senior Athletes WHARTON, N.J. (May 6, 2010) – The following Pennsylvania prep football players have been nominated to play in the 2011 U.S. Army All-American Bowl, joining an elite group of student-athletes. FIRST NAME LAST NAME POSITION SCHOOL CITY Jameel [...]

Oil City Area’s blue-chip tight end prospect Ben Koyack, a 6’5, 230-pound senior-to-be, made a verbal commitment to Notre Dame Tuesday, according to his profile on Rivals.com. Koyack’s verbal commitment is a solid verbal, according to Rivals.  Verbal commitments are non-binding until the player signs a letter of intent in February 2011. In addition to [...]

Tuesday night Bedford school board named Kevin Steele head football coach. Former head coach Dan Smith stepped down at the end of the 2009 season. In five years at Tussey Mountain, Steele team’s made the District 5 Class A playoffs. Steel had a 26-27 record at Tussey.

The Yough School Board voted unanimously Thursday night to hire Mark Crovak as the head football coach. Jim Ward resigned Feb. 24. Ward left after one season to become the head coach at McKeesport. Crovak was most recently a volunteer assistant at Hempfield. He is employed as a history teacher at Penn-Trafford High School.

Bob McIntyre replaces Jeff Besong who resigned after the season. McIntyre comes to Quaker Valley from Pittsburgh Central Catholic, where he was an assistant this past season. In 2008, he was the head coach at Keokuk High in Iowa. From 2003-07 he was an assistant at Pittsburgh Central Catholic. The past 10 years the Quakers have [...]

After Monday night’s school board meeting, Norwin High School has a new football coach.   Art Tragesser, the former head coach of Jeannette and Penn-Trafford High Schools, was named the new head coach at Norwin.  Tragesser was an assistant at Greater Latrobe this past season under Ray Reitz.   Tragesser replaces Dan Conwell.   Mike [...]

2010 PA HS Football Player - Verbal Commitment page Akron: Mike Bizzarro – WR – Erie McDowell El’rlco Jones – RB/CB – Hickory Micah Lio – OT/DT – Knoch ShelDon Miller – S – Monessen Arizon State: Brice Schwab – OT/DT – Moniteau Bowling Green: Trent Hurley – QB – Greensburg Central Catholic Bryan Thomas – [...]

McKeesport head football coach George Smith has resigned, according to staff reports published by the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.   Smith’s long-time offensive coordinator, Jamie Eckels, also resigned, citing to the Tribune-Review that when Smith was finished, so was he.  Eckels had come to McKeesport from Cameron County High School in 1991, and he brought with him [...]

Mark Lyons was hired Thursday night as the first varsity football coach at Central Valley High School. Next year Center and Monaca will merge to become Central Valley. Lyons previously held head coaching positions at Monaca and Freedom. He was also the head coach at Mount Pleasant and an assistant at New Brighton.

First Team QB – Robert Kalkstein, Gateway RB – Rushel Shell, Hopewell; Mike Caputo, West Allegheny; Dom Timbers, Woodland Hills WR – Jim Giansante, Thomas Jefferson; Christian Bryan, Norwin; Mark Ross, Hopewell; Josh Staniscia, Franklin Regional TE – Mike Lee, Woodland Hills K – Sam Scifo, Woodland Hills OFF. SPEC. – Shyquawn Pullium, Erie Cathedral [...]

HERSHEY, Pa. – Clairton’s 36 players gathered in a huddle, a joyous, jubilant huddle, and started a call-and-response chant of, “Ohhhh, yeeeaaaaaaah!”   But for much of the game, District 6 rep. Bishop McCort kept things very, very close.  But never were the Bears in danger of bellowing, “Ohhhhh no!”   Clairton (15-1) pulled away [...]

Join EasternPAFootball.com’s Josh Funk & Jeremy Varner LIVE from HersheyPark Stadium as Clairton takes on Bishop McCort in the PIAA Class A Championship. Starts Friday at 12:30pm. Click the link below. Cover It Live Blog

Join The Funkster LIVE Friday from Altoona as Manheim Central takes on West Allegheny in the PIAA Class AAA Western Final. Starts at 6:45 pm. Click the link below. Cover It Live Blog With Josh Funk

Week 15 Matchup information is complete. WesternPAFootball.net is proud to release the 2009 Playoff Football Brackets. Each season WesternPAFootball.net compiles all the information you need to know to get you ready for the playoffs. Download our brackets for free anytime. Brackets will contain all the teams, records, who they play, where they play, when they play [...]

CONTEST STARTS ON NOVEMBER 30TH, 2009. WEEK 14th (Dec. 4th & 5th), 15th (Dec. 11th & 12th) and 16th (Dec. 18th & 19th) 2009 Good luck to all the participants. We will post the final winners on the Sunday of week 16. Only one entry per person per week. Entries must include a valid e-mail [...]

HARRISBURG, Pa. – After a brief pregame chat with Bishop McDevitt coach Jeff Weachter, one of the Crusaders’ coaching staff gave a small reminder: “Just remember what you see today.” For Penn Manor, it won’t soon easily forget Jameel Poteat running inside, outside, and through its defense. Or Salath Williams’ receptions that chewed up a [...]

LIVE BLOG FROM WPIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS 10:56-The Champs: Clairton, Greensburg Central Catholic, West Allegheny, Woodland Hills 9:30-At the half Woodland Hills leads over Gateway 10-0. Could Gateway come away with nothing for a third time? 8:30-Welcome back football fans, the final game of the day pins Woodland Hills vs. Gateway in a AAAA showdown. Gateway fumbles [...]

Its the show that is being talked about all around the Keystone state, another episode of Press Pass airs LIVE Tonight at 7:30pm. Join host Matt Farago as he fills you in on what you need to know for Friday night. Matt will be previewing all 4 WPIAL Finals matchups with WTAE Pittsburghs Josh Taylor. [...]

NEW WILMINGTON — If any of the Farrell football players have superstitions, somebody forgot to tell them they were playing their first game in the District 10 playoffs on Friday the 13th. Playing all aspects of the game and playing them very well, the Steelers scored early, often and in many different ways as they [...]

WILKINSBURG, Pa. – The Wilkinsburg Bears were trying, for the ninth time, to reach win #500 in school history.   That wait will have to continue for a while.   Leechburg (1-8) shut out Wilkinsburg (0-9) 22-0 on a muddy Graham Field Saturday afternoon, spoiling the hopes of the red and blue of making any [...]

PITTSBURGH – Despite all signs that are pointing to an economic recovery on Wall Street, Oliver proved that it’s still a “Bear” market.   Oliver (6-1) stifled the Brashear (6-2) ground game, holding the Bulls to minus-20 rushing yards in a 20-7 victory Saturday afternoon from Cupples Stadium on the south side of Pittsburgh.   [...]

The final score was Central Mountain 33 Bellefonte 27, but if you looked only at the stats of the first half you’d have thought Bellefonte was getting pummeled this Monday eve. Thanks to some feisty defensive play and a bit of momentum the Red Raiders stayed in the game. With the score 14-0 and the [...]

If your game is postponed because of rain or snow Friday please email us so we can add your game to the list. Please in your email add the new date and time of your game. Thanks to everyone in advance!! Email: dave@westernpafootball.net State College vs. CD East postponed to Sun. Oct. 18th at 4pm

KNOX — One of the shortest pass completions of the game turned out to be the biggest play of the game for the Keystone Panthers. With a possible defeat staring them squarely in the eyes, Keystone rallied for 14 unanswered points for a 21-all tie to send their game with Moniteau into overtime. Not to [...]

AMBRIDGE, Pa. – Saturday afternoon is usually home to college football, however on this cool October Saturday afternoon in the town of Ambridge it was still about Bridger high school football. Ambridge (2-2) moved their 2009 homecoming game against the Montour Spartans (3-1) to Saturday to accommodate the members of the 1956 Bridger team, who [...]

SHARON — Slippery Rock and Sharon don’t have to worry about a head-on collision as they venture through the 2009 football season because the two teams are headed in totally opposite directions. Friday night at Tiger Stadium, the two teams butted heads and the result was a 34-0 Sharon win over the Rockets. After a [...]

MECHANICSBURG, PA & CAMERON PARK, CA, Sept. 21 – The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association, Inc. (“PIAA”) and MaxPreps.com, the nation’s largest and most comprehensive provider of high school sports content and information, have agreed to a two-year partnership. The contract commenced with the 2008-2009 school year and continues through the 2009-2010 school year. The designation of [...]

Do you like the 12th Man Scoreboard Show on Prep Nation Radio? Is the video something you would like to add to your OWN website? Well here is how you can do it. Prep Nation Radio’s PROMOTE US page offers the code to add our 12th Man Scoreboard Show to your website. Once you are [...]

Although it took 48 minutes on the game clock to complete the contest, it only took about three minutes to determine the issue in Moniteau’s 44-26 win over Clarion-Limestone Friday night. With the two teams deadlocked at 14-all, the Warriors promptly ripped off 23 unanswered points for a 37-14 lead and they never looked back. [...]

Week one had enough upsets for an entire season, but as the lights of the first weekend of high school football comes to a close in the Keystone state we take a first look at the top teams in each class like we will every week on champssportsnetwork.…com   CLASS AAAA #1 PITTSBURGH CENTRAL CATHOLIC [...]

McKeesport Area (7) – The Tigers return one heck of a backfield to run its flexbone offense – namely Ty-Meer Brown and Darien Robinson. The big question for the Tigers will be their offensive line play, and they’ll get a good indication as to how that will work when they face St. Joe’s Prep in [...]

Thomas Jefferson (7) – Thomas Jefferson is Thomas Jefferson is Thomas Jefferson. Until proven otherwise, they’re still the cream of the crop in the “AAA” classification. Sure, Cherpak and Co. lose athletes like Pat Eger, Tyler Wehner, and Brian Baldrige, but TJ always seems to find a way to reload. TJ has won 93 of [...]

Gateway (7) – Two straight trips to Heinz Field, two straight trips back to Monroeville empty-handed. Sure, we could beat that horse to death, or you can look at the talent that the Gators have coming back to their fold. Two particular standouts include quarterback Rob Kalkstein, who will be a 4-year starter, and has [...]

Pittsburgh Central Catholic (7) – One of the younger teams in the “AAAA” western landscape, Central Catholic is coming off one of the most trying seasons in recent memory. But the hard-nosed, physical brand of football these Vikings play, coupled with the experience gained from last year’s 8-3 season, and you have to like the [...]

Woodland Hills (7) – George Novak have plenty of reason to be excited this year – six potential Division-1 prospects, five of them with offers, and two pre-season verbal commitments later – Woodland Hills could sneak up on a few folks. Dom Timbers, Khaynin Mosley-Smith, Rich Gray, and company could make the last two sub-.500 [...]

Hopewell (7) – Four words. See Rushel Shell run. It sounds so elementary, but Hopewell’s biggest weapon is only entering his sophomore season after a brilliant 1,500-yard, 14-touchdown year. The Vikings finished 8-3 last season, bowing to Thomas Jefferson in the WPIAL playoffs. Keep an eye on this Parkway Conference representative – they could be [...]

Erie Strong Vincent (10) – The “Strong Vincent Invitational” (the District 10 “AAA” landscape) just got a little tougher when Mike Mischler regained the reins of Erie Cathedral Prep’s program. How the Colonels respond after losing a boatload of speed and size and even more speed remains to be seen, but the ’09 edition has [...]

State College Area (6) – The Little Lions are not to be taken lightly, even though their recent history against the WPIAL in the PIAA playoffs hasn’t been that great. Alex Kenney is a burner of an athlete and a threat on offense and special teams. Offensive lineman Jack Deboef is another D-1 prospect. State [...]

Upper St. Clair (7) – Jim Render and Co. gear up for another football season, his 31st with the Panthers and his 41st as a head football coach. Quarterback Alex Park threw for nearly 1,600 yards last season, and USC finished with a 6-4 record after a highly-questionable seeding by the WPIAL playoff steering committee. [...]

T-10. New Castle (7) – The Hurricanes lost quite a boatload of talent, and many might have forgotten that New Castle began the year 0-3 before catching fire and rattling off eight impressive victories. NC loses its quarterback Michael Bongivengo, but returns WR Jujuan Jay and RB Keith Keene. Rumor has it that there is [...]

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Hello Athletic Directors and Coaches. Once again we are putting together schedules, team information and top senior list for the 2009 season. We appreciate your participation from last year and we want to thank you in advance for your help this year. Posting the schedules, team information and top senior list on our site is a big [...]

2008 All-WesternPAFootball.net Small School Team (Class A-Class AA)    OFFENSE: Tight end –Dallas Hartman, Wilmington Area Wide receivers –Todd Thomas, Beaver Falls; Mike Tomko, Sharon; Kevin Weatherspoon, Clairton Offensive lineman –Juantez Hollins, Aliquippa; Sammy Moore, Jeannette; Ron Boxen, Beaver Falls; Clint DeRosa, Wilmington Area; Steve Greene, Bishop Carroll Quarterback –Paul Jones, Sto-Rox Running backs –Cody [...]

In case you haven’t noticed, Bethel Park isn’t flashy.  They don’t average 60 points per game or win games by wide margins.  But nonetheless, Bethel Park keeps on winning, and they’ve gotten themselves all the way to the “AAAA” state championship game. Bethel Park (15-0) will match District 11 champion Bethlehem Liberty (14-1) Saturday at [...]

With the roller coasters at Hershey Park as the background for the final four games of this season in the keystone state, it reminds me of exactly what this season has been over the past fifteen weeks. A roller coaster ride full of ups and downs, and unexpected twists and turns. And Just like a roller [...]

It’s been a long time since Wilson was this deep into the playoffs, and as Blackhawk coach Jeff Methany said “it’s been forever since Bethel Park was the same”. Today by winning the Western Final game in a 38-35 overtime thriller before a packed Memorial Stadium in State College Forever will last another week for the Blackhawks. [...]

The Game: PIAA “AAA” Western Final Date: Friday, Dec. 5th, 2008, from Mansion Park Stadium in Altoona At stake: Winner will play either Archbishop Wood or Selinsgrove for the “AAA” state championship, Friday, Dec. 12th, at Hersheypark Stadium. There was once a time where Thomas Jefferson couldn’t get past the WPIAL semifinals, believe it or [...]

By BILL ALBRIGHT Western PA Writer CLARION — Twelve in a row and two more to go. That is the scenario facing the Farrell football team as the Steelers remain very much alive for a possible state championship with a 31-0 win over Cameron County (12-2) Friday night at Clarion University’s Memorial Stadium. After beginning [...]

PITTSBURGH – History, it has been said, has a strange way of repeating itself.  Remember the high-flying offense of the 2003 Sto-Rox Vikings – a team which scored 516 points, topped 40 points in 10 consecutive weeks, and earned a WPIAL finals berth against Springdale, only to fall 30-13. So when Monaca jumped up 6-0 [...]

It’s that time again! The Pittsburgh Steelers open its doors to the WPIAL and four Championship games played in just a total of 12 hours. Some had teams that will be making the trip to Pittsburgh’s North Shore on Championship Saturday picked to make it back in August, and others have a Cinderella story to tell. [...]

MEADVILLE, Pa- If there was a song written about tonight’s game between General McLane (9-3) and Wilmington (12-0) the title would be “Fumbling in a winter wonderland” After all the weather out side was frightful and the players hands weren’t so delightful, but the winner has some where to go, and that is the District 10 [...]

NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. – Todd Rearick may want to consider following a surgeon’s career path after his performance in the District 10 “AA” quarterfinals against Fairview. OK, you might not want the Sharon senior doing open heart surgery, but, if footballs are scalpels, then #8 will cut any defense up. Rearick threw for 341 yards [...]

The Game: Penn Hills (7 AAAA) @ North Hills (7 AAAA) Date: Friday, Nov. 7th, 2008, from Pine-Richland HS in Gibsonia 2008 Record: Penn Hills (7-3), North Hills (9-1) About Penn Hills: It looked like it would be more of the same for Penn Hills at the onset of the season, as the Indians lost [...]

By BILL ALBRIGHT Western PA Writer SLIPPERY ROCK — When you are averaging less than six points per game and allowing more than 37, you aren’t going to win many football games. That was the scenario facing the Lock Haven University football team once again Saturday afternoon as the Bald Eagles dropped a 45-7 decision [...]

Tonight’s scheduled Cambridge Springs – Saegertown Region 2 high school football game has been postponed due to poor field conditions, according to the Meadville Tribune newspaper Web site. Saegertown High School, located in north central Crawford County, just north of the city of Meadville, received five inches of snow in a storm that hit the state [...]

The Game: Cambridge Springs (10 A) @ Saegertown (10 A) Date: Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008, from Saegertown HS 2008 Record: Cambridge Springs (7-2), Saegertown (9-0) About Cambridge Springs: The Blue Devils, recall, were the inaugural PIAA “A” western champions, and wound up finishing as the runner-up to Camp Hill.  Cambridge is 6-1 in Region 2 [...]

GREENSBURG, Pa. – Greensburg Central Catholic head coach Muzzy Colosimo is always good for a colorful sound byte or two.  So how did he explain the simple, yet effective, game plan his Centurions successfully ran against rival Jeannette? “I’m not a very smart person, but I know you have to give a couple punches to [...]

The Game: McKeesport Area (7 AAAA) @ Gateway (7 AAAA) Date: Thursday, Oct. 23, 2008, from Antimarino Stadium in Monroeville 2008 Record: McKeesport Area (7-1), Gateway (8-0) About McKeesport Area: The Tigers are rolling.  Of course, that was expected after the season opener with national powerhouse Cincinnati Colerain in the Herbstreit Challenge.  Since Week 1, [...]

WESTMONT, Pa. – If you looked closely at Westmont Hilltop’s 2008 season results, you would begin to see a familiar theme.  The Hilltoppers always kept things interesting for a time, and, in keeping things close, were able to upset Johnstown and Richland Township. Despite a close score through the first 44 minutes, Central Cambria made [...]

OAKMONT, Pa. -  Riverview High School enjoys a scenic view of the Allegheny River, but the North Catholic Trojans have a better view – as in one from the top. Off to its best start in the last nine years, the Trojans (6-1) defeated the Raiders (3-4) 20-0 from Riverview Park in Oakmont Saturday afternoon.  [...]

The Game: Union-Rimersburg (9 A) @ Clarion Area (9 A) Date: Thursday, Oct. 2, 2008, from Clarion University’s Memorial Stadium 2008 Record: Union-Rimersburg (0-5), Clarion Area (3-2) About Union-Rimersburg: The Golden Knights once were a force to be reckoned with a couple of decades ago, but that is certainly not the case right now.  Union’s [...]

ERIE, Pa. – As Central Tech head coach Andy Beer had a one-on-one conversation with one of his assistant coaches, a small cluster of yellow jackets zoomed back and forth across the Veterans’ Stadium turf. Only moments before, Beer’s Central Tech Falcons stepped in a bees’ nest of a different sort – Corry Area’s vicious [...]

The Game: Highlands (7 AAA) @ Mars (7 AAA) Date: Thursday, Sept. 25, 2008, from the Mars Athletic Complex 2008 Record: Highlands (4-0), Mars (3-1) About Highlands: The Golden Rams have won 12 of their last 15 games, and reached the WPIAL quarterfinals a year ago, and, more impressively, Highlands has opened with three of [...]

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Sharon Area quarterback Todd Rearick pulled a “Houdini” in the first quarter of Saturday night’s football game, switching from jersey #8 to #11. Slippery Rock’s offense also pulled a “Houdini” of a different sort – its offense all but disappeared in the second half. Sharon Area (4-0) scored all of its [...]

The Game: Plum (7 AAAA) @ Franklin Regional (7 AAA) Date: Thursday, Sept. 18, 2008, from Franklin Regional HS in Murrysville 2008 Record: Plum (0-3), Franklin Regional (2-1) About Plum: The Mustangs haven’t had many positives this season, nor have they fared well against the Greater Allegheny Conference.  Plum was defeated 28-7 in Week 1 [...]

The Game: Beaver Falls (7 AA) @ Aliquippa (7 AA)   Date: Thursday, Sept. 11, 2008, from “The Pit,” in Aliquippa (FSN Pittsburgh Thursday Showcase Game)   2008 Record: Beaver Falls (2-0), Aliquippa (2-0)   About Beaver Falls: Beaver Falls reached its first WPIAL championship game since 2001 last season, and, of course, everyone knows [...]

FOX CHAPEL, Pa. – It is entirely possible to have a slugfest of a football game, and, unlike the game of baseball, the usage of the term does not connote an offensive shootout.   Shady Side Academy (2-0 overall, 2-0 Allegheny Conference) scraped and clawed its way to 202 yards of total offense (all rushing), [...]

The Game: Erie McDowell (10 AAAA) @ Seneca Valley (7 AAAA)   Date: Thursday, Sept. 4, from Seneca Valley High School in Harmony, PA   2008 Record: Erie McDowell (1-0), Seneca Valley (0-1)   About Erie McDowell: A new coach in Mark Soboleski, a new offense in the triple-option, and a new position for D-1 [...]

WHEELING, W. Va. – You can’t teach speed, or, for that matter, coach it.  You either have it or you don’t.  And good speed is killer, like the speed that the Cleveland Glenville Tarblooders possess.   Thomas Jefferson witnessed that speed first-hand in the inaugural Friends of Coal Prep Classic.   Down by a 21-6 [...]

Thomas Jefferson should be one of the high school football programs that are considered for national rankings.  Year-in and year-out, TJ has turned out quality team after quality team, and an average season for the black and gold since 2002 is an impressive 13-1.  Considered the heavy favorite in Class “AAA,” TJ opens with a [...]

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