LHAC week two preview and predictions...

[Opinionguy]

Week 2 Preview…One week past us, and boy was it exciting. I think we all learned a lot about some teams, and some teams still have some questions that need to be answered. How about the week one GOTW going into double OT?! What a great way to start off the season. Week two should be just as exciting if not more, as it offers FOUR big time match ups

Central Cambria hosting Johnstown

We will start off our look at week two with the first of the BIG GAMES of week two. Both the Trojans and the Devil are coming off wins in week one. Johnstown showed me something last week as they limited The Crafty Coach Fetzer’s squad to only one score. Johnstown will be facing another feature back in Central Cambria’s Corey Faish. The game plan won’t differ much…shut down Faish just as they did Holsberger…and the Trojans will roll to 2-0.

Trojans by 6 in a low scoring contest.
Somerset at Bedford

Bedford is coming off a huge win over McCort in week one, and week two should give them time to rest up a bit before they host the Rangers next week. Expect to see The Swaim try and get some other players involved on offense beside Feaster. I’d look for Westwood to try and run the option, throw the ball a few times, and get the boys outta there by the 3rd quarter. The good news for Somerset…it’s one week closer to Starbucks being open!

Bedford by a whole lot.

Westmont at Cambria Heights

Last week saw the Highlanders give the improved Richland Rams all they could handle. Can they compete with Westmont as well?
Conversely, the Westmont/FH match up was over by the end of the first half, but don’t be fooled, Westmont isn’t as bad as the score indicated on Saturday. Reason being, FH took advantage of the inexperienced secondary of the Hilltoppers. I don’t see the Highlanders doing the same. Westmont absolutely shut down what was supposed to be a very strong Rangers ground game. That is bad news for CH considering that is their strength. Westmont should be able to handle Shaffer, and the Hilltoppers will be on route to their first win of the season.

Westy 20 – CH 6

PC hosting BC

This game is game 2 of the BIG GAMES of week two…oh BTW…
Bishop Carroll, are you aware yet that you ALMOST lost to Central!!!!???? I don’t care, and neither will anyone else after week 10 when you head into the playoffs again to defend ANOTHER district title. Shrift is a week wiser, Sponsky found out that he still has kids that know how to win, and Penn Cambria is STILL one Dimensional. And of course we all know, ONE DIMENSIONAL TEAMS CAN’T CONTEND FOR THE LHAC CROWN! Coach Fetzer needs to find someone who can stretch the field a little bit and open it up for Holsberger…I don’t think he’ll find anyone yet…

Carroll in another nail biter….14-13

Richland at Central

The Opinionguy is very intrigued by this match up…so much so that he is tabbing it the 3rd BIG GAME of week two. Why is this game so intriguing, well this match up pits two teams who are trying to turn the corner. I believe one may have, and the other hasn’t and likely won’t. The key to this game is Central’s defense. Will Coach Hoenstine run a cover 0, or will he wise up and play either cover 2 or cover 4. If it is the former, Pecora and company will have a field day and the game will be over by halftime. If Central’s mentor can make the adjustment and make the Rams beat him by running the football…they will have a chance. I’ll give Central the benefit of the doubt…this one will be close heading into the 4th quarter, but Pecora is going to be flushed from the pocket, find Rubal out of the backfield…57 yards later the Rams pull it out and prove they are for real in 06!

Richland 20 – Central 14

***GOTW

Oh sweet Sassy mo Lassy...it’s the game that everyone on Osborne Street and Sidman has had circled since last November. A rematch of last year’s D6 championship game, and also two of the conference favorites who have developed quite a rivalry over the past few years…the Bishop McCort Crimson Crushers at the Rangers of Forest Hills.

Bishop McCort is coming off a heartbreaking loss to the Bedford Bison, where the Crushers turned the ball over, and turned it over often. This is one area I’m sure Master Salem harped on all week…take care of the pigskin!!! As I hopped into my car and flipped on 850 am after the game at the Point last Friday, I also heard the Mastermind himself proclaim that he and the coaching staff did not prepare enough for that game!!! I found that quite entertaining myself…if you can’t prepare for Bedford in week 1, when you have 9 months to get ready…never mind...that comment isn’t even worth my time discussing.

Anyways back to the Crushers. All that witnessed the game at the Point saw how quickly the Crusher can put 6 on the board. Seidal, Lewis, and Barbin are all BIG time players, and will give the Rangers fits all night long. In fact, after the first couple plays last week (Feaster was playing too) , I found myself seriously holding my breath every play wondering what I was going to see…these guys are that exciting to watch. Defensively, last week I was impressed with Cruz and 52 or 53…I forget which guy (I’m sure I’ll find out this week and give him his due credit), they were both making plays all night long in the Bedford backfield. The Rangers must be able to neutralize both of these guys if they expect to compete in this game.

Offensively, the Crushers have the ability to score from anywhere on the field. I noticed that Coach Salem is taking full advantage of his playmakers by keeping Lewis in the backfield and utilizing Barbin and Seidal at WR. This could cause some serious match up problems for FH. On the ground, both Barbin and Lewis are equal threats. If they can break through of 1st level of the FH defense…it could be 6 as I’m not sold that the FH secondary tackles very well.

Although the Rangers did take two from the Crushers last year…I think a lot of the Seniors on this year’s squad still feel there is some “unfinished business” to take care of. Last season, after Forest Hills beat McCort for the D6 championship apparently one of the McCort Staff members told their kids…as well as some of FH fans that he knew that “the Rangers didn’t actually win that game…McCort just ran out of time.” We’ll call this game the rubber match for both of the squad’s seniors.

The ingredient for success if simple for the Rangers…they must get physical and dominate the line of scrimmage so they can keep Bishop McCort off the field. FH should be able to throw the ball…to some extent, but make no mistake, this game will not be won in the air. Forest Hills must establish some sort of ground game to make Lewis, Cruz, Barbin, and company respect the run. Only then will FH be able to throw the ball with any consistency.

When push comes to shove…I think McCort does need this game a little more than FH. I also believe that McCort flat out has too many weapons for FH to handle. Everything here tells me to pick McCort…as I should…

But…I have a funny feeling about this FH team. Last year’s Juniors (this year’s Seniors) showed me something over the course of the 05 season.

Forest Hills 26 – Bishop McCort 24

This should be a fabulous week of High School Football…Good luck to all teams!

[lhacbigfan]

CC 20 JTOWN 14
BC 24 PC 6
BED 40 SOM 6
CEN 20 RICH 17
FH 28 BM 24
WH 27 CH 12

[vman]

I think Opie does a good job 'caping the games but I have to comment on some of his observations.

[quote="Opinionguy";p="126225"][ I also heard the Mastermind himself proclaim that he and the coaching staff did not prepare enough for that game!!! I found that quite entertaining myself…if you can’t prepare for Bedford in week 1, when you have 9 months to get ready…never mind...that comment isn’t even worth my time discussing.[/quote]

My feeling is that BM coulda/shoulda won game vs Bedford & McCort coaches knew that...so what do you do blast kids & harp on the turnovers or do you 'take it off them', take ownership for coaching preperation & have the players focus on a big game in less than a week? I think it a good Psychological ploy to do the latter but taking shots at BM coaches is 'sport' with Opie & his FH boiz!

And what happened?... the team with a new qb & relatively new line beat the team with the experienced qb (Vman has not seen any better in this area) & huge returning line!

Now applying some Inductive Reasoning - BM has defeated FH 7 of the last 11 contest (with nearly 1/2 the male poll that FH has). Let me see, BM coaches are idiots but they have beat Don again (who had the experience edge); therefore Don is a coaching .... It's just logic!

Next, a weak attempt at motivational rationalization:

[quote="Opinionguy";p="126225"]
I think a lot of the Seniors on this year’s squad still feel there is some “unfinished business” to take care of. Last season, after Forest Hills beat McCort for the D6 championship apparently one of the McCort Staff members told their kids…as well as some of FH fans that he knew that “the Rangers didn’t actually win that game…McCort just ran out of time.” [/quote]

Great source Opie: "apparently one of the McCort staff members told their kids", real reliable.......you wanna talk about motivated kids, ask S. Lewis... after being subjected to racial bs, if he is motivated to beat FH! And the McCort kids, esp. that senior class love A Wadley, they know what he has gone through & thay also know that a key FH figure had a big rule in his eligibility determination; you think they are not motivated to win for him?

But I digress,"apparently one of the McCort staff members told their kids
.......yea, right! Good ranger spin OP!!