Heritage Conference week 1 preview

[konjo78]

Hey guys I decided im going to do a weekly heritage conference week preview. Each week I'll do conference rankings then go over and pick match ups.

Week 1 rankings
1. Ligonier valley - they have numbers and lots of talent every year. Last year was a huge confidence boost through the program. Expect a perfect 8-0 conference record from them this year.

2. Blairsville - returning a lot of starters and another great qb. Blairsville does the best at showing off balance in this conference. Balance wins games. 6-2 conference

3. Northern cambria - a strong showing last year leads me to believe they will show up again this year. Though losing poletis is going to hurt. 6-2 conference

4. Penns Manor - the dynasty in the hc looks to be over. Ferens is at Penn but most the line is back. I feel their defense will win them most their games. 5-3 conference

5. Homer center - this is a make or break year for greg page. The talent is there but they haven't had conference major success in too long. Like penns manor of 5 years ago this team will faulter in 2nd halfs but gain experience to be top next year. 4-4 conference

6. Marion center - the stingers are my question team. Im not believing in them but they can cause surprises. 3-5 conference

7. United - new coach, new team but not yet ready for success of past years. 2-6 conference

8. Purchase line - like united and homer center I feel experience will hurt the dragons this year but lift them next year 1-7 conference

9. Saltsburg - the trojans had potential last year but this year my gut tells me otherwise. Trojans haven't been top in football in a while and it doesn't start this year. 1-7 conference

Week 1 games predictions

Bishop caenavin over United 35-7
Homer center over Saltsburg 27-7
Blairsville over marion center 23-21
Ligonier valley over purchase line 48-0

Game of the week
Northern cambria over penns manor 21-13

[SevenTwo]

I like that you actually picked NC over Penns Manor as you seem to be a huge PM fan! Good, solid picks for week one. Game of the week should be a great match. Only question I have is why/how do you have Blairsville and MC so close? Underrated?

[LionDad]

I love it when folks sell the Lions short, I think they will surprise folks this season. All former players coaching and after seeing their two scrimmages they seem to have some swagger back. After a winless season if Holupka can get those kids to believe in themselves they could be a surprise story this season. They definitely hit like the old school United teams.

Blairsville has a bunch of talent at the skill positions, possibly more than Ligonier. Should be an interesting season in the Heritage Conference with no set front runner

[konjo78]

I like that you actually picked NC over Penns Manor as you seem to be a huge PM fan! Good, solid picks for week one. Game of the week should be a great match. Only question I have is why/how do you have Blairsville and MC so close? Underrated?

I feel Marion center is underrated and new coach and people putting big things on blairsville will cause blairsville to make some errors to keep game close.

[LionDad]

Artley has been at Blairsville for 15 years, it's not like he isn't familiar with the kids and vice versa. They have been running his offense for close to ten of those years. Bobcats will win by two scores, minimum. Too much talent at the skill positions.

[SevenTwo]

I love it when folks sell the Lions short, I think they will surprise folks this season. All former players coaching and after seeing their two scrimmages they seem to have some swagger back. After a winless season if Holupka can get those kids to believe in themselves they could be a surprise story this season. They definitely hit like the old school United teams.

Blairsville has a bunch of talent at the skill positions, possibly more than Ligonier. Should be an interesting season in the Heritage Conference with no set front runner

I agree. United seems to have a different attitude under this new coach, from what I've heard. They were in no shortage of size last year and had a very small number (if any) of seniors that were key players graduate. Should surprise a lot of people this year. I think they can have a solid .500 season this year before a very successful one next year.

[Crimson's Ghost]

Have to agree with Blairsville. They are strong and the coaching transition will be a non issue. I'd like to see United turn things around, I don't expect their stay at the bottom of the league to be very long. Proud program. I'm not sure what Canevin has. They typically don't make much noise.

[HSfan]

B Canevin 46
United 6

Salt 6
H-C 34

Blair 28
M C 20

P L 7
Lig V 41

N C 14
P M 24 Yes, P M by 10

[WildCatz]

I think Blairsville is the team to beat this year. They won't miss a beat with Artley. Expect Lig to compete for the top spot as well. Hc catz can also pull off some upsets this year and should be taken seriously every game. As said by another poster PM probably has the best line, how will their skill people respond.. Salts and Mc will be much improved and we will see about United and pl after total absolute program low points last season

[LionDad]

Ligonier didn't look real good tonight, Purchase Line took it to them much of the first half with the exception of five or six turnovers. Ligonier looked better in the 2nd half when they went back to power football. PL was severely undermanned but they hung tough in that first half and then fell apart.