Homer Center vs Penns Manor: Heritage Championship game

[konjo78]

Agreed crimson. Any single A team should be able to
Compete against any other single A team in the playoffs. No excuse if you lose except the other team
Played better. My opinion is unpopular but I think they have no more of an advantage as Bellwood antis. Its all in the head of people. If you believe catholic schools will win because they recruit then they'll win. Believe you can win and then you'll have a chance.

[tubmill]

Spike,
How many Laurel Valley kids are on the team?
Konjo,
The numbers game really doesn't hold alot of water when you are discussing AA/A. The old Appalachian Conference was formed as a small school conference. There were numerous AA schools along with the A schools. United and Marion Center were actually classified as AAA schools during one cycle. Little Laurel Valley was able to compete at the highest level within the conference. During Coach Pages tenure, the Rams only had four losing seasons. LV's record against United, who was significantly larger, is even. The Rams won several Appalachian championships. Before Coach Page, the Rams won two Appalachian trophies in the seventies with the 1979 team going undefeated at 10 and 0. Both of those titles came against Homer, a AA school. It has been only been in the last decade that enrollments have dropped significantly. Homer Center, Marion Center, United, Purchase Line, Blairsville and Northern Cambria were AA for many years. I never felt that the Rams were at a disadvantage against larger schools. They knew how to win and they did. The only time that they were at a disadvantage was when they played the Bishops, but they still gave it their best shot. LV hosted BM in a Class A playoff game in New Florence. I knew the Crusher quarterback's father and saw him at the game. He remarked how small our facilities were. I told him that unlike McCort this is what a real single A school looked like.

[spike98]

Only a few upper classmen are from Laurel Valley. Well said Tubmill, I played in the Appalachian Conference and we played numerous AA schools. Not once did ANYONE say a word about it. The coaches, the fans, the players, not one single word. Our coaches prepared us to the best of our ability and we went out and competed. We didn't complain about how many kids the other school had or didn't have. We even played Carroll in the regular season and beat them. And believe me I'm well aware of how many championships Laurel Valley has won. Everything from conferences to districts to Region 3 championships.

[tubmill]

Spike,
By listing Laurel Valley's championships, I was just was trying to make the point that a smaller school can compete withe larger schools. If Ligonier should be undefeated every year then so should JHS and Somerset!
Due to health issues, I haven't been to an LV game this year. I haven't been to a Richland game either and my nephew plays for those Rams. Thanks to Renda Broadcasting, I spend Friday evenings listening to the radio. I'm not even sure if they are from Laurel, but the only names that I recognize are Nick Boring and the Croyles. It saddens me that the boys on the northern end are not participating. Whatever the reason; pay to play, pay to park and no activity bus surely can't help.

[konjo78]

I aplogize for this subject getting off topic. This thread is about HC VS Penns Manor. Not another Disapointing LV season.

[farmboy]

The way i see it PM has the upper hand in this matchup. they are the battle tested team of the 2.Homer had all there big games at home (blairsville,lig) Pm went on the road and beat both those teams. big game settings PM has many players from 2011 team as i recall they played some BIG games PM has been told all year that the couldnt do with out # 12 . they are showing what made him so great! Pm 17 Hc 14 #8 conway with a game winning kick!!!!!!!!

[konjo78]

A fun fact that i saw in the paper today. Of the remaining 9 schools in the heritage conference only 3 have not won the football title. Saltsburg, northern cambria, and Homer Center. the list goes as follows. Most to least.

1. Blairsville - 4
2. Purchase line, penns manor, ligonier valley - 2
3. united, marion center, - 1


So not only will homer be looking at their first heritage conference title but also Penns Manor will be looking to put themselves in the same category as blairsville, the only team to win back to back titles, who won 4 straight.

With the heritage seemingly being in need of a new team some wonder how long the conference may survive.

[Blueandwhitefan]

Spoke with an official today who was going to work the game. They shuffled officials around the different conferences so that NO Indiana County based officials will be at the game. All will be out of towner's. I think this was a great idea.