Game of the year: play maker comparison

[CCDevil2012]

Stats are fun to watch and follow but this time of the year the only stat that's important is W - L

[knowitall]

Keep in mind that all of LV's numbers are in 11 games due to the forfeit by Saltsburg.  They would be even more impressive.....this game is going to be great!  Don't miss it!

Some may consider the numbers to be equaled out considering Ligonier is in week 12 and and has beaten exactly 1 2A team all season that wasn't beaten by 18 kids from Saltsburg.  In fact, the one 2A team they did beat played a one score game against a team that did lose to Saltsburg. 
Do you think it's fair to compare numbers for Steel Valley, Charleroi, Wash High, against those of the Ligonier kids?  Those teams play 2A teams all season long.  Let's not get carried away with this game of the century scenario.  There are two good AA teams in all of district 6 and they finally have to play each other.  That's great.  We should finally see both teams challenged within their classification. 

How many good AA teams are there in all of the state?  Seven or eight?

[12HankQB]

After looking, Jersey Shore played some close games with Bellfonte and Bald Eagle. They were a pretty decent team. Southern Columbia dropped them 62-7. Just to compare them to our area. They're coming off a 48-0 state championship victory...

[Fballrules17]

Fballrules17, that’s correct what you said above LV ‘only’ beating one AA school that didn’t lose to Saltsburg.  But they also beat 3 top tier A teams that are still playing by huge blowouts.  Northern Cambria 49-6 (who needed to score in the final minute to beat Saltsburg 36-34). United 47-7(who lost to those 18 kids from Saltsburg) and Shade 45-8.  We can point out scenarios all day long.  Numbers don’t lie.  This game is going to be a great one.  Both teams are very good and I’d expect them both to play again next year.

Top tier Single A teams?  In district 5/6 maybe, but the real Top tier Single A teams are Farrell, OLSH, Jeannette, Clairton, Rochester, possibly Monessen and Guilfoyle from Altoona West.  I'm afraid you are going to find out how top tier Shade is this weekend.  Surely you don't think Saltsburg could be competitive with any of those teams I mentioned as top tier do you?  You did see what Jeannette did to Homer last year right? 
I'm not saying Ligonier isn't good.  They certainly pass the eye test.  But is there one team on their schedule that you could put in a WPIAL 2A conference and expect them to win 4 or 5 games?  Richland at least played Forest Hills and Westmont, who would have a fighting chance in a WPIAL 2A conference. 
Having stated all of that, Ligonier might win by 21.  Ligonier is good, my point is we won't find out how good until this weekend when they finally have to play a school their size that is good also.  I don't think that's an unreasonable opinion.  I also think it will be a good game and one that I'm looking forward to. 

[DCor50]

Southern Columbia would win states from 4A down.....easily.

[TallDom85]

It should be a good matchup skill position wise.

Richland seems to have a lot of decent backs, but maybe no one the caliber of Miller. Tutino and Burke have similar stats, but Tuitno has played one less game bc of the forfeit. Also, if you look at the game logs, you'll see what Tutino has been consistently good all year while most of Burke's production came in the first six games.

It also helps LV that Sheeder continues to develop as a really good second receiving option and that Schueltz is back for the first time in forever.

As for the strength of schedule, this will undoubtedly be LV's first real test. I mean, they didn't play that well last week and still won by 27 and could've easily won by 40 had some things gone their way. Their regular season schedule isn't challenging at all -- you could make the argument that a team of LV backups would be Heritage title contenders -- but you can only play who's on the schedule.