LHAC Football Forecast Week 3.
Posted: September 9th, 2013, 6:40 pm
http://www.d6sportsnetwork.com/2013/09/ ... eek-three/
Jim Hammett
D6SN Sports Editor
Follow me @JimHammett
Week three of the LHAC season gave us a little bit of everything. The coaches’ two preseason favorites squared off with Richland getting the better of Bishop Guilfoyle. We also saw a bit of an upset with Central Cambria taking down Johnstown. There were some close games with Cambria Heights and Westmont and Forest Hills and McCort. Somerset and Bedford also went out and took care of business. It gave me a 4-2 mark for the weekend. Week three should prove to be another entertaining one. Section play starts back up, and some big rivalry games will start in the coming weeks.
Bishop Guilfoyle (0-2) at Cambria Heights (1-1) Friday 7:00
I do not think anyone predicted BG would be 0-2 heading into this week three game. The Marauders certainly have talent, and they can definitely change the tides, but they better be prepared for a battle. The offense simply has to give out more production, and limit turnovers. Damon Rickens has been leading the charge at quarterback, with Brandon Chadbourn and Sam McCloskey seeing some time at running back. The line needs to create more of a push. They hung around with Richland for a while, and that is something to hang their hat on for now.
Cambria Heights really bounced back nicely from a week one blowout loss. They showed some serious resolve and battled for a hard fought one point win over Westmont. Josh Fees returned from a week one injury for a big time game against the Hilltoppers, the offense will start with him. The passing game is still in question, but the ground game should have some confidence moving forward.
This is actually a very tough game to predict. Is Guilfoyle good, and just ran into two tough opponents, or are they really struggling to replace their line? We will find a lot about BG this week. Heights is certainly a different program than they were in the past. After a tough way to open the season, they gutted a close victory at home. I like what they have to offer, and I think they will keep it close. I am still leaning with Guilfoyle, and I think they can get things back on track.
Marauders 24 Highlanders 14
Johnstown (1-1) at Westmont (0-2) Saturday 1:00 Price Field
Johnstown is a growing team, and despite an early loss, I think they can be a very good football team. The offense has reverted back to a wide open spread attack, and Jeremy Updyke has responded well with it. Still, a young quarterback’s best friend should be the running game, and that has been one of the points lacking thus far. Also, the defensive front seven will take some time to get it together. Johnstown is replacing a lot of experience in the trenches, and it showed against a physical Central Cambria team. Still, the weapons are there to keep them in any game.
Westmont probably is the best looking 0-2 team in the league. They certainly look more comfortable in coach Barron’s offense, and they have played two pretty good football games, but they have yet to come up with a win. Liam Moran’s emergence as a passing threat is big for this offense. It makes him a dual threat, and it also gives Sam Curry more room to operate. Colin Barron has been a nice surprise this season, and he looks the part of one of the better receivers in the area. Obviously some adjustments need to be made defensively. You will not win many games giving up 5+ touchdowns.
This is another game that is hard to call, mainly because of the uncertainty with Johnstown. Can they be an elite team in the league? Absolutely, but they still have a ways until they get to that point. Not to mention, besides Central Cambria, the Trojans have always had their troubles with Westmont, especially on Saturday afternoons. Westmont has a nice offensive line, and good skilled guys. They do not have the breakaway speed, but clearly there is a formula out there to take down Johnstown. Call it what you will, but I am going with my upset pick of the week. Gimme Westy…
Hilltoppers 20 Trojans 13
Bishop Carroll (1-1) at Forest Hills (2-0) G.H. Miller Field Friday 7:00
Bishop Carroll’s strength lies with its defense. The Huskies completely shut down McCort, and held a powerful Somerset offense somewhat in check. If they can be physical on defense and make enough plays on offense, they can play with Forest Hills. The problem being, can they make those plays on offense. David Maruca has come up with 79 passing yards in two games. The running tandem of Tyler Janosik and Dan Lesney has been serviceable, but certainly has room for improvement.
Forest Hills suffered a late scare last week. With the game all but in control, some turnovers and uncharacteristic mistakes let McCort nearly sneak in and steal the game. Forest Hills ultimately prevailed, but definitely some questions remain. I think most of their mistakes were self inflicted, and will be easily corrected. Joe Donoughe is a special player at quarterback, and we are starting to see a pretty special connection developing with Shareef Blough at receiver. It could be a nice run for these two for the rest of their Ranger careers. The defense seems to be in good shape, and they have the ability to shut teams down.
The game will be decided by this, can Bishop Carroll score enough points to hang in this game? Forest Hills made some crucial mistakes with bad snaps, penalties, and turnovers down the stretch last week, but don’t expect that to be the norm. The Forest Hills staff will clean up the miscues, and once that is done, you are looking at a very good football team. The stage is presenting itself for Forest Hills to make a nice run through section II of the LHAC. I just think they have a few too many athletes for the Huskies to cover.
Rangers 34 Huskies 14
Somerset (2-0) at Bishop McCort (0-2) Friday 7:00 Point Stadium
Somerset has been following the script we have expected to this point. Tanner Stull is the man, and the offense runs through him. He has been able to make plays on the run and the passing game, and the Golden Eagles are clicking. The defense has been much improved, and I think we are looking at one of Somerset’s better teams in recent memory. This is definitely one Somerset likes to circle on their schedule, and they would love nothing more to win back to back games against the Crushers.
McCort is off to an 0-2 start, and there is no secret what the problem is; they can not score the football. The offense showed signs of life down the stretch the stretch, and it started with running back, Marc Smith. Smith was able to topple the 100 yard mark. We also saw sophomore quarterback, Blake Wade, look more and more comfortable as the game progressed. They have some nice weapons with Trexler and DiFrancesco on the outside. The defense has been outstanding so far, and it was the direct reason why they were not blown out by Forest Hills.
Somerset has an impressive offense coming into this game, while McCort has had a defense that has kept them in some games they did not deserve to be in. Something has to give out there. Somerset’s defense is better than last year, and McCort’s offense seems to be coming along slowly. I think McCort has enough skill to win this game, but there is a lot of “ifs” in their game plan. Somerset presents less questions marks, and they are just the better team right now.
Golden Eagles 20 Crimson Crushers 10
Central Cambria (1-1) at Penn Cambria (0-2) Friday 7:00
Central Cambria really made a statement by defeating Johnstown in week two. The Red Devils held a speedy offense in check, and moved the ball very well for the first time in a while. The offense is simply better than its been in recent seasons, and that is a tip of the cap to Will Seymour. The junior quarterback really keeps everything moving, and he has some pretty good weapons at his disposal. Scott Baurer has proved to be a solid back that can carry the load when needed. Matt Leary has been a reliable set of hands, and guys like Steven Pennington and Kerry Kirsch have made an impact. This team is well rounded, and they can definitely surprise some teams.
Penn Cambria is going through some early season struggles, and look no further than scoring the football to be the problem. The Panthers have just one touchdown on the season. Chad Tsikalas leads the offense from his quarterback spot. He has the ability to throw the ball, something PC has lacked in recent history, but the ground game is giving him little support. Michael Kost, Jake Hurley, and Tyler Strasser have all touched the ball out of the backfield to some success, but the turnover bug is hitting the Panthers hard. Penn Cambria has coughed the ball up 8 times in two games, and they absolutely need to do a better job if they want to stay in games.
It is always a good battle when these two schools meet in week three. It is absolutely one of the better rivalries in the league, but it has been one sided of late with Penn Cambria winning the last five meetings. I think the Penn Cambria reign over CC comes to an end this season, though. The Panthers have a solid defense, but the offense has been putting added pressure on them. Central Cambria has a nice defense, with an offense that has been sharp early on this season. I look for the Red Devils to use this as a potential spring board to a successful season that not many prognosticators (including this one) were calling for.
Red Devils 24 Panthers 6
GAME OF THE WEEK
Bedford (2-0) at Richland (2-0) Friday 7:00 Herlinger Field
Bedford has raced out to a 2-0 start, something that was not expected of the Bison. Are they for real? We will certainly find out this week, as they get the test of all tests. Bedford has used two excellent defensive performances en route to their unblemished start. The offense has not been bad, either. Austin Montgomery is just a sophomore, but has looked solid in his two starts. Montgomery leads a running game with three different runners each having over 100 yards, the other two being August Cook and Jeremiah Bingham. Montgomery was also able to throw the ball in the week two victory over Penn Cambria.
Richland is doing just as we all suspected. The state’s third ranked team in AA has come out and won two games in convincing fashion. Matt Shaffer is starting to put up all star caliber numbers as quarterback with 8 of the team’s touchdowns coming from him. Tanner Solarczyk has been running very well, and is averaging 9 yards a carry. Kyle Flick leads the receiving corps, and is having a fine senior season as well. It is truly amazing how balanced Richland is, they have 11 different players that have caught a pass in two games, and five different players coming up with a touchdown reception as well. The defensive has also been making plays, as they have one score to their credit.
I think this game can be good, but again we cannot forget Richland is one of the best teams in the state for a reason. Taking a look at things, Bedford’s starting quarterback, running back, and top receiver all sophomores, while Richland’s are all seniors. I think we are looking at the early stages of development for a very good Bedford team in the not so distant future. Still, it is unfair to compare them with this Richland machine. These are two programs on two very different levels right now. Bedford has great coaching and talent, and their run is coming soon, it just isn’t happening Friday night.
Rams 38 Bison 14
Jim Hammett
D6SN Sports Editor
Follow me @JimHammett
Week three of the LHAC season gave us a little bit of everything. The coaches’ two preseason favorites squared off with Richland getting the better of Bishop Guilfoyle. We also saw a bit of an upset with Central Cambria taking down Johnstown. There were some close games with Cambria Heights and Westmont and Forest Hills and McCort. Somerset and Bedford also went out and took care of business. It gave me a 4-2 mark for the weekend. Week three should prove to be another entertaining one. Section play starts back up, and some big rivalry games will start in the coming weeks.
Bishop Guilfoyle (0-2) at Cambria Heights (1-1) Friday 7:00
I do not think anyone predicted BG would be 0-2 heading into this week three game. The Marauders certainly have talent, and they can definitely change the tides, but they better be prepared for a battle. The offense simply has to give out more production, and limit turnovers. Damon Rickens has been leading the charge at quarterback, with Brandon Chadbourn and Sam McCloskey seeing some time at running back. The line needs to create more of a push. They hung around with Richland for a while, and that is something to hang their hat on for now.
Cambria Heights really bounced back nicely from a week one blowout loss. They showed some serious resolve and battled for a hard fought one point win over Westmont. Josh Fees returned from a week one injury for a big time game against the Hilltoppers, the offense will start with him. The passing game is still in question, but the ground game should have some confidence moving forward.
This is actually a very tough game to predict. Is Guilfoyle good, and just ran into two tough opponents, or are they really struggling to replace their line? We will find a lot about BG this week. Heights is certainly a different program than they were in the past. After a tough way to open the season, they gutted a close victory at home. I like what they have to offer, and I think they will keep it close. I am still leaning with Guilfoyle, and I think they can get things back on track.
Marauders 24 Highlanders 14
Johnstown (1-1) at Westmont (0-2) Saturday 1:00 Price Field
Johnstown is a growing team, and despite an early loss, I think they can be a very good football team. The offense has reverted back to a wide open spread attack, and Jeremy Updyke has responded well with it. Still, a young quarterback’s best friend should be the running game, and that has been one of the points lacking thus far. Also, the defensive front seven will take some time to get it together. Johnstown is replacing a lot of experience in the trenches, and it showed against a physical Central Cambria team. Still, the weapons are there to keep them in any game.
Westmont probably is the best looking 0-2 team in the league. They certainly look more comfortable in coach Barron’s offense, and they have played two pretty good football games, but they have yet to come up with a win. Liam Moran’s emergence as a passing threat is big for this offense. It makes him a dual threat, and it also gives Sam Curry more room to operate. Colin Barron has been a nice surprise this season, and he looks the part of one of the better receivers in the area. Obviously some adjustments need to be made defensively. You will not win many games giving up 5+ touchdowns.
This is another game that is hard to call, mainly because of the uncertainty with Johnstown. Can they be an elite team in the league? Absolutely, but they still have a ways until they get to that point. Not to mention, besides Central Cambria, the Trojans have always had their troubles with Westmont, especially on Saturday afternoons. Westmont has a nice offensive line, and good skilled guys. They do not have the breakaway speed, but clearly there is a formula out there to take down Johnstown. Call it what you will, but I am going with my upset pick of the week. Gimme Westy…
Hilltoppers 20 Trojans 13
Bishop Carroll (1-1) at Forest Hills (2-0) G.H. Miller Field Friday 7:00
Bishop Carroll’s strength lies with its defense. The Huskies completely shut down McCort, and held a powerful Somerset offense somewhat in check. If they can be physical on defense and make enough plays on offense, they can play with Forest Hills. The problem being, can they make those plays on offense. David Maruca has come up with 79 passing yards in two games. The running tandem of Tyler Janosik and Dan Lesney has been serviceable, but certainly has room for improvement.
Forest Hills suffered a late scare last week. With the game all but in control, some turnovers and uncharacteristic mistakes let McCort nearly sneak in and steal the game. Forest Hills ultimately prevailed, but definitely some questions remain. I think most of their mistakes were self inflicted, and will be easily corrected. Joe Donoughe is a special player at quarterback, and we are starting to see a pretty special connection developing with Shareef Blough at receiver. It could be a nice run for these two for the rest of their Ranger careers. The defense seems to be in good shape, and they have the ability to shut teams down.
The game will be decided by this, can Bishop Carroll score enough points to hang in this game? Forest Hills made some crucial mistakes with bad snaps, penalties, and turnovers down the stretch last week, but don’t expect that to be the norm. The Forest Hills staff will clean up the miscues, and once that is done, you are looking at a very good football team. The stage is presenting itself for Forest Hills to make a nice run through section II of the LHAC. I just think they have a few too many athletes for the Huskies to cover.
Rangers 34 Huskies 14
Somerset (2-0) at Bishop McCort (0-2) Friday 7:00 Point Stadium
Somerset has been following the script we have expected to this point. Tanner Stull is the man, and the offense runs through him. He has been able to make plays on the run and the passing game, and the Golden Eagles are clicking. The defense has been much improved, and I think we are looking at one of Somerset’s better teams in recent memory. This is definitely one Somerset likes to circle on their schedule, and they would love nothing more to win back to back games against the Crushers.
McCort is off to an 0-2 start, and there is no secret what the problem is; they can not score the football. The offense showed signs of life down the stretch the stretch, and it started with running back, Marc Smith. Smith was able to topple the 100 yard mark. We also saw sophomore quarterback, Blake Wade, look more and more comfortable as the game progressed. They have some nice weapons with Trexler and DiFrancesco on the outside. The defense has been outstanding so far, and it was the direct reason why they were not blown out by Forest Hills.
Somerset has an impressive offense coming into this game, while McCort has had a defense that has kept them in some games they did not deserve to be in. Something has to give out there. Somerset’s defense is better than last year, and McCort’s offense seems to be coming along slowly. I think McCort has enough skill to win this game, but there is a lot of “ifs” in their game plan. Somerset presents less questions marks, and they are just the better team right now.
Golden Eagles 20 Crimson Crushers 10
Central Cambria (1-1) at Penn Cambria (0-2) Friday 7:00
Central Cambria really made a statement by defeating Johnstown in week two. The Red Devils held a speedy offense in check, and moved the ball very well for the first time in a while. The offense is simply better than its been in recent seasons, and that is a tip of the cap to Will Seymour. The junior quarterback really keeps everything moving, and he has some pretty good weapons at his disposal. Scott Baurer has proved to be a solid back that can carry the load when needed. Matt Leary has been a reliable set of hands, and guys like Steven Pennington and Kerry Kirsch have made an impact. This team is well rounded, and they can definitely surprise some teams.
Penn Cambria is going through some early season struggles, and look no further than scoring the football to be the problem. The Panthers have just one touchdown on the season. Chad Tsikalas leads the offense from his quarterback spot. He has the ability to throw the ball, something PC has lacked in recent history, but the ground game is giving him little support. Michael Kost, Jake Hurley, and Tyler Strasser have all touched the ball out of the backfield to some success, but the turnover bug is hitting the Panthers hard. Penn Cambria has coughed the ball up 8 times in two games, and they absolutely need to do a better job if they want to stay in games.
It is always a good battle when these two schools meet in week three. It is absolutely one of the better rivalries in the league, but it has been one sided of late with Penn Cambria winning the last five meetings. I think the Penn Cambria reign over CC comes to an end this season, though. The Panthers have a solid defense, but the offense has been putting added pressure on them. Central Cambria has a nice defense, with an offense that has been sharp early on this season. I look for the Red Devils to use this as a potential spring board to a successful season that not many prognosticators (including this one) were calling for.
Red Devils 24 Panthers 6
GAME OF THE WEEK
Bedford (2-0) at Richland (2-0) Friday 7:00 Herlinger Field
Bedford has raced out to a 2-0 start, something that was not expected of the Bison. Are they for real? We will certainly find out this week, as they get the test of all tests. Bedford has used two excellent defensive performances en route to their unblemished start. The offense has not been bad, either. Austin Montgomery is just a sophomore, but has looked solid in his two starts. Montgomery leads a running game with three different runners each having over 100 yards, the other two being August Cook and Jeremiah Bingham. Montgomery was also able to throw the ball in the week two victory over Penn Cambria.
Richland is doing just as we all suspected. The state’s third ranked team in AA has come out and won two games in convincing fashion. Matt Shaffer is starting to put up all star caliber numbers as quarterback with 8 of the team’s touchdowns coming from him. Tanner Solarczyk has been running very well, and is averaging 9 yards a carry. Kyle Flick leads the receiving corps, and is having a fine senior season as well. It is truly amazing how balanced Richland is, they have 11 different players that have caught a pass in two games, and five different players coming up with a touchdown reception as well. The defensive has also been making plays, as they have one score to their credit.
I think this game can be good, but again we cannot forget Richland is one of the best teams in the state for a reason. Taking a look at things, Bedford’s starting quarterback, running back, and top receiver all sophomores, while Richland’s are all seniors. I think we are looking at the early stages of development for a very good Bedford team in the not so distant future. Still, it is unfair to compare them with this Richland machine. These are two programs on two very different levels right now. Bedford has great coaching and talent, and their run is coming soon, it just isn’t happening Friday night.
Rams 38 Bison 14