High school football kicks off tonight
Ladies and gentlemen, high school football is back.
For many, Friday night might as well be a state holiday, and there are some games in and around the area that will serve as gifts worthy of Aug. 24, even though Week Zero promises only a partial slate of contests.
Four of the five Greene County teams will be lacing up the cleats for three intriguing matchups. Here’s a brief look at all of them, as well a bonus preview of what will undoubtedly be the toughest matchup for any WPIAL team this year, including the postseason.
Jefferson-Morgan at Waynesburg Central
More cynical fans could label this one the “Disgruntled Bowl,” as neither the Raiders or Rockets were very happy with the latest round of reclassifications.
Waynesburg was moved into the Tri-County West. However, no one told them that they would be the only team from Greene County. There are two teams from Allegheny County (South Park, Keystone Oaks) and a whopping five from Beaver County. Not exactly a balanced geographic layout.
One of its longest running rivalries for J-M has been put on hiatus after Carmichaels was moved up to Class AA. I was able to talk to Rocket head coach Aaron Giorgi in the offseason and he expressed to me that there was a concerted and focused effort made towards the WPIAL to get the game scheduled as a non-section matchup, but those efforts proved fruitless.
Giorgi was at least able to give his players a game against a county opponent, which will also serve as the WCHS head coaching debut of Chad Coss. For Coss, who takes over after one of the most harshly received coaching moves in recent WPIAL history, the matchup with the Rockets has the feel of a must-win for the Raiders, who are expected to improve with the bulk of an incredibly young 2017 roster due back this year.
West Greene at Cameron
Last year was a memorable one for the Pioneers, who broke their quarter-century playoff drought after going 7-3 on the year. Even with the graduation of star quarterback Zach Pettit, expectations are still high for the Pioneers, who are now led by junior running back Ben Jackson.
Just across the West Virginia border, another small school was having a magical season that united its students and community. The Cameron Dragons took a 9-1 record into the West Virginia Class A tournament and gave the eventual state champions from Wheeling Central Catholic its toughest battle of the postseason before falling 34-20 to the Maroon Knights.
The two schools, which are separated by a half-hour drive, will give this game an atmosphere that is typically reserved for much larger programs. Not only will there be a lot of people in attendance, but those fans will be charged up with school pride and lofty expectations.
Mapletown at Avella
Life after Dylan Rush begins at Mapletown with a road trip to Tri-County South rival Avella. However, with it being a week zero game, the outcome will not count against either team’s conference record.
Black and Gold fans will want to see just who can step up to fill the huge shoes left by Rush, who graduated as one of the most productive players in WPIAL history. Rebuilding after the loss of Rush, along with a slew of other seniors, will be one of the toughest tests taken on by legendary head coach George Messich.
Avella posted a 1-9 mark last year, but does bring back some talent, led by senior quarterback Noah Taylor. If the Maples can best the Eagles, it would be a huge shot of confidence for one of the most unproven teams in District 7.
IMG Academy at Pine-Richland
Last year, this game would have drawn national attention and could have very well ended up on ESPN. However, the Rams are simply one year too late and, after graduating a boatload of talent, a large portion of which went to the Division I ranks, P-R is going to learn what it felt like to be one of its opponents from last year’s run to a state title.
IMG, which proudly revels in its status as a football-first Division I talent factory, has been the top team in the country for the past three years, and there really hasn’t been a contender to the throne. Since the football program began in 2010, the school has produced 26 Under Armour All-Americans and 119 Division I players. Amazingly, from 2010 to 2013, when an actual team was formed, the program was basically a place for players to be groomed for the college game while never facing live competition.
Had this game happened a year early, the Rams’ Phil Jurkovec may have given his team a puncher’s chance for a quarter or two. This year, P-R will be nothing more than the 38th-straight victim to fall at the hands of the Ascenders.