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Intriguing football matchups in store Friday night

By Bobby Fox, For The Greene County Messenger 4 min read

It’s hard to believe that the 2014 high school football season is already past its halfway point. While the thought of just four weeks of guaranteed Friday nights being left on the calendar is depressing to a lot of folks, it does mean that some of the most impactful contests of the season are coming up quickly.

There are several entries on this Friday’s first slate of October matchups that should have the interest of fans from both the area and around the WPIAL. Below are some brief previews of games that hold some definite intrigue for pigskin connoisseurs in and around Greene County.

MAPLETOWN at JEFFERSON-MORGAN

Last year, the Maples used their power running game to dominate the Rockets to the tune of a 36-21 victory. The win secured Mapletown’s first winning season since 2005 and capped a disappointing year for Jefferson-Morgan, which was expected to simply be too big and too strong for most of the Tri-County South.

Flash ahead to this year and Friday’s matchup could decide which of these teams go to the postseason. Both squads are 3-2 overall and in terms of conference play. However, if you want to determine which team needs a victory more, the Rockets seem to fit the bill because of who is left on their schedule.

Following week six, J-M will tangle with a very physical Springdale squad next Friday, before back-to-back rivalry games with Tri-County South powerhouse Beth-Center and Carmichaels. A victory over Mapletown would allow the Orange and Black to split its final two conference game, but still finish ahead of the Maples, which has much more winnable games against California and Bentworth before a season-ending non-conference showdown with Monessen.

Regardless of standings, this intra-county game should be a treat for fan of old school football. Both teams love to run the football and battle in the trenches. While each squad is capable of throwing the ball when necessary, don’t be surprised to see the combined amount of pass attempts on the night to be in the single digits.

BETH-CENTER at FRAZIER

Speaking of the Tri-County South, the conference title will be all but decided when B-C travels to Perryopolis to battle Frazier. Both teams are undefeated in 2014 and feature outstanding defenses. Both teams have allowed just 33 points each over five games and after Friday night, the Bulldogs and Commodores are both heavy favorites to run the table over their final three games.

What makes this matchup interesting to me is how these two teams have changed and remained the same as compared to the 2013 editions. Beth-Center is Beth-Center and that means punishing opponents with a talented group of running backs. That’s been the formula for the Bulldogs’ years of Tri-County South Conference.

Frazier, on the other hand, was feared for its high flying spread offense passing attack. However, the graduation of last year’s star senior quarterback Charlie Manack has forced the Commodores to rely more on its own crop of backs, including electric sophomore Alvin Ross.

If Frazier tries to get into a power struggle with the Bulldogs, it could be an ugly night for the upset-minded home team.

JEANNETTE at CLAIRTON

Don’t get me wrong, there is not nearly as much intrigue in this marquee Eastern Conference matchup as in the Tri-County South contests. Clairton is going to win this one, but it may not be as ugly a blowout as every other one of its games.

The Bears are coming off a 72-0 shutout of Riverview, which marks the fifth-straight time this year they have scored at least 70 points in a game. Let that sink in for just a minute. Three teams in the Tri-County South have scored 73 points or less over the entirety of 2014.

To the Jayhawks’ credit, they have lived up to expectations since dropping down from the AA ranks. The 5-0 squad has scored the second-most points in the conference (248) and allowed the second-fewest (49) of the nine member teams.

If Jeannette can keep the deficit under four touchdowns, it would solidify their standing as one of top teams in Class A.

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