Several key clashes on the docket for Week Two
After a thrilling Week One to start the 2014 high school football season, three Greene County teams are 1-0 and the other two are looking to get into the win column tonight.
Last Friday, Waynesburg Central picked up its first Week One victory since 2008 with a 33-6 beat-down of Burgettstown.
The Raiders (1-0, 1-0) were led by a strong rushing attack that was anchored by senior running backs Hunter Cenname and John Glen Davis.
Cenname led all rushers with 16 carries for 150 yards and three touchdowns, while Davis added 128 yards on 15 rushes for a touchdown.
Davis also got into the passing game with a 40-yard scoring completion to Dom Serra in the late stages of the second quarter.
After a scoreless opening quarter, Waynesburg tallied two touchdowns to take a 14-0 lead into halftime and then tallied 19 straight points to open the second half. The Blue Devils scored a late touchdown in the fourth to avoid the shutout.
“The line did a great job tonight,” Waynesburg coach Russ Moore stated. “Three people who didn’t get noticed were (fullback) Jacob Tretinik, (tight end) Colin McCracken and (lineman) Sam Augustine. What also impressed me were our receivers blocking downfield. This was truly a full team effort.”
The Raiders will travel to Brownsville (0-1, 0-0) tonight for an Interstate Conference clash.
Over the last 10 seasons, Waynesburg is 7-3 against its Fayette County foe, including a 35-6 victory in 2013. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
In the lone battle between two Greene County squads last week, Jefferson-Morgan grabbed bragging rights over West Greene with a 14-0 triumph.
In a game that was dominated by defense, the Rockets (1-0, 1-0) garnered two big plays in the contest that set them up for the Tri-County South Conference win.
“It’s great after a long camp to come out and get a win in game one,” J-M coach Liam Ryan said. “I have a lot of respect for West Greene, they played really hard. I think getting this week one victory can do a lot for us. We improved a lot throughout the game.”
Junior tailback Trevor Kniha rumbled for a 53-yard scoring run in the second quarter and senior running back Aaron Weaver tallied a 79-yard trip to paydirt in the third period for the two big plays of the day.
Both backs for J-M combined for 15 carries for 193 yards in the win, while the Pioneers (0-1, 0-1) got a solid game from offensive linemen turned tailback Bray Jackson (28 carries for 129 yards). The Rockets out-rushed the Pioneers, 264-188.
“We’ll grow from this game and these kids gave everything they had,” West Greene coach Paul Kreuzer said. “We were ready for this, but Jefferson just had a little bit better of a day than us.”
The Rockets will now turn their attention to a home match-up versus Frazier (1-0, 1-0) tonight at Parker Field. First kick is set for 7 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on greenesports.net.
J-M is 5-3 against its conference rivals from Perryopolis over the last decade, but the Commodores have won three of the last four meetings since rejoining the TCS in 2010.
The Pioneers will hit the road tonight and battle against Bentworth (0-1, 0-1). Kickoff for the game is set for 7 p.m. and will also be broadcast on greenesports.net.
These two teams have only met twice over the last 10 seasons, with West Greene taking both of the games, a 22-21 nail-bitter in 2012 and a 41-6 victory last season.
Trailing by one at halftime, Carmichaels compiled 18 unanswered points in the second half to take a 30-13 win from Bentworth last week.
The Mikes (1-0, 1-0) were led by the steady rushing attack from senior tailback Michael Blasinsky, who had touchdown runs of four, one and six. The six-yard trip to the end zone gave Carmichaels an 18-13 lead in the third quarter and proved to be the winning touchdown.
Junior quarterback Coty Allen was responsible for the final two touchdowns in the game in the fourth period, a 51-yard pass to junior tight end Brody Blaker and a 13-yard scoring run.
The Mikes will battle county rival Mapletown tonight at 7 p.m.
The Maples (0-1, 0-1) suffered a setback last week with a 34-6 defeat to Beth-Center.
After the Bulldogs grabbed a 7-0 lead, the Maples responded with an 11-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Ben Boone to freshmen tailback Dylan Rush.
Despite the touchdown, the PAT was blocked and Mapletown trailed 7-6 in the early stages of the second stanza.
B-C collected two more touchdowns in the second quarter and extended its lead in the third period with two more scores before a scoreless fourth quarter for both teams.
Rush (nine carries for 42 yards) and junior running back Matt Hein (eight rushes for 28 yards) were the leading rushers for Mapletown in the loss.
“We can definitely build off of this game,” Mapletown coach George Messich said. “Every week this season we have to improve as a team, win or lose. The kids didn’t quit tonight and battled to the very end. I feel really good about this football team.”
In one of the most intense rivalries in the county, the Maples will try to get a win over the Mikes tonight for the first time since 2005.
The Mikes are on an eight-game winning streak in the series, including a 44-12 triumph in 2013 over the Maples.