High school football is finally here
The wait is finally over.
WPIAL high school football fans rejoice, for tonight marks the kickoff of the 2017 season with the district’s Week 0 games. Some may argue that Sept. 2 is the real beginning to the pigskin schedule, but I seriously doubt that gridiron-starved fans are going to wait seven more days to get their fix after a nearly eight-month hiatus.
In order to prep you for the season, I’ve picked out one game from the county schedule for each of the next 10 weeks to mark on your calendar. Obviously, your team loyalties will dictate just how much, if any impact this will have on your choice of contest, but if you are more of a neutral spectator, this may serve you some purpose.
Week 0: Serra Catholic at Mapletown
It’s the beginning of the farewell tour for Maple star running back Dylan Rush and the Eagles look like a great way to start the year. Serra snuck into the 2-A WPIAL playoffs last year after going 5-6 overall and 3-4 in the Three Rivers Conference.
Not only will Rush get to test his skills against what appears to be a solid first challenge, but the rest of the Maples, which are looking to make a return to the postseason, will have the opportunity to quickly erase any lingering memories of last year’s 37-0 playoff loss at Northgate.
Week 1: Mount Pleasant at Waynesburg Central
WCHS will break in the new surface at the Raider Field of Pride by squaring off with a consistently powerful Viking program. Fans will know right away just what kind of team veteran head coach Russ Moore has in his team’s lid-lifter.
Week 2: Mapletown at West Greene
This could be the biggest and best one-on-one showdown of the entire local schedule when Rush and his teammates travel all the way across the county to face Pioneer sophomore stud Ben Jackson. While Rush is a well-known commodity, those who aren’t familiar with Jackson will be in a very short period of time. Last year, the then-freshman cranked out 1,190 yards rushing.
Week 3: Carmichaels at West Greene
If the Pioneers are serious about making a postseason run, the second of back-to-back intra-county games will prove it. The Mikes are big, strong and have a chip on their shoulders after last year’s shocking 50-44 loss to Springdale in the first round of the playoffs.
Week 4: California at Mapletown
Much like week three that gives West Greene a fantastic barometer for where they are at in their progression, week four will do the same for the Maples. California seemingly always provides a solid test for Greene County competition and this year should prove no different.
Week 5: Carmichaels at Mapletown
If Rush lives up to the hype, this game could very well determine the Tri-County South championship.
Week 6: Waynesburg Central at Bentworth
The Raiders get an intriguing non-conference road test in Washington County against the Bearcats. Just the novelty of seeing such a unique matchup would be worth the road trip out I-70 to Bentleyville.
Week 7: Jefferson-Morgan at Carmichaels
It’s Rockets versus Mikes. It’s Orange and Black versus Blue and Gold. The atmosphere alone makes this one a must-see.
Week 8: Carmichaels at Fort Cherry or Mapletown at Jeannette
The logical side of my brain says a rematch of last year’s conference title-deciding battle is the obvious choice. However, much like my week-six pick, seeing Rush go up against a legendary program like Jeannette could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Week 9: West Greene at California
Once again, the Trojans will play a role in determining the playoff fate of a hopeful county squad. If Jackson and his supporting cast have stayed healthy and lived up to expectations over 10 grueling weeks, the Pioneers will have a chance to end their 24-year playoff drought.