Thinning out the field: Most area teams fighting to stay alive in playoff races; Frazier cancels game

While most area football teams will be fighting to remain in playoff contention tonight, four other squads will be battling for Fayette County bragging rights.
In a pair of match-ups of the four local independent teams, Brownsville (0-6) is at Albert Gallatin (4-3) and Uniontown (3-4) hosts Connellsville (2-6). The Colonials can claim the unofficial title of the county’s top independent team with a win over the Falcons since AG already has beaten Connellsville and Uniontown.
“When you don’t have playoffs to shoot for, these are our playoff games,” Albert Gallatin coach Drew Dindl said of playing his Fayette County rivals.
All but one of the 16 local football teams will be in action tonight with 7 p.m. kickoffs.
Frazier (0-5, 1-7) citing a lack of healthy players due to a rash of injuries, canceled its Class 1A Eastern Conference home game against Greensburg Central Catholic (4-1, 5-2). That game is unlikely to be made up, according to reports.
Fayette County’s only other team in a conference, Laurel Highlands (1-2, 4-3), needs a victory at Trinity (2-1, 3-5) to remain in contention in the Class 4A Big Six.
Also in the Big Six, second-place Belle Vernon (2-1, 3-3) can put itself in good position for a postseason berth with a win at Ringgold (0-3, 1-7).
The top two teams in the Big Six automatically qualify for the playoffs, while others must hope to claim one of two Class 4A wild-card spots as determined by a WPIAL committee.
The top three teams get automatic bids in the Class 3A Interstate, the Class 2A Century, the Class 1A Eastern and the Class 1A Tri-County South. There will be four wild-card spots available in Class 2A and 1A and three in Class 3A.
Southmoreland (3-0, 7-1) still hasn’t clinched a playoff spot in the Interstate but can do that tonight while also claiming the program’s first conference title since 1979 with a win at Elizabeth Forward (3-0, 5-3).
“We’re playing for a conference title. We’re excited going into this week to put it all on the line and have fun,” said Scotties freshman quarterback Anthony Smith, who broke the school’s single-season record for touchdown passes in last week’s 28-7 win at Mount Pleasant with three to give him 21.
Southmoreland coach Tim Bukowski, in his seventh season with the Scotties overall and third as head coach, sized up his team’s season so far.
“We’re happy with where we’re at right now at 7-1,” Bukowski said. “We expected to be in this position and we’re real happy that we have a chance to play for the conference championship this week. We kind of thought that this could happen. We’ve been building up for a handful of years and things are starting to come together.
“We have some talent. Obviously we have Anthony and a lot of very good receivers on offense and a lot of starters on the offensive line back. In high school football you win a lot of games with veterans up front. We felt our defense was better than it had been in the past, too.”
Also in the Interstate, third-place Mount Pleasant (2-1, 4-4) hosts Derry (0-3, 3-5).
In the Tri-County South, undefeated Jefferson-Morgan and California have both clinched playoff spots and are tied for first place. They would play each other for the conference title next week at California if both win tonight. The Rockets (5-0, 8-0) travel to Avella (2-3, 2-5) and the Trojans (5-0, 6-2) go to Beth-Center (1-4, 1-6).
West Greene (3-2, 3-5) can wrap up the third playoff spot in the TCS with a win at Carmichaels (2-3, 3-3) but a Mikes victory would keep them in the playoff hunt. Bentworth (2-3, 4-4) remains in the playoff picture as well and hosts Mapletown (0-5, 1-7).