Uniontown-LH football clash has much meaning this season
With Laurel Highlands’ and Uniontown’s spot in the postseason secure, only one thing’s left for both to take care of … each other. The Mustangs and Red Raiders lock horns tonight at Bill Power Stadium in a game that, unlike most years, will have playoff implications. The winner will grab third place in the Keystone Conference, while the loser still gets a WPIAL playoff berth, but most likely will have to travel to Timbuktu for a first-round game.
“That alone puts a lot of extra meaning into this game,” said Uniontown offensive/defensive lineman Harry Kaufman. “When you’re a fourth-place team, you may get the 16th seed, but if you end up in third place, you could get anywhere from 8-12.”
Although the teams occupy space in the same town, they’re heading in opposite directions. Uniontown has lost three of its last four games, while Laurel Highlands has won four of five.
The Red Raiders (5-3, 3-2) held a 14-13 lead over Belle Vernon a week ago, but a Jon Fowler field goal and two late touchdowns after turnovers in the final 3:12 gave the Leopards a 30-14 win. At the same time, the Mustangs (4-4, 3-2) were clinching a playoff berth with a 32-27 win over Mount Pleasant.
Thanks mainly to its defense and a resurgent ground game, Laurel Highlands has turned around an 0-3 start under first-year coach Scott Knee. Speedy junior Corey Nesser has picked it up and has rushed for 670 yards on 121 attempts and scored six touchdowns.
After throwing for over 2,000 yards last season, Mustang quarterback Matt Humbert’s numbers have tailed off a bit. The senior right-hander has completed 84 of 176 passes for 911 yards with six touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Humbert’s favorite target is Antwjuan Cox, who has caught 39 passes for 481 yards and two touchdowns.
“We’re going to set up different things that will try to match up with them,” Kaufman said. “You can’t be narrow-minded when it comes to LH. They have a lot of different options when it comes to offense. It all comes down to strategy.”
Uniontown is led by running back Bill McLee, who has 658 yards on 123 carries. He has seven touchdowns. Quarterback Ryan Guthrie has completed 37 of 105 passes for 606 yards with five touchdowns and three interceptions. Junior Mayes is the Red Raiders’ leading receiver with 18 receptions for 341 yards and two touchdowns.
“This game will definitely be a contrast of styles,” Knee said. “They’re going to line up and come at us and we’re going to try to spread things out and try to find seams. I don’t know about stopping them, but we have to find ways of slowing them down and making a big play on defense. We have to limit what they do on first down and put them in second- and third-and-long situations.”
Albert Gallatin at Ringgold Connellsville at Hempfield
These four teams have combined to post a 2-30 mark. So, what’s at stake? Pride.
An Albert Gallatin win over the winless Rams means a fifth place Quad-West Finish, while a Connellsville victory over lowly Hempfield keeps the Falcons out of the Quad-East cellar.
New Castle at Belle Vernon
The Hurricanes lost their first game of the season a week ago, but already had the Parkway Conference title wrapped up.
The Leopards, meanwhile, turned it on late against Uniontown to clinch the Keystone Conference. The victory may have cost Leps coach Jesse Cramer the services of bruising running back Andrew Bell, who walked off the field late in the game holding his injured arm.
Brownsville at Charleroi
The Falcons will still be without coach Don Bartolomucci, who is serving a school-board imposed suspension for the second straight week. The winner of this game still misses the playoffs, but finishes the season a bit more respectable.
Washington at Waynesburg Central
The Little Prexies, defending WPIAL and PIAA Class AA champions, will head south on Interstate 79 for this Interstate Conference matchup. Jeannette has already clinched a playoff spot, but the final two spots in this tough conference hinge on tonight’s action.
To put it simply: If Jeannette and Waynesburg win, the Jayhawks, Raiders and Greensburg Central Catholic are in; If Jeannette and Washington win, Jeannette wins the conference and tie-breaker points will decide the second and third playoff spots; If Greensburg Central Catholic and Waynesburg win, Jeannette, Greensburg CC and Waynesburg are in with tie-breaker points deciding the order of finish; If Greensburg Central Catholic and Washington win, Greensburg wins the conference, Jeannette is two and the Little Prexies three.
If all else fails, whichever team winds up fourth may have a good shot at Class AA’s Wild Card berth.
Pretty simple, huh?
Southmoreland at McGuffey
The 2002 season hasn’t been kind to either team, with the Scotties claiming the sole victory among the two.
Former Mapletown and Penn State standout Derek Bochna has had a rough go of it in his first year at the helm of the Highlanders, posting an 0-8 mark while being outscored 286-35.
Tri-County South
Carmichaels has won the conference title, and is now waiting to see how the WPIAL will shaft it Monday night when the playoff pairings are released.
That’s been the trend over recent years, and don’t expect anything to change.
Oh, by the way, the Mikes close out the regular season at Frazier, which is still in the running for a playoff berth. Carmichaels and Monessen are in, while California, Frazier and West Greene (all 3-3 in Tri-County South play) still have a shot.
California visits Geibel Catholic, while West Greene hosts Jefferson-Morgan.
The Trojans are +8 in tie-breaker points, while West Greene is -5 and Frazier -11.
Mapletown (2-4) has an outside shot, needing a win at Monessen and two losses from among California, West Greene and Frazier.
Beth-Center at Bentworth
The Bulldogs snapped a five-game losing streak last week against Chartiers-Houston.
Beth-Center closes out Black Hills Conference play with a chance to stay out of the section cellar.