High school football preview
California, Beth-Center gear up for Round 2 of playoffs California’s 26-0 win over Western Beaver a week ago not only stopped a six-game postseason slide, but was also the Trojans’ first playoff victory since 1986.
So, after 19 years of frustration, the monkey’s finally gone, right?
Maybe, but King Kong is waiting just around the corner.
California travels to Center High School tonight to face Rochester, the state’s top-ranked Class A team and defending WPIAL champion. Kickoff for the Class A quarterfinal is slated for 7:30 p.m.
Beth-Center is also in action tonight, after winning its first playoff game since 1994 a week ago over Riverview. The Bulldogs will face another Eastern Conference team, this time Springdale, at Yough High School with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m.
Rochester has won four of the past five Class A WPIAL titles, and played in four of the last five state title games, winning back-to-back PIAA championships in 2000-01.
California will indeed have its hands full, but coach Joe Kuhns thinks those hands are just as capable as those of his highly touted opponent.
“It’s funny, maybe my kids are rubbing off on me, but hearing ‘Rochester’ doesn’t mean anything to me,” Kuhns said. “They did win the WPIAL last year, but I think their ranking all year has been based on what they did last year.
“As far as their conference, I think we proved we could be pretty competitive in it after our win last week. We’re not going down there (Center) in awe. All the pressure is on Rochester.”
Kuhns may sound cocky, but instead he’s just confident, with good reason. A week ago, California sophomore quarterback Donte Valentino rushed for 140 yards and three touchdowns, and the Trojans dominated Western Beaver in the final two quarters after leading by just seven points at halftime.
Stephen Chester added 101 yards on the ground, and Waugh Carter another 55.
Rochester, meanwhile, breezed past Carmichaels, 40-7, as quarterback Dan Camp fired two scoring passes, including a 75-yarder to Derek Moye, and also scored on a 40-yard run.
The Rams’ Reon Hunter started the rout when he returned the opening kickoff 74 yards for a touchdown. Rochester, the WPIAL’s top Class A seed, rolled up 224 yards on the ground, and 119 through the air.
“They’re (Rochester) real solid and they don’t make a lot of mistakes,” Kuhns said. “I think if it’s us, or anybody, whoever’s playing Rochester will obviously be the underdog.
“We’re looking at this game as an opportunity to say we do belong in the company of the Rochesters, the Duquesnes, the Beth-Centers and the Canevins. We feel we can compete with any of them and this is our opportunity to show that. We’re in a great position. Nobody expects us to win except us. Nobody expected us to win last week.
“There’s no pressure at all on us.”
Beth-Center, meanwhile, appears to be pressure-free as well, coming into tonight’s game riding a six-game winning streak. Perhaps more impressively, the Bulldogs (9-1) have shut out their past six opponents and haven’t allowed a point in 25 quarters.
Against Riverview, running back Matt Stay scored twice, while quarterback Davis Slagle and running backs Steve Hvizda and C.J. Jackson also had rushing touchdowns.
Slagle was affective through the air as well, finishing 8-of-12 after completing his final six attempts.
“As the offensive coordinator, it’s very hard sometimes to figure out who to get the ball to,” said Bulldogs head coach Ed Woods. “But all these kids want to do is win. They don’t care how many carries they get or who scores the touchdowns.”
Springdale (8-2) has a few weapons of its own, including Wayne Mundekis and Mike Landers. Mundekis scored on runs of 13, 15 and 32 yards in last week’s 50-14 win over Avonworth, while Landers did a little of everything, scoring on a 14-yard run, a 50-yard punt return and a 39-yard pass.
The Dynamos won the WPIAL Class A title two years ago, defeating Rochester in the semifinals.
“It should be a great matchup,” Woods said. “They (Springdale) are a hard-nosed, smash-mouth type football team. But truthfully, we’re not focusing on them as much as we’re focusing on playing as hard as we can and playing this game like it could be our last one.
“We’re just focusing on playing the perfect football game.”
And coach, what is your idea of the perfect game?
“Perfect execution, no penalties, keeping the goose egg up there and scoring 40 points.”
A tall order, but one Woods believes his team can fill.
“Being in the first round of the playoffs was not good enough for this team,” Woods said. “The past two years, we made it to the playoffs but then we lost our first game. It was very important to our program, to get that win.
“This team is hungry every week. They’re not going to be satisfied until they win it all.”