ESPN, Hall of Famer Dick Butkus will pay a visit to Albert Gallatin tonight as the Colonials battle Montour
The Albert Gallatin football team has played before the lights and cameras of a television broadcast, but not quite the same magnitude the Colonials will see tonight when ESPN’s traveling circus follows “head coach” Dick Butkus and Montour to York Run for a non-conference game. Montour is the focus of ESPN’s “Bound for Glory” series as cameras follow Butkus and the Spartans throughout the 2005 season. The opening broadcast is Sept. 20.
It will be a special night for more than one reason for Albert Gallatin. The Colonials will hold a special ceremony about 15 minutes before kickoff to honor Donald “Doc” Franks, who was inducted into the Pennsylvania Football Coaches Hall of Fame this summer. Franks led the pre-consolidation Colonials to the 1974 WPIAL championship.
A full slate of games is on tap this weekend, the final non-conference games for most teams.
Albert Gallatin is coming off a home 14-6 loss to Brownsville in the opening game. The door to distraction is wide open for the Colonials, but head coach Chuck Colborn sees an even-headedness with his squad.
“They are very much aware of it,” Colborn said of the ESPN taping. “We’ve discussed it. The cameras will be a distraction, but we have to overlook them.
“HSTV was here and CUTV broadcasts our games. The kids have seen cameras in their face.”
The lack of execution was more on Colborn’s mind than that of the reality show taping.
“We made mistakes. Brownsville is a better than people give them credit,” said Colborn. “Offensively, we moved the ball in spurts (against Brownsville). We need to sustain the ground game and control the ball. Our defense only gave up seven points.”
The Colonial defense has been preparing for Montour’s spread offense.
“They throw the ball a lot. They run a one-back offense. We don’t see a lot of that,” explained Colborn. “The biggest thing is we have to think positive things can happen. You can’t worry about making mistakes or you’ll make them.”
In Quad A, Connellsville looks to keep the momentum rolling after last week’s 34-14 win over visiting Uniontown with a game at Latrobe. The Wildcats beat Derry, 23-7, scoring 16 second-half points.
Uniontown takes to the road as well, traveling down Route 51 to Elizabeth-Forward. Quarterback Randy Santina threw three touchdown passes and ran for another in the Warriors’ 41-8 rout of Mount Pleasant. Laurel Highlands looks to get one in the win column when the Mustangs, a 28-0 loser to West Allegheny, host Ringgold. The Rams dropped a 29-15 decision to Moon.
Belle Vernon had a rough opening week, losing to Thomas Jefferson, 41-0. The Leopards host Peters Township, a 14-0 winner over McGuffey.
The Falcons, bolstered by last week’s win in York Run, take to the road for a non-conference contest at Deer Lakes. The Lancers rallied for a 21-18 win over Avonworth when Brian Becker scored on a 41-yard run. Becker ran 29 yards for an earlier touchdown in the fourth quarter, finishing with 165 yards on 14 carries.
Waynesburg Central, a fellow Interstate Conference squad, opened with an easy 42-20 win over rival West Greene with J.D. Higgins leading the way for the Raiders with two touchdowns and 131 yards rushing. Waynesburg hosts Ford City, a 14-11 winner over Jeannette. Brian Pritts had a disappointing start to his career at Southmoreland with a 34-0 loss to Yough. The Scotties look for win No. 1 against visiting Burrell.
Tri-County South Conference teams will play Black Hills Conference teams this weekend. Carmichaels went to overtime for a 9-6 win over Burgettstown and the Mikes look for two in a row with Bentworth, a last minute 28-27 winner over Mapletown.
The Maples travel to Chartiers-Houston after the Bucs defeated Cornell, 12-6.
California opened with a close 21-14 loss in the waning moments to Riverview. The Trojans host Charleroi, a 25-7 winner over bitter rival Monessen. Lew Sweitzer began his second go-around at Frazier with a 20-12 win at Wilkinsburg last Saturday, and look to keep the momentum rolling at home against Fort Cherry. The Rangers defeated North Catholic, 28-0.
Jefferson-Morgan lost 20-7 to Beth-Center and Geibel Catholic wasn’t able to hold a 14-6 halftime lead, losing 29-14 at Serra Catholic. The Rockets travel to Burgettstown while the Gators play host to the Bulldogs Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m.
The only area team not to have played last week was Turkeyfoot Valley, which opens its season at Hundred, W. Va. tonight.