Injured stars: Brady set to return for West Greene; LH’s Black probable to play
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard
Laurel Highlands coach Rich Kolesar talks to his players during a timeout in last Friday night’s game against Latrobe at Mustang Field. The Mustangs travel to Thomas Jefferson tonight.
Westley Burchianti
West Greene quarterback Lane Allison looks to pass against Bentworth during last Friday night’s game. Allison threw three touchdown passes in the Pioneers’ 39-6 win. West Greene hosts Monessen tonight.
(Updated)
Three of the area’s top football players suffered early-season injuries and two could be action tonight but a third will be back on the sidelines after a brief appearance last week.
West Greene’s Colin Brady is ready to retake the field and Laurel Highlands’ Antwan Black is also “probable” as the high school season enters Week 5 tonight with a slate of 15 games involving local teams.
Mapletown’s A.J. Vanata, only the other hand, returned to the Maples’ lineup briefly last Friday but he is not expected to be in action tonight.
All games kick off at 7 p.m.
Two teams which won’t be playing are independents Brownsville and Albert Gallatin.
The Falcons (1-4) get a well deserved bye week after their 36-30 overtime victory over Carrick last week. The Colonials (1-4) were supposed to trek into Maryland to play Southern Garrett but the Rams will be forced to forfeit for the third week in a row.
Albert Gallatin will travel to Laurel Highlands for a Fayette County clash next week.
There are two other non-conference games with Connellsville (3-2) at Hampton (2-3) in a meeting of Class 4A squads and Windber (4-1) visiting Bill Power Stadium to take on Uniontown (2-3).
The Falcons are coming off a 47-12 victory at Ringgold and have already surpassed their win total of a year ago. The Red Raiders will face a stiff challenge in the Ramblers, who are averaging exactly 40 points per game.
While Connellsville dips out of the Big Seven Conference this week, Laurel Highlands (0-2, 1-4) and Ringgold (0-1, 0-5) both face very tough road tasks.
The Mustangs visit undefeated Thomas Jefferson (1-0, 5-0) and the Rams (0-1, 0-5) go to first-place McKeesport (2-0, 4-1).
Black would give a major boost to the Mustangs who are trying to right the ship after four losses in a row.
“There are no easy games on our schedule,” LH coach Rich Kolesar said. “That’s what happens when you’re a team fighting for a playoff spot every year, you’ve got tough teams. We beat TJ last year. It’s going to be a fight. We know how good they are. We’ve got to worry about us at this point.”
After the non-conference clash with AG next week, the Mustangs close their schedule with home games against Trinity and Connellsville sandwiched around a game at Ringgold and may need to win all three to qualify for the WPIAL playoffs for the third year in a row.
Laurel Highlands earned a share of its first ever conference championship last year thanks to a key 31-24 win over the Jaguars.
After two weeks of Class 1A Tri-County South Conference play the two teams that have emerged on top of the standings are West Greene (2-0, 4-1) and California (2-0, 4-1).
The Pioneers host talented but thin Monessen (0-2, 1-4) which has been hampered by injuries. Beau Jackson, in his first season as Pioneers coach, doesn’t look to change much against the Greyhounds.
“We’re going to keep doing what we do,” Jackson said. “We’re at that time of year where we have our identity. We just go day by day. That’s been our goal all year is get better every single day.”
Monessen put up a strong fight against the Trojans a week ago before fading in the fourth quarter.
California travels to Mapletown (0-2, 2-3) which is trying to halt a three-game losing skid. Vanata’s brief return last week wasn’t enough to help the Maples turn back Carmichaels, which won 27-9 at Coaches Field.
If the Trojans and Pioneers both win it tonight it would set up a conference showdown between the two next week at California for sole possession of first place.
The rest of the TCS playoff picture will start to take focus as the four 1-1 teams in the conference square off.
Beth-Center (1-1, 1-4) is at Carmichaels (1-1, 2-3) and Bentworth (1-1, 2-3) goes to Jefferson-Morgan (1-1, 2-3).
The Bearcats upended Monessen two weeks ago before bowing to the Pioneers last week. First-year Bentworth coach David Pordash expects a close game with the J-M.
“They’re a tough team,” Pordash said of the Rockets. “They play us tough every year. It’s always a dogfight. It’s going to be a good game.”
Also in Class 1A, Frazier (0-2, 0-5) will be striving to break a seven-game losing streak dating back to last season when it hosts Leechburg (1-1, 3-2) in a Eastern Conference game.
The Class 3A Interstate finally begins conference games tonight headlined by a matchup between local teams as Southmoreland (0-0, 3-2) travels to unbeaten Elizabeth Forward (0-0, 5-0).
Also in the Interstate, Mount Pleasant (0-0, 4-1) is at Greensburg Salem (0-0, 1-4) at Offutt Field and defending champion Belle Vernon (0-0, 3-1) goes to South Allegheny (0-0, 1-4).
Waynesburg Central continues Class 2A Century Conference play at home against Washington (1-0, 5-0). The Raiders (1-1, 4-1) suffered their first loss of the season at McGuffey last week. The Prexies, coached by Albert Gallatin graduate Mike Bosnic, are the only unbeaten team in Class 2A.
Also in the Century, Charleroi (0-1, 0-4) hosts Keystone Oaks (1-1, 2-3).
In the Class 2A Allegheny Conference Yough (0-2, 1-4) goes to Ligonier Valley (1-1, 2-3).