Showdowns and rivalries
Falcons, Red Raiders vie for Coal Bucket; Scotties host EF
Week Eight of the high school football season brings a pair of Fayette County rivalries and two key conference showdowns.
All four of the Fayette County independent teams will be in action with Connellsville (1-7) hosting Uniontown (2-6) in the battle for the Coal Bucket and unbeaten Albert Gallatin (8-0) traveling to Redstone Field to face winless Brownsville (0-6).
The Class 3A Interstate Conference will be on the line when undefeated Southmoreland (3-0, 8-0) hosts Elizabeth Forward (3-0, 7-1). The winner will secure at least a share of first place.
Also in the Interstate, third-place Mount Pleasant (2-1, 5-3) goes to fourth-place Derry (1-2, 4-4) in a clash with playoff implications.
In the Class A Eastern Conference, Frazier, under first-year coach Tony Battaglini travels to Greensburg Central Catholic with both teams sporting identical records of 2-3 in the conference and 4-4 overall. The winner will take a big step towards gaining a potential WPIAL wild-card spot for the playoffs.
The Commodores are coming off a key 41-20 win over Riverview thanks in large part to a five-touchdown, 285-yard performance by running back Derek Diamond who is the area’s leader rusher and third in the WPIAL with 1,267 yards.
Diamond is one of three local players who have topped the 1000-yard rushing mark this season along with Malachi Peak of California (1,038) and Tee Guesman of Albert Gallatin (1,022).
Frazier can throw the ball as well. Quarterback Brady Secrest has completed 66 of 129 passes for 869 yards and eight touchdowns with Chase Fulmer reeling in 43 receptions for 493 yards.
In the Class 4A Big Six Conference, Belle Vernon (1-2, 2-5) will try to keep its faint playoff hopes alive with a win over visiting Ringgold (1-2, 4-4) and Trinity (3-0, 4-4) will attempt to clinch first place with a victory at Laurel Highlands (0-3, 2-6).
In the Class A Tri-County South Conference, California (5-0, 7-1) controls its own destiny as it can wrap up sole possession of first place with wins tonight over visiting Beth-Center (2-3, 2-6) and next week at second-place Jefferson-Morgan.
The Rockets (4-1, 7-1), who saw their 18-game regular-season winning streak come to end with a Week Seven loss at Bentworth, need a win over visiting Avella (3-2, 6-2) to keep their hopes alive of repeating as conference champions.
Also in the TCS, the Bearcats (4-1, 6-2), who are tied with J-M for second place, travel to Mapletown (0-5, 1-7) and West Greene (1-4, 1-7) hosts Carmichaels (1-4, 2-5). The Mikes are coming off a 14-13 upset victory at Avella.
In the Class 2A Century Conference, Waynesburg Central (1-3, 3-5) hosts Charleroi (0-4, 1-7).
All games are scheduled for 7 p.m. kickoffs.
Southmoreland is one of just six undefeated WPIAL teams as first-year coach Dustin Shoaf has opened his career with eight straight wins, a team start that hasn’t happened since 1964.
Did he foresee such an amazing beginning to his coaching career?
“At the end of the day I was just worried about what I had to do to get our kids ready to play football, and what I had to do to help my staff and myself along the lines to be ready,” said the 24-year-old Shoaf who is a Yough graduate and was a four-year letterman and all-conference running back at Mercyhurst. “We weren’t thinking about being 8-0 or 10-0 or any of that stuff. We’re taking one game at a time, one week at a time and we’re extremely proud of our kids.”
Shoaf brings plenty of enthusiasm to his players, often eagerly greeting them as they come off the field after a successful play or drive.
“I feed off their energy and I think they feed off my energy,” Shoaf said. “It’s a domino effect. That’s something you can’t teach and you can’t install in anybody.”
The Scotties were in a similar position last season at EF but lost 31-3, then also fell to Greensburg Salem and dropped into a three-way tie for second place.
Shoaf recognizes the Warriors, whose only loss was at Class 5A South Fayette, 27-24, will be his team’s toughest foe to date.
“It’ll be a challenge but we’re excited for it,” said Shoaf who lauded his team’s all-around performance up to this point in the season. “I don’t think it’s just our defense, I don’t think it’s just our special teams, I don’t think it’s just our offense. It’s all those components together that’s led to our success.”
At Falcon Stadium, the Red Raiders and Falcons will meet for the 86th time with Connellsville holding a 40-36-9 edge in the series.
Uniontown’s last win over Connellsville came in the 2010 season opener, 14-0, at Bill Power Stadium. The Falcons won at Uniontown last year, 27-6.
Both teams are hoping to end losing skids, seven for the Falcons and five for the Red Raiders.