Bulldogs eye deep playoff run
FREDERICKTOWN — The goal of some high school football teams is to qualify for the WPAL playoffs. For the Beth-Center Bulldogs, it’s a case of been there, done that, want to do more.
Beth-Center has qualified for the playoffs for nine straight seasons and while the coaches and players don’t take making the postseason for granted, they would like to take their success to the next level.
“We’re looking at making a deep run in the playoffs,” said 13-year coach Ed Woods.
Asked if his team has envisioned a trip to Heinz Field in Pittsburgh for the WPIAL Class A championship game, Woods said, “That’s the goal and we’ve talked about that.”
The Bulldogs were 8-3 last season, including a first-round playoff win over Cornell before a quarterfinal loss to WPIAL runner-up Clairton.
There’s a long way to go before the playoffs begin, but Beth-Center’s regular season schedule offers plenty of challenges simply because of the annual switch of game sites.
While Woods pledges that his team won’t overlook any of its Tri-County South Conference opponents, the tendency is to anticipate the sixth game at home against Monessen. The Bulldogs have lost to the Greyhounds in each of the last two seasons on the road. This year, Monessen will come to Beth-Center on Friday, Oct. 7. The last time the teams met in Fredericktown was in 2008 when the Bulldogs came out on top 35-13.
“We’re getting ready for Monessen,” Woods said. “That’s our goal, to beat Monessen.”
Lest Beth-Center fans worry that their team might falter while looking ahead to the Oct. 7 showdown, Woods said there will be enough challenges before that game to keep his charges on their toes.
“We tell our kids to prepare for the best kid you’re going to face every week. You don’t know when one of those kids is going to be better than you and you have to prepare for that player,” Woods said.
After the opening game against conference foe Frazier, the Bulldogs will travel to Geibel Catholic for a Saturday afternoon game.
“It’s a tough adjustment for a Saturday afternoon game and (coach) Ron (Marciante) does a great job at Geibel with his personnel,” said Woods.
After a home game against Mapletown, the Bulldogs will visit Carmichaels and California, two of the teams Woods expects to challenge for playoff berths. The latter game is especially intriguing to Woods.
“The California game always has an exciting atmosphere and this will be our first game in their new stadium and the kids are looking forward to it.”
Before this year, all games between Beth-Center and California had been played at Booster Field in downtown California.
The Bulldogs will be looking to avenge a non-conference loss to Avonworth at home the following week before hosting West Greene and traveling to Jefferson-Morgan to end the regular season.