LHAC
-- Eyes turned to Bedford and Somerset, as it was the marquee game of the week, and it did not disappoint. The two teams exchanged scores for a half, and it looked like it could be a good game, but Somerset flexed their muscles and took over in the second half. Dylan Barnes had a exceptional game with two touchdowns passing, and one rushing. He did throw two picks, but overall Barnes has been impressive in the early part of the season. Somerset's defense is really what sets them apart, and Bryce Mostoller is looking to add another all-state selection to his resume, as he already has 5.5 sacks on the season. Somerset will welcome Richland to town Friday night, and they will to get some revenge after last year's heartbreaking loss to Richland. Bedford loses for the first time on the season, but they did play reasonably well, and the Bison have been looking good in the early part of the season. We knew about Austin Montgomery and the type of player he is, but Zach Shaffer has really emerged as one of the most versatile players in the conference. Shaffer has 7 touchdowns on the young season, and has scored them in four different ways. He will need to be making plays all over the field as Bedford heads up to Johnstown to take on the upstart 3-0 Trojans.
-- Once upon a time, Johnstown and Bishop McCort would take center stage above any other game in the area. Things have changed, both teams have struggled through recent struggles, but Johnstown seems to be ready to take a big step forward this season. Coming off a pair of 3-8 seasons, Johnstown is already out to a 3-0 start, and they easily took care of the Crushers this past weekend. The Trojans rode the play of their junior quarterback Jeremy Updyke this weekend, as he went 6-7 for 168 yards and 3 touchdowns. Updyke's performance is about as efficient as you can get, and in a league with plenty of good quarterbacks, I don't think Updyke is talked about enough. The Crimson Crushers dropped to 1-2 on the young season, and it's apparent the offense is struggling to get the ball in the end zone. Marc Smith and Carnell Andrews have paced a fairly good rushing attack this season, but turnovers and mistakes have led to McCort's demise this season. The Crushers will look to get back to .500 as they travel up the hill to face Westmont on Saturday.
-- The two time defending champions Richland posted their first win of the 2014 campaign with a 56-16 win over Westmont. The Rams used a speed rushing attacks spearheaded by Dom Farina and Colby Warshel to blow the game wide open in the second quarter. Richland has some talent, and they are going to get better. Still, the Rams are tasked with a tough slate of games in the coming weeks, and it all starts with Somerset on Friday. Somerset has sent a message to the rest of the league in the early part of the season, and the young Rams will be tested in a big way. Westmont dropped to 1-2, and lost their second straight game by allowing the opposing team to rack up big yardage on the ground.The Hilltoppers have a good chance to move back to .500 this week when a struggling McCort team comes to Price Field.
-- Bishop Guilfoyle routed Central Cambria 49-0, and it has been all business through three weeks for the Marauders. BG has used a powerful, quick-strike offense to overwhelm opposing defenses. Brandon Chadbourn and Sam McCloskey have been the two workhorses for this offense, as the two have accounted for a good bit of the scoring and yardage. The Marauders are averaging 380 yards a game on the ground through three weeks. Central Cambria struggled mightily without Will Seymour leading the offense. Without Seymour, the Red Devils struggled to get anything going on offense. Central Cambria is reeling with an 0-3 start, despite expectations of being one of the league's top teams. The Red Devils will welcome Forest Hills this weekend as they are in desperate need of a win. BG will travel to Loretto to take on Bishop Carroll.
-- Forest Hills was able to pull off a 24-0 win over Penn Cambria without Joe Donoughe at quarterback. The Rangers only managed three passing yards on Friday, but they rode a solid defensive performance and a big day from Shareef Blough on the ground. The speedy Blough torched the Penn Cambria defense for 253 yards and two touchdowns, including a 98 yard scamper for a score. The offense will likely center around Blough until Donoughe comes back, and he is always a threat to take one to the house. The Rangers make the short trip to Central Cambria on Friday. After a solid win over Richland in week two, Penn Cambria was shut out by the Rangers. It was a disappointing effort, as they definitely had a chance to make it a game with Forest Hills playing without their star quarterback. Penn Cambria has a chance at redemption this week with Cambria Heights coming to town.
-- Cambria Heights posted a 27-7 win over Bishop Carroll in week three. The Highlanders are not all that far off from being 3-0 in all actuality. Heights lost two close ones to McCort and Westmont, but after playing probably the three weakest teams in the league, the schedule will start to pick up from here, starting with Penn Cambria. Bishop Carroll drops to 0-3, and the Huskies biggest concern has to be offense. through twelve quarters, the Huskies only have two touchdowns. They will welcome the high powered Bishop Guilfoyle squad to Saint Francis this weekend.
-- Bishop Guilfoyle routed Central Cambria 49-0, and it has been all business through three weeks for the Marauders. BG has used a powerful, quick-strike offense to overwhelm opposing defenses. Brandon Chadbourn and Sam McCloskey have been the two workhorses for this offense, as the two have accounted for a good bit of the scoring and yardage. The Marauders are averaging 380 yards a game on the ground through three weeks. Central Cambria struggled mightily without Will Seymour leading the offense. Without Seymour, the Red Devils struggled to get anything going on offense. Central Cambria is reeling with an 0-3 start, despite expectations of being one of the league's top teams. The Red Devils will welcome Forest Hills this weekend as they are in desperate need of a win. BG will travel to Loretto to take on Bishop Carroll.
-- Forest Hills was able to pull off a 24-0 win over Penn Cambria without Joe Donoughe at quarterback. The Rangers only managed three passing yards on Friday, but they rode a solid defensive performance and a big day from Shareef Blough on the ground. The speedy Blough torched the Penn Cambria defense for 253 yards and two touchdowns, including a 98 yard scamper for a score. The offense will likely center around Blough until Donoughe comes back, and he is always a threat to take one to the house. The Rangers make the short trip to Central Cambria on Friday. After a solid win over Richland in week two, Penn Cambria was shut out by the Rangers. It was a disappointing effort, as they definitely had a chance to make it a game with Forest Hills playing without their star quarterback. Penn Cambria has a chance at redemption this week with Cambria Heights coming to town.
-- Cambria Heights posted a 27-7 win over Bishop Carroll in week three. The Highlanders are not all that far off from being 3-0 in all actuality. Heights lost two close ones to McCort and Westmont, but after playing probably the three weakest teams in the league, the schedule will start to pick up from here, starting with Penn Cambria. Bishop Carroll drops to 0-3, and the Huskies biggest concern has to be offense. through twelve quarters, the Huskies only have two touchdowns. They will welcome the high powered Bishop Guilfoyle squad to Saint Francis this weekend.
Mountain
-- Central and Clearfield were involved in a classic shootout, but it was Central that emerged on top with a 35-28 victory on the road. The Dragons received an all-star performance from senior QB, Mike Mock as he threw for four touchdowns. Justin Helsel was also pivotal in the win as he came down with seven receptions with two going for touchdowns. The Dragons certainly have a different look this season, as they are way more pass oriented. Clearfield dropped to 1-2 with the loss. The Bison are coming off such a big season, but with their loses to graduation, this is not the same team. Still, Clearfield should be able to get things rolling over the next few weeks before the showdown at Tyrone on October 10.
-- Tyrone was all over Huntingdon in a 52-21 game, and the game was not even that close. Huntingdon was able to post some late touchdowns to make it closer than the game really was. Tyrone used a three touchdown performance by quarterback Garrett Hunter, as he finished the day with 200 yards exactly. Huntingdon only managed six first downs against a stingy Tyrone defense, and they fell to 1-2. The Bearcats welcome a tough Clearfield team to town this weekend.
-- Bellefonte got off an 18 games losing streak with a convincing 31-0 win over Philipsburg-Osceola. Austin Jackson led a big rushing attack for the Red Raiders as he went for 108 yards on just 8 carries. Bellefonte will make a trip the whole way to West Virginia to take on 2-1 John Marshall High School. Philipsburg-Osceola drops to 0-3, and the Mountaineers have really fallen from grace after being a solid program not all that long ago. They welcome league front-runner, Tyrone to town this week.
-- Penns Valley put up a 28-6 win over Bald Eagle last week. The Rams take back the Iron Bell trophy from their rivals, Bald Eagle. The Rams used a big defensive performance to take the game from Bald Eagle led by Colton Treaster's big night of scoring two defensive touchdowns. Bald Eagle's performance was rather disappointing. The Eagles are now 1-2, and after two playoff performances, they are in danger of missing out this season. They will to start their turnaround with a good Chestnut Ridge team coming in on Friday.
WestPac
-- Portage just flat out steamrolled over Windber in week three. The game was decided before halftime, and the poweful Mustangs did not even need to use the starters at all in the second half. Caleb Kephart's hot start continued as he went for 124 yards and 3 touchdowns on just 8 carries. Obviously not much more needs to be said about that one, because the big one is this week. Berlin and their powerful running game comes to Portage for the showdown of all showdowns in the WestPac. Windber is not usually on the wrong end of 56-16 outcomes, but it does show the inexperience on this roster. Windber will look to rebound this week with a trip to Boswell to take on North Star.
-- Berlin made quick work of an over matched Ferndale team with a 49-0 victory. The Mountaineers raced out to a 42-0 lead in the first quarter, and it was no contest from there. Braden Fochtman is the star of Berlin's attack, and he went for 63 yards on two carries with both going for touchdowns. It was just one of those kind of games for Berlin. I would expect Fochtman to see a few more touches this week, as he will look to recreate the magic of his 350 yard performance against Portage last year. Ferndale has been outscored 164-6 through three games. It has been a rough start for a team without a lot of depth. They get to host their cross-town rivals, Conemaugh Valley this Saturday at "The Hive" with an opportunity to play a competitive game.
-- Meyersdale ran into a little resistance last week for the first time, but not all that much. The Red Raiders still ran out to a 21 point halftime lead, but that was it in a 21-0 win. Shade was able to slow them down just enough, but Meyersdale still won comfortably. Sophomore quarterback, Riley Christner, had a big game as he went 10-18 for 196 yards and two touchdowns. They will make the trip up 219 to Davidsville to take on 2-1 Conemaugh Township this week in what could be their toughest game yet. Shade played Meyersdale reasonably tough, but failed to punch a score into the end zone. The Panthers have two loses to two of the better teams in the conference, but as long as they can continue to hang around in those games, and win the games they should, they will be alright. The Panthers host Blacklick Valley this week.
-- Blacklick Valley picked up their first win of 2014 with a 27-6 win over visiting North Star. The Vikings saw a big performance from sophomore running back, Isaiah Scott, as he rushed for 163 yards as he raises his season total to 326 yards. Nathan Smith also chipped in 100 yard performance, and the two backs form a formidable rushing attack. Blacklick Valley heads to Shade this week in a big game for both teams. North Star is now 1-2 with the loss to Blacklick. I had the Cougars picked pretty highly in this league, but they have yet to resemble the team I thought they would be. They host Windber on Friday with a chance to move back to .500.
-- Berlin made quick work of an over matched Ferndale team with a 49-0 victory. The Mountaineers raced out to a 42-0 lead in the first quarter, and it was no contest from there. Braden Fochtman is the star of Berlin's attack, and he went for 63 yards on two carries with both going for touchdowns. It was just one of those kind of games for Berlin. I would expect Fochtman to see a few more touches this week, as he will look to recreate the magic of his 350 yard performance against Portage last year. Ferndale has been outscored 164-6 through three games. It has been a rough start for a team without a lot of depth. They get to host their cross-town rivals, Conemaugh Valley this Saturday at "The Hive" with an opportunity to play a competitive game.
-- Meyersdale ran into a little resistance last week for the first time, but not all that much. The Red Raiders still ran out to a 21 point halftime lead, but that was it in a 21-0 win. Shade was able to slow them down just enough, but Meyersdale still won comfortably. Sophomore quarterback, Riley Christner, had a big game as he went 10-18 for 196 yards and two touchdowns. They will make the trip up 219 to Davidsville to take on 2-1 Conemaugh Township this week in what could be their toughest game yet. Shade played Meyersdale reasonably tough, but failed to punch a score into the end zone. The Panthers have two loses to two of the better teams in the conference, but as long as they can continue to hang around in those games, and win the games they should, they will be alright. The Panthers host Blacklick Valley this week.
-- Blacklick Valley picked up their first win of 2014 with a 27-6 win over visiting North Star. The Vikings saw a big performance from sophomore running back, Isaiah Scott, as he rushed for 163 yards as he raises his season total to 326 yards. Nathan Smith also chipped in 100 yard performance, and the two backs form a formidable rushing attack. Blacklick Valley heads to Shade this week in a big game for both teams. North Star is now 1-2 with the loss to Blacklick. I had the Cougars picked pretty highly in this league, but they have yet to resemble the team I thought they would be. They host Windber on Friday with a chance to move back to .500.
-- In a battle of the Conemaughs, it was Township that got the better of Valley. The Indians rode their workhorse back once again in Austin Myers. The Conemaugh Township junior tailback rushed for 149 yards and 2 scores, but needed 38 carries to do it. Myers is already up to 118 carries through three games, by far the most touches of any one player in the area. Conemaugh Valley now drops to 0-3, but the Jays have been competitive throughout the most part. This was only a 14-7 halftime score, but Valley struggled to get on the board beyond that. Brandon Galasso was held to only 53 yards on offense, and the Jays typically move as he does. Valley heads to Ferndale in hopes of finding their first win of 2014.
-- Williamsburg got back on the right track with 21-6 over Glendale. The Blue Pirates have been led by one of the area's more overlooked players, Bryce Young. The senior wideout has made an impact in all three games this season, and he will need to make some plays when they play Everett this week. Glendale is now 0-3 this season, and they are the only team in the ICC without a win. They have a chance to get a win with a game at West Branch this week.
Heritage
-- Blairsville improved to 3-0 with a 27-6 win over Purchase Line. The preseason favorites of the Heritage used a strong running game to overpower the Drgaons. Deion Robinson rushed for 156 yards and two scores to lead the way for Blairsville. They have looked very strong through three weeks, but they will be in for quite the game as they travel to Ligonier this weekend. Purchase Line lost for the second consecutive week and now they sit with a 1-2 record. The Red Dragons displayed an explosive offense in week one, but it has slowed down considerably in recent weeks. Look for Purchase Line to get things rolling again this week with a game on the road against 1-2 Saint Joseph's Academy.
-- Homer Center continues to play well, and the defending champions look very strong in the early going of the season. Northern Cambria was expected to come give the Wildcats a game, but Greg Page's club calmly dispatched the Colts 34-6 and moved to 3-0. Homer should move to 4-0 this week as Marion Center comes to Homer City. Northern Cambria opened with that big win over Ligonier, but have dropped the past two games. Are the Colts for real, or was that a fluke in week one? I'm leaning towards a different answer, and that the Heritage league has a lot of parity beyond Blairsville and Homer, and on any given night, anything can happen. I look for NC to pull back to .500 with a game with United this week.
-- Ligonier moved to 2-1 with an easy win over United. The Rams used a stellar rushing performance from quarterback, Collin Smith. The sophomore torched the Lions' D for 130 yards and 2 touchdowns on just six carries. 21.7 yard per carry, no big deal.... Ligonier is a young team that is growing more confident each and every day, I look for them to be in the race down the stretch, and I look for them to give Blairsville a tough game this weekend at historic Weller Field. United slips to 1-2, and 0-2 in the Heritage. They have a home game with a good Northern Cambria team Friday. It would be a major step forward if they can compete in this one.
-- Penns Manor had an easy go of it with a 47-6 win over St. Joseph's Academy. Nathan Dumm, Bailey Mumau, and Beck Branton combined for 256 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. The Comets are now 2-1 and have one with Saltsburg this week.
-- Marion Center moved to 2-1 with a 54-24 win over winless Saltsburg. The Stingers have defeated two teams they should have, but Blairsville did hand them a 35 point loss. It is hard to say which Marion Center team will show up on a week to week basis. They have a brutal four game stretch with Homer, Ligonier, Penns Manor, and Purchase Line coming up in the coming weeks. We will find out all we need to know about Marion Center in those games. Saltsburg's defensive woes continued as they gave up 50+ plus points for the third time this season. The offense is not playing all that bad, but the defense is not giving them much of a chance to stay in games.
ICC
-- Trevon Walker posted a 199 yard 3 touchdown passing performance for Mt. Union against Southern Huntingdon in a showdown between a pair of 2-0 teams. The showdown turned into a route rather quickly as the Trojans won with a major statement 57-7. Walker is now up to 595 yards and 11 touchdowns and the passing game for Mt. Union is currently the best in the area. They will take their high-powered attack to Moshannon Valley on Friday. Southern Huntingdon was a surprise 2-0 team, but this loss grounds the Rockets a little. I will be interested in seeing how they respond as they have a big road game with Tussey Mountain this week.
-- Bellwood-Antis rolled over West Branch by a score of 49-0. The Blue Devils have employed a balance offense through three games with 517 passing yards and 561 rushing yards. Jake Burch has played well in his second year as a starting quarterback, and Cameron Wood has been solid as the new featured back. Bellwood is rolling right now, and it will likely continue when they face Juniata Valley on Friday. West Branch opened the year with a win, but they have dropped their past two. The Warriors have been battling numbers for a few years, and depth is always going to be a problem this season. 0-3 Glendale comes to town this weekend.
-- Everett and Northern Bedford had a war of attrition on Friday with the Warriors holding on for an 8-0 victory. Not much happened throughout the game, but it was Everett to come out on top with the victory with a fourth quarter touchdown. The win sets Everett up with a 2-1 record, and they are a D5 class A sleeper right now. Northern Bedford drops to 1-2, and the Panthers struggle on offense as they transition from a passing team to more of a running team. Everett heads to Williamsburg, while NBC has Claysburg coming to Panther Community Stadium.
-- Tussey Mountain used a strong and balanced rushing attack to take down Moshannon Valley 35-21. The win puts Tussey Mountain at 2-1, while Mo Valley drops to 1-2. The Titans have rode Daniel Taylor, Curtis Wentz, and Quinn Barnett on offense so far, and Drew Sitch has also made some contributions as well. Tussey is certainly not short on weapons, and they whole arsenal will be on display as they take on Southern Huntingon this week. Moshannon Valley is an improved team, but they have been tasked with playing a tough slate of games to start the year. Unfortunately for the Knights, it does not get any easier as they host Mt. Union this week.
-- Juniata Valley got into the win column with an 18-0 victory over Claysburg-Kimmel. The Hornets are definitely in a rebuilding mode right now, and they are not as good as they have been in the past. They have a big game at Bellwood on Friday. Claysburg falls to 1-2 on the year.The offense has been completely based on Logan Johnson, as he has 449 yards through three games. Everything else beyond Johnson has not been clicking. They travel to Northern Bedford in what is a very big game for both teams. It will be a grind it out kind of game.
-- Everett and Northern Bedford had a war of attrition on Friday with the Warriors holding on for an 8-0 victory. Not much happened throughout the game, but it was Everett to come out on top with the victory with a fourth quarter touchdown. The win sets Everett up with a 2-1 record, and they are a D5 class A sleeper right now. Northern Bedford drops to 1-2, and the Panthers struggle on offense as they transition from a passing team to more of a running team. Everett heads to Williamsburg, while NBC has Claysburg coming to Panther Community Stadium.
-- Tussey Mountain used a strong and balanced rushing attack to take down Moshannon Valley 35-21. The win puts Tussey Mountain at 2-1, while Mo Valley drops to 1-2. The Titans have rode Daniel Taylor, Curtis Wentz, and Quinn Barnett on offense so far, and Drew Sitch has also made some contributions as well. Tussey is certainly not short on weapons, and they whole arsenal will be on display as they take on Southern Huntingon this week. Moshannon Valley is an improved team, but they have been tasked with playing a tough slate of games to start the year. Unfortunately for the Knights, it does not get any easier as they host Mt. Union this week.
-- Juniata Valley got into the win column with an 18-0 victory over Claysburg-Kimmel. The Hornets are definitely in a rebuilding mode right now, and they are not as good as they have been in the past. They have a big game at Bellwood on Friday. Claysburg falls to 1-2 on the year.The offense has been completely based on Logan Johnson, as he has 449 yards through three games. Everything else beyond Johnson has not been clicking. They travel to Northern Bedford in what is a very big game for both teams. It will be a grind it out kind of game.
-- Williamsburg got back on the right track with 21-6 over Glendale. The Blue Pirates have been led by one of the area's more overlooked players, Bryce Young. The senior wideout has made an impact in all three games this season, and he will need to make some plays when they play Everett this week. Glendale is now 0-3 this season, and they are the only team in the ICC without a win. They have a chance to get a win with a game at West Branch this week.
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