Monday Morning QB: Week Three

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.

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.

-- 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.

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.

-- 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.

D6SN Week Four Rankings

D5/6 A

1. Bishop Guilfoyle 3-0 - @ Bishop Carroll 

The Maruaders kept in rolling last week with a sound 49-0 victory over Central Cambria.  The Red Devils were probably the best team they have seen to date, but clearly BG is on a different level right now.  Sam McCloskey already has 10 touchdowns in the young season, and BG is outscoring their opponents 173-12 so far.  The train should keep rolling against Bishop Carroll this week. 

2. Portage 3-0 - Berlin

Three games - three blowouts. The Mustangs have been a force on the offensive end in the early part of the season, and they look like they are the real deal. Portage ran away from Windber last week 56-16, and that was all done in the first half essentially. It's rare to go into Windber Stadium and handle them the way Portage did.  Things should be more difficult this week with Berlin coming to town, as it will be the two best teams in the WestPac squaring off against each other. 

3. Bellwood-Antis 2-1 - Juniata Valley

Bellwood went into West Branch and took care of business against the over matched Warriors by a score of 49-0. The Blue Devils will look to stick to their winning ways with a down Juniata Valley team coming to town.  Bellwood's biggest concern heading into this week will be not looking ahead to the Mt. Union game next weekend.

4. Blairsville 3-0 - @ Ligonier 

Blairsville passed their first big test of the season by handing Purchase Line by a score of 27-6. The Bobcats have been really impressive on both sides of the ball early in the season, but particularly on the defensive end. They were able to keep a good Purchase Line team in check for most of the game.  The Bobcats have a tough one with Ligonier this week on the road, it will be a good test for them. 

5. Homer Center 3-0 - Marion Center

Homer Center has yet to have the drop-off so many were expecting. The Wildcats beat Northern Cambria by a score of 34-6, and by that have won their 11th straight Heritage Conference game. They should be able to keep the streak going with Marion Center this week. 

D 5/6 AA

1. Tyrone 3-0 - @ Philipsburg-Osceola

Tyrone easily dispatched Huntingdon last week as the Golden Eagles moved to 3-0. Last week was the first easy game for Tyrone after surviving two nail biters in the first two weeks. Tyrone should roll again this week against 0-3 Philipsburg-Osceola. 

2. Mt. Union 3-0 - @ Moshannon Valley

The high flying Trojans did it again last week with a 57-7 drubbing of Southern Huntingdon. They will now take their aerial assault to Houtzdale to take on Eric Sherkel and the Moshannon Valley Black Knights. 

3. Central 2-1 - Penns Valley

Central storms into the rankings with a huge come from behind win over Clearfield on the road. The Drgaons rode the arm of Mike Mock for an impressive win away from home.  Mock tossed four touchdowns and 179 yards in the win. They will welcome Penns Valley to town this week after their tough three game stretch to start the season.

4. Bedford 2-1 - @ Johnstown

Bedford ran into the Somerset machine last week, and matched them blow for blow in the first half, but the Golden Eagles ran away with it in the second half. Hard to penalize Bedford too much for losing to Somerset, but the Bison have a huge showdown with Johnstown next week, and we will find out a lot about this team. 

5. Forest Hills 2-1 - @ Central Cambria 

 The Rangers were without all-everything quarterback Joe Donoughe last week, but the green and gold managed to win 24-0 over Penn Cambria. The offense was carried by the speedy Shareef Blough as he torched the Panthers for 233 yards, including a 98 yard touchdown run. The game Friday night in Ebensburg will be a difficult one going up against a desperate Central Cambria team. 

D 5-6-9 AAA

1. Somerset 3-0 - Richland

Somerset has probably been the most impressive local team to date. The Golden Eagles have a strong offense filled with play-makers, and a defense that has been down right nasty. Somerset had a tough one with Bedford for a half, but they were able to break it open and run away with it late. They will host Richland this week, and after last year's instant classic, you know Somerset will want to get some revenge. 

2. Johnstown 3-0 - Bedford

Johnstown has already matched their win total from last season with a quick 3-0 start. The Trojans easily handled cross-town rivals McCort, but will see a tough opponent this week when Bedford comes to Trojan Stadium. 

3. University Prep 2-0 - @ Perry

The lone City League team takes this spot with a 2-0 record right now. They will play Perry this weekend. 

Monday Morning QB: Week Two

LHAC

-- What can you say about Somerset's dominating performance other than, WOW? The Golden Eagles set the tone early with a big kickoff return from Jake Heiple, and never looked back from there. Heiple went on to be the big star of the game with four touchdowns in four different ways, but that's the great thing about this Somerset team, it could be anyone on any given night. Dylan Barnes, Raven Beeman, or Bryce Mostoller are also capable of carrying the offense. The Defense pretty much was dominant, and through two weeks these Eagles look as good as anyone.  Forest Hills was reeling before they even knew what happened, but any chance of them making it a game went out the window with Donoughe's injury that forced him to miss most of the game. Take a QB away from any team and it's going to be rough, take away a QB that means so much to his team like Donoughe does to Forest Hills, and it is a disaster waiting to happen. Somerset will head into their second big road game in as many weeks with a trip to Bedford, while Forest Hills hosts 1-1 Penn Cambria.  

-- Bishop Guilfoyle has matched Somerset step for step so far in most impressive LHAC team through two weeks. They easily dispatched Westmont 62-0, and that was pretty much expected. The Marauders keep rolling and keep riding the Chadbourn and McCloskey train. Not much to say about this one.  Westmont finally got one in the win column last week, but it was a little premature to think they could hang with BG. Westmont heads to Richland next week, and judging by their one common opponent, BG, it might be close. Guilfoyle welcomes Central Cambria to town, who is 0-2, but it will be their toughest test yet. 

-- And how about that Central Cambria-Bedford game? I don't think anyone expected such a high scoring game, but then again they have two very good quarterbacks leading the respective offenses.  Bedford had a slow start out of the gates with a 19-6 win over Penn Cambria, but the offense got rolling this week in a big way. I noted that I found it a little troubling Bedford had a small rushing output in week one, and just like that August Cook rushed for 232 yards and 3 touchdowns on Friday.  Having a back that can do that, and obviously we know what Montgomery and Shaffer can do, it really makes this offense special. Central Cambria is now 0-2, and obviously not the start they were envisioning. Seymour had one of the best games of his career with 331 passing yards, but it was not enough to take down Bedford.  Central Cambria obviously has some defensive issues through two weeks, and those need to be corrected in a hurry. Johnstown and Bedford were able to run for some big plays, and you know that will be Bishop Guilfoyle's game plan this week.  Bedford also runs into a very good Somerset team in a battle of 2-0 teams.

-- Johnstown has jumped out to a 2-0 start, but their win over Bishop Carroll proved to be costly. Starting quarterback, Jeremy Updyke and running back Terrell Jones, both went down with injuries. At this point, it sounds like Jones has a more serious injury, which is heartbreaking for him as it looked like he was ready for a big year. If Updyke can come back, the spread passing attack should be fine, but the running game will have to have guys like Devin Miller and Tavis Price step up this season.  Johnstown is far beyond where they were the past two seasons, and you just hope both kids have speedy recoveries.  Bishop Carroll goes down again, and the offense is really struggling through two games. David Swatsworth has done alright, but it appears they aren;t getting the push up front they were expecting from that big line.  Unfortunately for them, they did open with the two AAA schools in the league, so maybe they can get rolling soon. Bishop Carroll has a winnable one against Cambria Heights, while Johnstown goes cross-town to take on Bishop McCort at the Point Stadium.

-- Bishop McCort was able to get into the win column with a road win over Cambria Heights.  It was a senior, Marc Smith, that gave the offense steady production with a 100 yard rushing performance, but it was Levi Cook (sophomore QB) and Carnell Andrews (freshman WR/RB) that made some exciting plays to help ensure a win.  McCort will be fired up to play Johnstown in a rare September meeting of this rivalry, but will they have enough offensive firepower to go toe to toe with Kareem Gibson and the Trojans? Cambria Heights dropped another close loss after falling to Westmont in week one. The Highlanders are close to pulling in a win, but have trouble finishing out games.  They welcome Bishop Carroll to town this week, and it should be another chance for a close game, and a potential win for the Highlanders.

-- Penn Cambria scored 70 points total in 2013, but in a sense exploded for 28 in week two against Richland. The Panthers had a strong showing against Bedford in week one, and with this win, it certainly puts them into the conversation of making a run at being a playoff caliber team.  Sure, playoffs are a ways off from here, but not much was expected of the Panthers in 2014. Penn Cambria gets a crack at Forest Hills this week in Sidman, and the two schools have played in their fair share of big games in recent years, maybe another big one coming on Friday. It is pretty clear Richland is a brand new team from the one that was 26-2 in the previous two seasons. The Rams were so accustomed to rolling over teams, and it is obviously taking time adjusting, but I do think the talent is there. Colby Warshel and Dom Farina are two very good backs, and they will be able to break some big plays for the Rams this season, but the defense is still a work in progress. Richland will host cross-town rivals, Westmont, and it is a chance for Richland to get back to their winning ways.

WestPac

--Berlin had an early mistake which led to a Safety and two point for Conemaugh Township, and the thought this might be a game appeared to be real. From there, the Mountaineers ripped off 44 straight points and costed for a 44-2 win over the Indians. Berlin got contributions from a number of players, and they won by 6 touchdowns without Braden Fochtman getting over 100 yards, and that should be a scary sign for the rest of the WestPac.  Township was not able to muster anything offensively, and after that big first half against Windber they have gone six straight quarters without an offensive score. The Indians have some talent, but we knew coming in they have a younger group and they'll be a team that grows as the season moves on. The Indians travel to Johnstown to take on Conemaugh Valley, while Berlin hosts Ferndale. Both teams should be able to cruise next week. 

-- Portage cruised once again, much like they did last week the Mustangs easily dispatched North Star 42-8. A 21 point second quarter really put everything out of reach, and Portage was able to cruise from there. The Mustangs rode a special performance from their main man, Caleb Kephart. Kephart rushed it 10 times for 140 yards and 3 scores. He's one of the best around, and has proved it through two games. North Star was expected to have some struggles this season, but they still find themselves at 1-1. It's early, but I think they can piece together enough victories to make a run at the playoffs. Portage has a tricky one at Windber, while the Cougars head to winless Blacklick Valley.

-- After a comeback effort fell short against Conemaugh Township in week one. the Windber Ramblers responded with a sound 41-6 win over Ferndale. The Ramblers are definitley a power running team, and Jared Maurizio and Shadoe Smith have done a good job through two weeks carrying the offense. Ferndale fell by a large margin once again, but the Jackets were able to show a sign of life with a Malik Ream 56 yard burst down the sideline in the first half, but that was all they could muster.  Windber has a big one with Portage at home next week, while Ferndale heads South for a tough order with Berlin.

-- Meyersdale rolled again for the second consecutive week, this time with an easy 55-13 win over Blacklick Valley.  Many feel that the Red Raiders are the one team that could take down Berlin or Portage, and take the WestPac crown. Although they have not been tested yet, Meyersdale is looking like that team. They have to host Shade this week, and the Panthers are a team that should provide more resistance than their two games. Blacklick Valley dropped their second straight lopsided loss, but now that they have two of the three best teams in the league out of the way, the Vikings should be able to grow and be more competitive in the coming weeks. They host North Star this week in what should be a good game.

-- Shade got on track this week with an impressive 41-13 effort against Conemaugh Valley at home. The Panthers have aspirations of heading to the postseason for the fourth straight season, and I think that is very likely. This is a good football team that will give some of the top teams trouble. I think they go into Meyersdale with nothing to lose, and could give the Red Raiders some problems.  Conemaugh Valley is an undermanned team, but they have been able to move the ball with a strong running game fronted by Brandon Galasso. Valley needs to sure up the defense a little, but it's going to be hard with so many players going both ways.

ICC

-- The aerial assault on opposing defense by the Mt. Union passing attack continued this week against Juniata Valley with a 57-0 rout. OK get this, Trevon Walker has 396 passing yards, 8 touchdowns, and no interceptions through two weeks. The Trojans have already outscored opponents 110-20. BJ Loner has six total touchdowns on offense, and this Mt. Union team looks to be the real deal.  It is hard envision any team in the ICC slowing them down anytime soon.Southern Huntingdon gets the next crack at Mt. Union, and the Rockets are 2-0. Juniata Valley looks to be in for a long year. The Hornets have been a competitive team for so long, but with the coaching change and losing last year's seniors to graduation might be too much for them to overcome this season. It is evident that the usual strong Juniata Valley rushing game is not nearly what it was, and if that is not working, JV is in trouble.  The Green Hornets travel to 1-1 Claysburg this week. 

-- Bellwood-Antis rebounded after a heartbreaking loss to Tyrone with a 48-29 win over upstart Moshannon Valley. Cameron Wood was the star of the show as he rushed for four touchdowns in a dominating performance over Mo Valley. Jake Burch played another steady game at QB, and the Blue Devils seemed to let out some frustration by jumping out to a 28-7 halftime lead.  Bellwood is a good team, and they will head to West Branch this week to look to move to 2-1.  Moshannon Valley is led by the exciting Eric Sherkel, and he turned in another good performance last week. The final stats were not all that bad for Moshannon Valley, but Bellwood seemed to get things rolling early on, and Mo Valley struggled to keep up with the pace. We knew the Black Knights had a tough stretch to open the year, and it will continue next week with Tussey Mountain coming to town.

-- Everett had a sound 41-20 victory over Glendale in week two. I think the Warriors are a dark horse District 5 championship contender, as they do have an impressive team. Kyle Sheaffer is a good player, as is Jacob Jay. This team played the past few seasons in AA, but dropping to single A should pay its dividends, and could really surprise some of the main contenders. Glendale drops to 0-2, and they have a game with a solid Williamsburg team this week. The Vikings have a few pieces there, but I think they ran into two good teams in their first two games.

-- The annual Backyard Brawl was a one-sided affair with Tussey Mountain having their way with Northern Bedford. The Titans are the defending champs and had a rough opener against a good Central team, but the Titans played them fairly tough. It was only a matter of time until Tussey got things rolling, and Northern Bedford was the beneficiary of that. Daniel Taylor has been superb this season with two 100 yard rushing efforts to date. They will walk into a very difficult game this week with a road game against Eric Sherkel and Moshannon Valley.  Northern Bedford was not able to get it going against Tussey Mountain despite a solid effort by Austin Heck and the running game. The Panthers must travel to Everett this week in what will be a difficult road game. The two teams took part in an instant classic last season, and it could be another good game this year.

-- Southern Huntington was 1-9 last season, but with a win last week, the Rockets have already surpassed that total of wins and sit at 2-0. It was a hard fought victory against a talented Williamsburg group, but Southern Huntingdon found a way to pull it out 15-13. It is early in the year, but the Rockets sit at #4 in the District Six AA rankings. They will have a huge test this week with a road game against the high-flying Mt. Union team. It will be tough, but if they can control the tempo with Mason Parks, they might have a chance.  Williamsburg was not able to get a lot of points on the board last, and that's the name of their game. The Blue Pirates can score, and they like to do it in a quick strike style. They travel to Glendale this week in a winnable game, and the Pirates should get back on track to their goal of district playoffs.

-- Claysburg was able to hold off West Branch in week two by a score of 20-15 to get their first win of the season. The Bulldogs have been riding the success of Logan Johnson on the ground, as he already has posted 347 rushing yards in two games.  Claysburg will host Juniata Valley this weekend in a very winnable game for the Dogs.  West Branch was able to snap a 10 game losing streak in week one, but they were unable to make a winning streak in week two. They are tasked with hosting a very good Bellwood-Antis team in week three, and it will be a tough game to say the least.

Heritage

-- Blairsville has looked strong early on as they opened Heritage Conference play with a 42-7 win over Marion Center. The game saw the return of Deion Robinson who missed last week's game, and all the senior back did was rush for 226 yards on 21 carries. Scott Thompson added a big game, and the two senior leaders look poised to carry Blairsville to big things this season. They have a home game with Purchase Line this week, and two of the better running backs in the district will go head to head with Robinson, and Grant Syster of Purchase Line. The Stingers got the ball run at them last week, and they had no answer for Blairsville at all. Marion Center gets a home game against the only winless team in the Heritage, Saltsburg. 

-- The defending Heritage Conference champions, Homer Center, continued their run of domination over their league members with their 10th straight conference win last week. The Wildcats beat up on Saltsburg by a final score of 50-28 to move them to 2-0 this season. Homer has not regressed yet, and they are riding the power running game led by Ean Lee, who went for 153 yards last week. Homer should get a good test this week by hosting a good Northern Cambria team.  Saltsburg, on the other hand, drops to 0-2, They are the only team in the league without a win, and the defense has given up 50 or more points in two straight games.  The defense needs to figure things out, because this league has too many good offenses, and that could spell all kinds of trouble for the Trojans. 

-- After 21 straight losses, United finally got a win. The Lions beat second year program, Saint Joe's Catholic Academy 15-2. The defense obviously came to play, and this should be a big confidence boost for a once proud program. The Lions should be able to manage another win or two this year, they are an improved bunch. 

-- In week one Ligonier lost a three point game, in week two, the Rams won a three point game. The Ligonier team is certainly giving their fans anxiety with all these close games, but it might be one of those kind of seasons where they make every game exciting. I said at the beginning of the year that Collin Smith may be the next big thing in the Heritage Conference. He struggled in week one, but showed up big in week two with 112 rushing yards and two scores. He was only 3-8 passing, but did not throw an interception. Ligonier hosts United this week.  Purchase Line is a good football team, and through two weeks I think they have a chance to contend with the top of the league.  Grant Syster is a special player, and alreayd has 8 total touchdowns on the season. He is a guy they can ride all year long, and they have a big test with league favorites, Blairsville, on the road.

-- Penns Manor and Northern Cambria was a hard game to figure, because we still don't know what both teams are capable of doing.  Penns Manor was able to respond to a a rough 18 point loss to Homer in week one, by coming out and grabbing an 18-7 win over Northern Cambria on the road. The Comets rode another strong rushing performance by Bailey Mumau, as he finished with 101 yards. Beck Banton came up with a big showing, and the Comets may be developing a traditional running game, rather than one dependent on the QB.  Northern Cambria had a bit of a surprising win in week one, but could not follow that up with a win here. The Colts are going to be a team that can gut out wins this season, and will be in close games in almost all of their games. I think they can go into Homer and give them a game, but it may be hard keeping up with that high-powered running game.

Mountain

-- Tyrone and Central had the showdown of the week, and for the second straight week Tyrone came out victorious in a battle against a big rival. The odds on favorite to win D6AA right now is Tyrone, and they have survived two gut-wrenching games. The Golden Eagles have a solid defense that has made life difficult on Bellwood and Central so far, and they have an offense that has been getting just enough to win games. Garrett Hunter has been very good running the show, and he is going to grow into a good player this season. Central is right in the thick of the AA race, and I don't know if anyone expected that after losing what they lost from 2013. They went into Tussey Mountain, and took it right to them in week one, and played a close game with Tyrone in week two. Noah Benton has been solid in his first two starts, and he is only going to get better. Mike Mock, Justin Helsel, and Alex Hoenstine have been solid weapons in this offense. This is a good football team, and one that is better than we anticipated. Tyrone has a home date with Huntingon this week, and Central's brutal start to the season continues with a road game at defending AAA champs, Clearfield. 

-- Huntingdon was able to hold off Bellefonte 28-20 in week two. The Bearcats have found themselves a pretty good running back in Jon Wagner. the first year starter has already rushed for 157 yards in two games, and has been a catalyst for this offense. He will get a big time test this week going up against the Tyrone defense. Bellefonte dropped their 19th straight game in the loss, and they will look to avoid a 20th straight with a game against Philipsburg-Osceola.

-- Bald Eagle got their first win of the season with a 42-17 thrashing over Philipsburg. The Bald Eagles had expectations of making it to the district playoffs a third straight year, but with an opening season loss to single A, Moshannon Valley, it put some doubt in everyone's minds. Bald Eagle should be able to get win #2 with Penns Valey coming to town this week.  Philipsburg-Osceola has been reeling since 2011's 9-3 team. The Mountaineers have only won 1 game in their 22. 

-- After a tough 43-30 loss in West Virginia, Clearfield got the ball rolling back in PA with a 31-0 over Penns Valley. The Bison will have their first home game this week with Central, and it will be a very high profile conference game.  Look for this to be a good one. Penns Valley has been another struggling program in this league, as they look for their first winning season since 2007.  The Rams are not out to a good start, and will look to rebound with a game at Bald Eagle on Friday. 

D6SN Week Three Rankings

D 5/6 A

1. Bishop Guilfoyle 2-0 Next Game: Central Cambria

Bishop Guilfoyle kept things rolling last week with a 62-0 win over Westmont. It was the second consecutive week where the Marauders went for 62 points, and the machine just keeps rolling. The Marauders should see their toughest game yet with a hungry and desperate 0-2 Central Cambria team coming to town. 

2. Portage 2-0  Next Game: @ Windber

Portage had another easy one with a road win in Boswell over North Star.  The Mustangs look strong early on, and it will be interesting to see them when they get tested, and that could happen this week. This is not the best Windber team, but it will still be the best team they have seen to date. 

3. Bellwood-Antis 1-1 Next Game: @ West Branch

Bellwood-Antis had a convincing 48-29 win against Moshannon Valley last week, and the Blue Devils really might be better than a lot of people were anticipating. They have a road test with West Branch this week, and Bellwood should be moving to 2-1. 

4. Blairsville 2-0 Next Game: Purchase Line

Blairsville has really looked good in their role as favorites in the Heritage Conference by jumping out to a 2-0 start with relative ease.  They should be tested this week by Grant Syster and Purchase Line, but with a healthy Deion Robinson, the Bobcats should be able to pull it out over the Dragons.

5. Homer Center 2-0 Next Game: Northern Cambria

Homer Center remains in the top 5, as the defending champions continue their winning ways in the Heritage Conference. The Wildcats have a big one with a solid Northern Cambria team this week.  The Heritage is a tough league this year, and you need to be ready each and every week. So far so good for HC. 

D 5/6 AA

1. Tyrone 2-0 Next Game: Huntingdon

Tyrone has survived two dog fights with two of their biggest rivals, Bellwood and Central, and I don't think we need to examine that any further. Tyrone is going to be battle tested moving forward by winning these games.  Huntingdon should be a little easier this week than their first two. 

2. Mt. Union 2-0 Next Game: Southern Huntingdon

Mt. Union has an explosive offense, and they will be the favorites in their eight remaining regular season games, with only two or three of them being serious threats.  I decided to jump them from 4 to 2 because there is a real chance they can run the table, and they are that good. 

3. Bedford 2-0 Next Game: Somerset

Bedford remains in the three spot after having survived a wild one with Central Cambria last week 47-36. The Bison have a strong offense and it well be tested going up against Somerset's defense this week. 

4. Forest Hills 1-1 Next Game: Penn Cambria

Forest Hills did not rise to the occasion against Somerset, and fell 43-12 on their own home field, something you do not see that often. I still believe the Rangers are a good team, but a lot of that will depend on the health of Joe Donoughe. Penn Cambria is a winnable game this week, and the Rangers should get back on track. 

5. Juniata 2-0 Next Game: @ Pine Grove

Who?  The Juniata High Indians are 2-0 to start the year, and I'll give them the benefit of the doubt right now. They play a mostly Eastern PA schedule, so it truly is hard to grasp what kind of team this is, but if they keep winning they should find their way into the playoffs.  There are 8 spots for only 14 teams. .

D 5-6-9 AAA

1.Somerset 2-0 Next Game: @ Bedford 

Somerset had their first big test of the year at Forest Hills, and they passed with flying colors. The Golden Eagles look like a team on a mission, and they will be hard for anyone to slow down this season. Bedford should give them a good game. 

2. Johnstown 2-0 Next Game: @ Bishop McCort

Johnstown is off to a great start, but suffered a costly win at Bishop Carroll last week. The Trojans sustained some serious injuries in the game, and it could hurt them in the long run. They have a big one this week with crosstown arch rivals, Bishop McCort.

3. Clearfield 1-1 Next Game: Central

Clearfield got into the win column with a 31-0 win over Penns Valley in week two. The Bison have talent, but a lot of it is unproven. They have a big game this week with 1-1 Central. 

Eight Games to watch: Week Two 9/5-9/6

8. Penns Manor (0-1) at Northern Cambria (1-0)

Friday 7:00

Penns Manor will look to get into the win column after a big defeat at the hands of Homer Center.  The Comets have a promising group of skilled players, but they are mostly all stepping into bigger roles this season. They played well last week, but couldn't keep up with the fast paced Homer Center offense. Bailey Mumau is a good looking back, and I look for him to build on last week's solid performance.  Penns Manor has not always been a good passing team, but I think Clayton Stupic will be able to give them a threat of an air-it-out game this year.  The defense needs to sure up, but with so many new interior players it may take a while.

Northern Cambria made a statement with a win over Ligonier Valley in week one. The defense created turnovers and made life difficult on Ligonier. The offense has a solid passing game in the making with the Tyler Pershing to Joey Olish connection. The Colts also can make it happen on the ground with Adam Weiland, and gives them a good balance. It is obvious the program is excited with Coach Paronish returning to the sidelines, and he may have sparked this team for a big season.

My Call - I like Northern Cambria in this one. They played very well last week against a good Ligonier team, and they showed a little bit of everything. It is obvious that Penns Manor has some work to do on defense, and I think the Colts will be able to exploit that.

Colts 34 Comets 21

7. Berlin (1-0) at Conemaugh Township (1-0)

Friday 7:00

Berlin opened with a sound victory of Shade last week. The Mountaineers followed the same plan as they did all of last year, and that was get the ball to Braden Fochtman. He posted a 172 yard performance in week one, and his quest for another 2,000 yard season is off to a good start. Berlin played well on defense and limited Shade to just 6 points and forced 4 turnovers. If there is one area for improvement, it would be limiting their own turnovers. Berlin had 3 fumbles and two interceptions, and they will need to take care of the ball better this week. 

Conemaugh Township rode their own workhorse running back to a week one win over Windber, and it appears maybe the Indians are ready to compete for one of the top spots in the WestPac again.  Austin Myers torched Windber for 45 carries and 247 yards and 3 touchdowns, and he will likely get the call again this week to carry the offense. Teams will start to load the box, so look for Jeff Tresnicky to make more than 2 throws this week. Windber was able to shut this team out in the second half, so they will need to make adjustments.

My Call - This game will be a good one, and it will be spirited with some Berlin players having used to play for Township. This game wil feature Myers taking on Fochtman head to head. It will be a running back dual, but I look for Berlin to take it.  

Mountaineers 28  Indians 16

6. Ligonier Valley (0-1) at Purchase Line (1-0)

Friday 7:00

Ligonier Valley will look for redemption after dropping a 15-12 opener to Northern Cambria. The Rams have a talented team, but they are a young one fronted by a sophomore QB, Collin Smith. He had a rough debut as a QB, but he is a play-maker, and he will get better. The Rams need a more consistent ground game too, and that will come as the season goes.  If they would have limited turnovers last week, they would have put themselves in a better position to win.  

Purchase Line opened the season in a big way with a win over Saltsburg 58-19. If you need to know one thing about this Dragons' football team, it's the Grant Syster show all day, every day. The senior running back posted 7 touchdowns last week, and did it all for his team to win. I look for that to be the same game plan all season long. Purchase Line is a team on the rise this season, and a win here would really send a message to everyone else.

My Call - This is a tough game to predict, as both teams still have some uncertainties. I am going to take Purchase Line at home, with another big performance from Syster. It will be a close one. 

Dragons 22 Rams 14

5. Bedford  (1-0) at Central Cambria (0-1)

Friday 7:00

Central Cambria is looking to get their first win after a defeat at the hands of Johnstown in week one.  The stats matched up well, but Johnstown broke off a few more big plays to win the game 28-14. The Red Devils' star QB, Will Seymour, couldn't find a lot of running lanes last week, and they need him to break off some big runs to help settle their offense.  The Red Devils have a lot of different options on offense, and they'll be alright, but Bedford after a road trip to Johnstown is a tough start to the season.

Bedford won 19-6 over Penn Cambria in week one, but it was not the big splash some were expecting. Bedford has been generally regarded as one of the top four teams in this league, and it wasn't the start some were envisioning. Still, Penn Cambria could be better, and it's hard to judge things after one week. Bedford has talent, and they will score points. Austin Montgomery can play, and he'll have this offense rolling in no time.

My Call - Obviously the Devils are going to do everything they can to avoid dropping to 0-2, and it will be a good game with two good QB's going at it in Ebensburg. I just think this will be a close game, but I'm giving the edge to Bedford.

Bison 23 Red Devils 20

4. Moshannon Valley (1-0) at Bellwood-Antis (0-1)

Friday 7:00

Moshannon Valley has a really difficult early season schedule, and they passed their first test with a 27-7 win over Bald Eagle. It should be a little more difficult this week with a trip to ICC power, Bellwood-Antis. The Knights have a good player in Eric Sherkel, and he had a solid game in week one, but he will need to limit turnovers and probably find more running lanes this week. Sherkel is the type of player that can keep plays alive and make them into big gainers out of nothing, and going up against a tough team like Bellwood, that is absolutely what he has to do. 

Bellwood-Antis nearly pulled off a win at Tyrone in the Backyard Brawl, but their final drive was cut short and they lost 18-14. The Blue Devils were not given much of a chance in that one, but they did more than hold their own against a good Tyrone team, and that may have put away any doubts that Bellwood may be down this season. Jake Burch is a good QB, and look for the running game to improve this week. 

My Call - I like Bellwood to get into the win column. The Blue Devils have a strong Defense, and a rising QB in Jake Burch.  Moshannon Valley will be able to hang, but Bellwood is a deeper team.

Blue Devils 26 Black Knights 18

3. Tussey Mountain (0-1) at Northern Bedford (1-0)

Friday 7:00 Panther Community Stadium 

Ah yes, another exciting installment of the Backyard Brawl is set for this weekend. Tussey Mountain will look to get back into the win column this week after falling to defending district six AA champ, Central. It was a tough opener in general, and Tussey never seemed to get things on track. Daniel Taylor had a solid day rushing the ball with 110 yards, and he will need to keep churning out those kind of performances for the Titans. Quinn Barnett was held in check throwing the ball, and that is not a good sign. Barnett was a 1,500 yard passer in 2013, and only threw for 22 on Friday. The air attack needs to be better. 

Northern Bedford had a solid win in week one with a 20-6 decision over Glendale. The Panthers vowed to get the running game going this season, and it appears that plan is in full effect already. Austin Heck and Elias Brailler combined for 221 yards on the ground for all three touchdowns. The Panthers will continue to ground and pound, but they do have one of the best receivers in the area in Jacob Dasher. NBC needs to get him involved more this season. 

My Call - Both teams played to a close final last season, with Northern Bedford prevailing 28-20, Although both teams look different, the game should still have that same competitive spirit. I like for both teams to try to establish the run, but it's the team that is able to make a few plays in the air that should win the game.  I think Barnett shows up better this week and will be the difference maker.

Titans 28 Panthers 21

2. Somerset (1-0) at Forest Hills (1-0)

Friday 7:00 G.H. Miller Field

Somerset and Forest Hills squaring off is one of the big games of the entire LHAC season, and could be a major factor in the overall conference championship race. A win here would set either team with a leg up in that regard, and it would be a big win down the line for playoff seeding.  Forest Hills seems to be better than last season, and more importantly, they are healthy for this season. The Rangers dealt with injuries all season long last year, but they have a line in tact to protect what could be a very potent offense. Joe Donoughe made a bigger impact on defense last week, but he is easily one of the best quarterbacks in the area.  Shareef Blough is a big play waiting to happen, and both players are ball hawks on defense. This is a good Forest Hills team. 

Somerset is also loaded this season. The Golden Eagles just pitched a shut out in week one, and they have a defense that is capable of doing that any given week. Logan Eller and Bryce Mostoller are the headliners on that unit, but they have plenty of guys that fly to the ball and close gaps quickly. On offense, it looks like Dylan Barnes is the man they were hoping he would be. It was a nice luxury he gained all that experience last year, and it is going to show off in games like this. 

My Call - Somerset and Forest Hills are two very good football teams that are filled with senior leaders and experienced guys up and down the depth charts. Somerset has a very good pass rush, and they do have guys that can lock down their big plays, so Forest Hills needs to establish both the run and the pass to keep things off balanced.  I look for this to be a very compeititve game, but I am taking Somerset.

Golden Eagles 34 Rangers 30

1. Tyrone (1-0) at Central (1-0)

Friday 7:00

Tyrone needed every second of Friday's game to hold off a scrappy Bellwood team in the Backyard Brawl. It will not get any easier this week with a trip to Roaring Spring for a big showdown with the defending District Six champions.  Tyrone ushered in some new starters at quarterback and running back, and while they are one of the top teams, they still needed to get adjusted. The offense made some plays, and I think Garrett Hunter will have the offense clicking a little better as the season progresses. Aleic Hunter can run, and Getz is a good receiver.  Obviously a glaring need here could be a kicking game, 3 touchdowns but just 18 points. Could that play a factor?

Central lost so much from one of their best teams ever. Still, after seeing week one's result may lead us to believe they are better than some might have anticipated. Replacing Cunningham and Moore was always going to be a tough task, but Noah Benton and Mike Mock may be up to the challenge. Benton can throw the ball, and really opens things up for this offense, Mock can also throw the ball, and yes both players can run. The Dragons have some other athletes on the perimeter like Justin Helsel and Alex Hoenstine. Between these four players, they have athletes on offense that can make plays.

My Call - This should be a really good game as both teams are deep and both have very good athletes. A big difference in this game will be the experience of Tyrone. The Golden Eagles clearly bring more players back on defense and in the trenches, but they are still breaking in a new head coach and quarterback. Central has a lot of new faces, but they do have talent. I think these teams match up well against one another, but I am leaning with Tyrone. The Golden Eagles have a defense that can slow down the Central offense, and they also have the firepower on offense. Still, don't count out these Central kids, they are confident and want to defend their title.

Golden Eagles 30 Scarlet Dragons 27

D6SN Week Two Rankings

D5/6 A

1. Bishop Guilfoyle 1-0 Next Game: Westmont

Bishop Guilfoyle handled business in week one with a 61-12 victory over Richland. They have long been talked about this off-season, and they came out and did what they were supposed to do with Chadbourn and McCloskey leading the way.  Westmont got a win in week one, but I'm not expecting them to bother BG much. 

2. Portage 1-0 Next Game: @ North Star

Portage slides up to number two in our rankings after they handled Blacklick Valley in week one.  The Mustangs used big performances from Caleb Kephart and Luke Dividock to secure the win rather easily. North Star is 1-0, but expected to be down from previous seasons.  Portage should keep rolling. 

3. Bellwood-Antis 0-1 Next Game: Moshannon Valley

Bellwood nearly pulled off the upset over Tyrone in another exciting Backyard Brawl.  The Blue Devils were not given a chance by many, but they had a two touchdown lead that slipped away.  Moshannon Valley is not an easy game this week, it's one of the better games on the docket. 

4. Blairsville 1-0 Next Game: Marion Center

Blairsville took care of Westinghouse on the road in week one.  The Bobcats are billed as the favorites in the Heritage, but it's pretty clear the league is tough this year. Blairsville should be able to beat Marion Center, and after that the schedule gets brutal.  

5. Homer Center 1-0 Next Game: @ Saltsburg

After a ton of questions swirling in the off-season about them taking a step back, the defending champs put a hurtin' on Penns Manor in the opener seemingly having picked up right where they left off in 2013.  They have Ean Lee and Aaron Berezansky still, they'll be just fine.  

D5/6 AA

1. Tyrone 1-0 Next Game: @ Central

I'll keep Tyrone here for now, but Forest Hills is ready to take this top spot at any time. The Golden Eagles didn't play bad last week, it's just some thought they would win by more. Given the history of that game, I wouldn't look too far into it, Tyrone is fine.  Central on the road this week? This will be a good barometer of where Tyrone really is as a team. 

2. Forest Hills 1-0 Next Game: Somerset

I think without any doubt about it, this Somerset-Forest Hills game is the marquee game of the week.  Forest Hills looked really good on Saturday against McCort, and they have a quick strike offense that can score in a hurry. The game with Somerset should be a very good one to go see.

3. Bedford 1-0 Next Game: @ Central Cambria

Bedford beat Penn Cambria in week one, and it ended up being a little closer than most expected. I think Bedford is fine, and they should have the offense clicking as the season goes on. Going up and trying to win in Ebensburg is not an easy task, Bedford has a tough one cut out for themselves. 

4. Mt. Union 1-0 Next Game: @ Juniata Valley

Mt. Union stays at four for now, but could be moving up very soon. The Trojans have a very high-powered offense that will score a lot of points, and they have a chance to post some good numbers this week at Juniata Valley.

5. Chestnut Ridge 1-0 Next Game: @ Fort Hill (MD)

Chestnut Ridge slides into the rankings after a solid win over Everett the other night, as Central Cambria drops out.  We will find out about Ridge real quick, though. The Lions play the two Cumberland teams this week, and they have given local teams problems through the years. If they can head out of state and come back with a win, the ranking will be validated. 

D 5-6-8-9 AAA

1. Somerset 1-0 Next Game: @Forest Hills

Somerset looked sharp in week one with a 41-0 blowout over Bishop Carroll. The Golden Eagles are loaded, and they have a chance for a big year.  They have a huge test with Forest Hills this week.

2. Johnstown 1-0 Next Game: @ Bishop Carroll

The Trojans finally looked like they are back on track after a very good win over a solid Central Cambria team.  Johnstown should be able to take it to Bishop Carroll this week. 

3. Clearfield 0-1 Next Game: @ Penns Valley

The Bison drop with a loss in week one, but it wasn't a bad loss as they did travel the whole way to West Virginia and hung for most of the game.  They should get into the win column playing 0-1 Penns Valley this week. 

Monday Morning QB: Week One

LHAC

-- A lot of hype surrounded the Bishop Guilfoyle during the off-season, and they finally got to show people what it was all about on Friday.  Richland is clearly not what they were last year, but for the Marauders to go and dominate as they did by winning 61-12 is still impressive.  The two guys that we have all been talking about put on a show. Brandon Chadbourn played like he was one of the best players in the state, and Sam McCloskey matched his productivity as well. They will host Westmont this week, and I think they could see even less resistance than Richland gave them. It will be all about staying focused and not getting too far ahead of themselves throughout this season. 

-- Forest Hills went in and took care of business Saturday night against Bishop McCort by winning 35-0. The Rangers have two stars to match Guilfoyle's and Shareef Blough looked real good this weekend. Blough is such a weapon, and he can match anyone in this league with play-making ability.  Joe Donoughe actually turned in a big performance on defense, but the quarterback still looked solid on offense, he just didn't have to make too man throws.  Forest Hills hosts Somerset Friday, and that is one of the games of the year in the LHAC.  It should be a real interesting game to see, and see how those two teams picked towards the top measure up against one another. 

-- Speaking of Somerset, they really took it to Bishop Carroll.  A lot of talk about BC this off-season was that they were big and physical, but Somerset just owned them on Friday and that is very impressive.  Dylan Barnes is just going to keep getting better as the year goes on, and he is one of the real exciting quarterbacks in this league. Obviously heading into Friday night, Somerset has to know this one won't be nearly as easy.  The Golden Eagles will be up to the task for sure, and I just really think it is going to be an excellent football game. 

-- Bedford won, but not convincingly as some of the other favorites in this league.  Bedford had such a good ground game last year, and to see them only hit 138 yards is a little concerning, but give Penn Cambria credit, they are supposed to have a good defense.  Bedford's rushing game may have not been dominant, but Austin Montgomery really put up some numbers throwing the ball. Montgomery and his top receiver, Zach Shaffer really seem to have a good connection. Traveling to Central Cambria Friday night is going to be a really tough game with Central Cambria fighting desperately not to fall to 0-2.

-- The Johnstown and Central Cambria game was good, and it lived up to the expectations. Johnstown won by two scores, and it was one of their better wins in recent memory after two dreadful 3-8 campaigns.  The numbers matched up well on paper, the big difference though, was the big plays.  Johnstown has multiple guys that can turn in a big play anytime they touch it.  I think the biggest development this season for Johnstown is the improvement of Terrell Jones and the running game.  If Johnstown can continue to get 100 yard efforts from him, that is a a lot less pressure on the passing game.  Central Cambria never got Will Seymour going on the ground, and that hurts them. He's a dual threat guy, and when he is held to only 21 yards, that's not a good sign, Johnstown has two very winnable games on the horizon, they need to stay focused and not overlook Bishop Carroll. Central Cambria will have a very competitive game with Bedford, and that's one to keep an eye on heading into Friday. 

-- How about Westmont?  The Hilltoppers get coach Pat Barron his first win after a winless 2013 campaign.  Westmont will have a very difficult time against Guilfoyle, but it's great to see that losing streak out of the way.  It has been difficult to sustain success at Westmont with all of their coaching changes through the years, it would be nice to see him stick around and bring them back to the playoffs. Westmont had some really good teams in the late 90's and early 2000's, and maybe Barron can get them back there someday.  

-- As far as the other teams go, it's back to the drawing board. Richland has talent, and breaking in 20 new starters against Guilfoyle was not ideal, they'll get better.  McCort may have a tough time this year, we'll see where Davitch has up his sleeve.  Cambria Heights and McCort play Friday night in an intriguing game.  Bishop Carroll also needs to figure out some things on offense, and new coach Joe Ridgely will be challenged with that task.  

WestPac

-- Some thought Berlin and Shade would be a good game, and it was for the most part. Berlin didn't dominate or blow them out entirely, but it definitely was a sound victory. Braden Fochtman turned in a solid 172 yard rushing game, and his prolific numbers keep going up each and every game.  Berlin ushered in a new quarterback and Brentson Harding turned in a 3-12 output and threw two picks, however he did score two touchdowns on the ground. Berlin isn't much of a throwing team in general, but Harding will need to limit turnovers moving forward this year. Shade just couldn't seem to get things going on offense, but I still think they have a good team. The Panthers have an easier task this week with Conemaugh Valley. Berlin heads up the road to Davidsville in what should be a spirited game with an upstart Conemaugh Township team. 

-- Conemaugh Township got to play spoiler in a big alumni night in Windber, and I'm sure it didn't bother the Indians one bit.  Township rode Austin Myers for 247 yards, and he could be one of the breakout players of the 2014 season.  Windber could have got discouraged with the big 21 deficit, but they showed a lot of fight by shutting out Township in the second half, and scoring two times to make it close.  Jared Maurizio ran hard, and he will do a good job being the new featured player on offense. Windber heads to Ferndale Saturday with a good chance to even their record to 1-1. 

--  What a disaster for the Meyersdale and Ferndale game, but those kind of things happen.  You would like to see more competitive games, but Ferndale has a small roster with inexperience and Meyersdale is a playoff caliber team. I doubt anyone was running it up, sometimes these kind of things happen.  I hope Ferndale can improve as the season moves on, and more importantly I hope they stay healthy. Meyersdale heads to Blacklick Valley this week, while Ferndale hosts Windber at the Hive. 

-- Portage went in and did what a preseason favorite should do, and that's win in an impressive fashion. Much like Guilfoyle in the LHAC, Portage rode their horses, well Mustangs, to an easy win. Kephart and Dividock both made the D6SN preseason impact player list, and they didn't disappoint. Kephart went for 262 all purpose yards, and Dividock 10 yards a carry.  Blacklick Valley was thought to be having a rebuilding year, and it showed in week one.  They have a few young running backs that are exciting, so they may be able to turn things around when not facing a team like Portage.

-- North Star and Conemaugh Valley met Saturday with North Star coming away with 33-18 victory.  I know its only a game with Valley, but a lot of people are still unsure of North Star, but they came out and moved the ball on offense. North Star's Stephen Mort had a 200 yard passing day, and the return of Shawn Costas proved to be a good one.  He eclipsed the 100 yard mark on the ground. The Jays showed some fight, but they will be in for a tall order on Friday by traveling to Shade.  North Star has an even more difficult game with Portage.

ICC

-- There were some predictions out there that Bellwood would get blown out by Tyrone. They didn't have the talent, the depth, size, athletes whatever to compete with their arch rivals. So in typical Bellwood fashion, they came out and threw the first punch to Tyrone, and it landed. Bellwood was up 14-0 before Tyrone even knew what happened. Bellwood even had a big drive to get into the redzone at the end of the game, but failed to convert and lost 18-14. The Blue Devils aren't down this year, they will be in the ICC and District 6 A race all year long. Still, quick turn around for a big game with Moshannon Valley this week.

-- Trevon Walker was 9-12 passing the ball for 226 yards and 5 touchdowns, and that pretty much sums up all you need to know about Mt. Union's opener.  The Trojans have a great passing attack, and they can put up points in a hurry. Defenses won't like facing this team at all. They will take their high-flying show down to Juniata Valley this week. 

-- Northern Bedford began life after Blake Over and Kyler Diehl and the promise of a new and improved running game came into being. Austin Heck and Elias Brailler helped the Panthers rack up 247 yards on the ground. The Panthers still need to find a way to get Jacob Dasher involved more as the season progresses.  NBC hosts Tussey Mountain in the Backyard Brawl on Friday, big test for the Panthers. 

-- Everett went into a big test with Chestnut Ridge and hung around early against the heavily favored Lions, before eventually falling 31-13. The Warriors have what it takes to be a good team this year, and I think they will be a team that it will all click at once. Chestbut Ridge is a solid team, they're going to be tough to take down this season with Matt Wiley and company.

-- Southern Huntington got off on the right foot with a 28-18 win over Juniata Valley. The Rockets were 1-9 last year, so this is a positive outcome for them. 

-- West Branch also broke off a losing streak, and they now sit at 1-0 after an 0-10 2013. The Warriors have a small roster, and it's nice to see them off to a good start. Like most teams, you just hope they stay healthy and remain competitive. Obviously they can play, but the number of guys on the sidelines is always in the back of your mind. They have a second straight road game Friday as the travel to Claysburg. 

-- Tussey had a rough go at it with Central.  That was a tough opening game, but some thought it would be closer than 34-12.  The Titans' quarterback, Quinn Barnett, had a tough game by only completing 3 passes for 22 yards, and he had over 1,500 yards last season. I would say that stat is a little alarming, and the offense as a whole needs to get better. A big one with Northern Bedford awaits Friday. 

-- Moshannon Valley has a nice team, and some were worried about their early season schedule.  Those worries went away with an easy 27-7 win over Bald Eagle. Although everything gets much more difficult starting Friday at Bellwood, then Tussey and Mt. Union in the following weeks. Nothing easy for the Black Knights, but fortunately they are 1-0. 

-- Williamsburg started in a big way with a 33-20 win over Claysburg.  The Pirates have a nice team, and a good offense.  They could surprise some people this year. They go to Southern Huntingdon Friday.  Claysburg will look to rebound against West Branch. 

-- Glendale fell to Northern Bedford 20-6 last week, and will be traveling to Everett this week. The offense needs a way to get going this week.

-- Juniata Valley has been so good over the past few years, but starting with a loss to Southern Huntingdon is not a good sign.  Bill Musser and company will have their hands full trying to slow down Mt. Union Friday. 

Heritage 

-- Northern Cambria had a strong 15-12 win over Ligonier to open another stretch of the Frank Paronish era. The Colts were one of those teams that many thought would sit in the middle of the pack in the Heritage, but with a chance to climb into the top discussion. Opening the year with a win over a pretty good Ligonier team is a nice start. On the other hand, Ligonier struggled in this one, and turnovers cost them. Collin Smith is a talented kid, but 4 interceptions is not going to help your team win games.  I think LV has a chance to be a good team and I think Smith has the chance to be really good too, just need to limit mistakes like that. The Rams have to go to Purchase Line this week in a tough road contest, NC hosts Penns Manor in another big early-season test. 

-- Homer Center picked up right where they left off last year with a 39-21 win over Penns Manor. Many thought the Wildcats would struggle this season, but through one week that does not appear to be the case.  Ean Lee and Aaron Berezansky dominated on the ground, and I think that will be their game plan all year long.  Homer will head over to Saltsburg this week.  Penns Manor defense obviously did not look good, as they gave up nearly 40 in week one. Bill Packer's squad will need to sure things up on that side of the ball.  This is a young team with only 5 seniors, so they will be leaning on their junior class quite a bit. 

-- Saltsburg was on the wrong end of a beatdown, but they had a front row seat to the Grant Syster show. SEVEN TOUCHDOWNS.  We knew Syster was good, but he may be better than we all thought. Saltsburg gets the defending champs, Homer Center, this week and Purchase Line hosts Ligonier. 

-- Blairsville took down Westinghouse in a non-conference game.  The Bobcats are the league favorites, and they took care of business on the road in week one even without Deion Robinson.  They get Marion Center this week who is 1-0 after defeating United. Some think United can be better this season, and that's a tough way to start. It will be the Lions' turn to step out of the league and play St. Joesph's Catholic Academy this week. 

Mountain

-- Tyrone winning the Backyard Brawl is the biggest headline of the Mountain League this week. Tyrone is breaking in a new coach, and some players in big roles. While they do have high expectations, they are inexperienced in some spots.  I don't think Tyrone was ever going to blow out Bellwood, but I thought they would pull away more than they did. It's a rivalry, it happens. They need to be on their game this week with a trip to Central.

-- Oh yeah...Central, they're still good,  Even after losing all those great players, it seems like they have re-tooled. Mike Mock and Noah Benton aren't Cunningham/Moore yet, but they are going to be big time players for them this season.  Tyrone coming to town is always an exciting game, and it will be a packed house. 

-- Huntingdon was humbled a bit by Mt. Union, they aren't a bad team, it was a matter of Mt. Union just being better.  The Bearcats will get better, Hudson Speck is a nice QB. 

-- Penns Valley, Bellefonte, Bald Eagle, and Philipsburg all came out with disappointing losses to non-conference teams. They will all look to right the ship this week. Penns Valley will take on a very good Clearfield team, Bellefonte and Huntingdon will meet up, and Bald Eagle will travel to Philipsburg for a game.  There is clearly a big drop after Central, Tyrone, and Clearfield and the league, and there is probably a playoff spot for the taking in the D6AA race.