Big Game Hunting For Week Six 2012

By: Bruce Markey
Wednesday, October 3, 2012 | 3:03 PM

Normal
0

false
false
false

EN-US
X-NONE
X-NONE

MicrosoftInternetExplorer4

/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:”Table Normal”;
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:””;
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:”Calibri”,”sans-serif”;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:”Times New Roman”;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:”Times New Roman”;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}

Week six in the 2012 season is not usually a spot where non-conference games find their way into our little weekly trip out to go big game hunting. Throw the usual out the window this week in AAAA where we have a look at what many think might be a preview of the AAAA championship game. Tension is in the air now as teams begin to fight for their playoff lives as well as their playoff seeding. The pressure is on, in a huge way. Hope your favorite team does not respond like the Pirates or the U.S. Ryder Cup team to that pressure. Let’s go Big Game Hunting!

AAAA Non-Conference

#1 North Allegheny Tigers (5-0)(4-0)in the Northern Eight at #2 Gateway Gators (5-0)(5-0) in Foothills Friday October 5^th at 7:30 pm @ Gateway high school broadcast on the MSA Sports Network and KDKA-AM 1020 by Lanny Frattare and Bob Orkwis , also broadcast on the MSA Sports Network and the North Allegheny Sports Network by Randy Gore and Rick Meister

 Gateway’s closest competition so far in their 5-0 start in the Foothills Conference, was last Friday in a 41-13 win at Hempfield. The Gators have been rolling to the tune of a nearly 38 point average margin of victory. Senior quarterback Thomas Woodson an Arizona recruit, has been formidable to say the least. Woodson has completed 39 of 61 passes for 963 yards and ten touchdowns without throwing an interception. Terry Smith calls the group of wide outs the Gators have this year their “most athletic ever”, when you consider the Gators history that is quite an impressive statement. Pitt recruit Jaymar Parrish has ten catches for 181 yards. Montae Nicholson has three scoring catches and is tops on the team with 252 yards receiving. If you like those numbers you will love this one Ricky Rogers is averaging over 68 yards per catch. Delvon Randall and Mileak Ford round out the corps each with a pair of touchdown catches.

On the ground senior Andre Martin is getting huge chunks of yards with every touch. Martin has totaled 544 yards on 55 attempts, yes he is averaging a first down for every rush. That running game will also be buoyed by the return of Gateway’s best offensive lineman Anthony Parente this weekend as he returns from missing the previous two games with an injury. Here is a great stat for the Gateway offense, they have punted just twice ON THE YEAR.

The Gator defense is allowing only 11.2 points per game and those have come mostly in mop-up time. Linebackers Jaymar Parrish and Mileak Ford have combined for 47 tackles, seven tackles for a loss, an interception and a sack. Anthony Davis joins Nicholson and Randall in the defensive backfield for the Gators and they form one of the best secondaries in the WPIAL with a combined six picks, including four for Davis. Coach Smith notes that the Gatros this week will be facing “The best quarterback we will face all year long in North Allegheny’s Mack Leftwich.” 

Leftwich has been great for Art Walker’s unbeaten two-time defending WPIAL AAAA champions. The senior is 51 of 78 for 1180 yards and 15 scores to go along with just a pair of interceptions. Just this week he made a verbal commitment to Stephen F. Austin.  Senior wide out Greg Garrity is having a huge season with 22 catches for 431 yards and six touchdowns.

On the ground as usual the Tigers will grind you out behind a tremendous offensive line. The running attack is led by senior Alex DeCiantis with 413 yards and five touchdowns on 72 carries.

The Tigers’ defensive numbers are nothing short of amazing, starting with having allowed only 5.4 points per game on the year and that includes letting up 14 in week one to Mt. Lebanon. North Allegheny has allowed a total of six points in their last three games. Their points allowed is tops in AAAA. The defense does more though than just stop teams, they get the ball back for the offense in a big way. They have recorded six interceptions led by junior Elijah Zeise’s two. They also have six fumble recoveries including two each for Jeremy Gonzales and Taylor Nikithser, and they have recorded a dozen sacks on the year. This game is a rematch of last years thrilling semi-final win for North Allegheny 21-17, don’t be surprised if these teams meet again in late November.

AAA Greater Allegheny Conference

#7 Franklin Regional Panthers (4-1)(3-1) at #9 Knoch Knights (4-1)(3-1) Thursday October 4^th at 7:00 pm @ Knoch high school broadcast on the MSA Sports Network and WISR-AM 680 by Scott Briggs and Dave Bacon

Big time match-up in the Greater Allegheny pits the Knoch Knights against the Franklin Regional Panthers.

The Panthers have a super-balanced running attack to bring into this battle for second place in the section behind Mars. Greg Botta’s club has five players with 25 or more attempts on the year none of them with more than Dane Brown’s 36 carries. Brown leads the club with 274 yards and a pair of scoring runs. Senior quarterback Nico Lodovico is one of those with 33 carries for 126 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

 Lodovico can also hurt you with his arm he has completed 31 of 57 passes for 550 yards and seven touchdowns on the year. He would like to do a better job of protecting the football though having thrown five interceptions.

  Senior linebacker Carter Henderson is a defensive stalwart for the Panthers leading them with an impressive 63 tackles almost 30 more than the next closet player on the team. Henderson also has three sacks of the Panthers seven, and has scored a safety.

The Knoch Knights limp into this big game coming off their lone loss of the season last Friday night to Hampton 20-17.

The Knights offense is anchored by a tremendous running game as well although not quite as diversified as the Panthers’. Knoch is led by senior running back Benjamin Tackett with 83 carries for 614 yards and 11 touchdowns on the year. He is also one of their leading receivers with a half dozen catches for 81 yards and another score. The top receiver for Knoch is senior Luke Kroneberg with 11 catches for 203 yards and three touchdowns.

The Knights signal-caller is another senior, Dakota Bruggeman who has completed 29 of his 65 passes for the year compiling 530 yards and seven touchdowns. He has thrown five interceptions on the year, but he has countered that problem by picking off three passes working in the Knights secondary, so he nets out to seven touchdowns and just two picks, a very solid ratio. If the Knights can pick up a win here they will stay alive for a crack at the section championship because the Planets loom in their future in week seven. Franklin-Regional lost to mars earlier in the season so they need to win and get some help to get back in that running.

AA Allegheny Conference

#10 Freeport Yellowjackets (4-1)(4-1) at  #7 Burrell Buccaneers (5-0)(4-0) Friday October 5^th at 7:30 pm @ Burrell high school broadcast on the MSA Sports Network by Dan Zangrilli and Brandon Showers

A battle of top-ten teams that appears to have all the markings of a conference championship game makes this one, “easy pickings”, in class AA this week.

The Yellowjackets bounced back from a disappointing loss at Valley in week four to beat Shady Side Academy 28-14 in week five and set up the showdown with the unbeaten Bucs. The yellowjackets are averaging 227.6 yards per game as a team on the ground for the year. Senior quarterback Brendan Lynch is leading them with 485 of those yards on 65 carries, he has also scored four touchdowns to tie for the team lead. Lynch does not throw a lot but he has had enough success throwing to keep teams honest. He has completed 17 of 33 passes for 343 yards and four scoring strikes. The Yellowjackets are heavily senior oriented their leading receiver is another senior in Dustin Koedel with five catches for 84 yards and a score. They also get solid production from senior running back Damon Smith on the ground with 77 totes for 403 yards and four touchdowns.

Defensively it is another pair of seniors leading a staunch Freeport defense. Josh Wisniewski and Alec Stivers have combined for 117 tackles on a team that has totaled 11 sacks, six interceptions and three fumble recoveries while holding teams to under 12 points per game.

The Bucs meanwhile are scoring at a section topping clip of 38.6 points per game in their unbeaten start. Burrell, is all about senior running back Cole Bush. Bush has been nothing short of an unstoppable force this year at 6’2’’ and 220 pounds, running through, over and around teams for a, second best in the WPIAL, 1048 yards on the ground. He has amassed those numbers on just 116 carries for an average of nine yards per carry he has also scored 19 touchdowns on the season.

Senior quarterback James Liput has completed 28 of 63 passes for 480 yards and four touchdowns, Nicholas Pattock, Bush and Matt Hess are the top receivers for the Buccaneers.

Defensively they have allowed just over 15 points per game on the year. They did allow almost 250 yards passing last week to Kittanning they will want to shore up that pass defense to get themselves a section championship for head coach Kevin Horwatt.

A Big Seven Conference

#4 Neshannock Lancers (5-0)(5-0) at #2 Rochester Rams (5-0)(4-0) Friday October 5^th at 7:30 pm @ Rochester high school broadcast on the MSA Sports Network and WBVP-AM 1230 by Bob Barrickman and Tom Hays

Yet another battle of top-ten teams here in single a, as the Lancers hit the road to face Geno Matsook’s Rams.

Rochester once again is playing great defense and running the ball very well. On the year they are allowing just 7.6 points per game including a shutout of Shenango in week two.

Senior running back Dante Marsick is having a monster year with 767 yards rushing and over 20 touchdowns scored. Marsick is running behind a tremendous offensive line anchored by Todd Weischedel and Mike Bittenbender.

But the Rams will mix in the pass nicely as well as senior Ben Richko has been splendid tossing the football, completing 18 of 37 passes for 394 yards and seven touchdowns on the season.

Rochy still has Sto-Rox on the schedule so their path to a potential section championship would still have that possible roadblock on it coming up in week nine if they can take care of the Lancer on Friday night.

Neshannock though has already beaten Sto-Rox in thrilling come from behind fashion in week three so if they can find a way to beat the Rams they will become a pretty heavy favorite to finish unbeaten in section although they do still have 4-1 Union on the docket in week nine.

The Lancers have one of the top junior players in the WPIAL in quarterback Ernie Burkes, he has completed 52 of 80 passes for 598 yards and eight touchdowns. He can also beat you on the ground where he has carried it 34 times for 412 yards and another eight scores.

Burkes has a nice tandem of receivers in seniors Alex Welker and John Congolose, the duo has combined for 37 catches and 511 yards and they have split those eight touchdowns evenly.

On the ground besides Burkes the Lancers have a standout sophomore in Eli Owens who has 66 carries for 542 yards and a pair of scores.

The Neshannock defense, allowing just 13.6 points per game is anchored by Keinan Owens senior defensive end who is Eli’s older brother, Ralph Dovidio a junior defensive end and defensive tackle Steven Jeffries.

Tags: Burrell, Franklin Regional, Freeport, Gateway, Knoch