Big Game Hunting for Week Two 2012

By: Bruce Markey
Wednesday, September 5, 2012 | 4:00 PM

Week One was a scorcher, we saw some big time upsets, some tremendous debuts, and some confirmations of things most of us suspected would be true for the 2012 campaign. One thing I think all of us non-head coaches can agree on, is that WPIAL realignment bringing us very meaningful games at the outset of the season is a huge success. Stay hydrated, week two looks just as hot in the big games department, here’s hoping the temps are a little more football-like as we go Big Game Hunting!

AAAA – Northern 8 Conference
#6 North Hills Indians (1-0)(0-0) @ #4 Central Catholic Vikings (1-0)(1-0) Friday September 7th at 7:30 pm @ Carnegie Mellon University broadcast on the MSA Sports Network and KDKA AM 1020 by Lanny Frattare and Bob Orkwis

Both Central and North Hills picked up convincing wins over not-so-convincing opponents in week one. In other words they took care of their business as a pair of top-ten teams should. This game will help us begin to see a pecking order in one of the best Conferences in AAAA.

Central rolled into, and then over Shaler behind a powerful rushing attack and a swarming, smothering defense. The Vikings got 131 yards on the ground from junior running back Luigi Lista-Brinza in their season opener. Todd Coles scored a pair of touchdowns first a 31 yard run in relief of List-Brinza during the first quarter and then on a 23 yard interception return in the second period. Coles is a difference maker on both sides of the football for Terry Totten. Totten’s stable of running backs is going to just flat out wear some teams down this season. In addition to Lista-Brinza and Coles at tailback, the fullback position is handled by two of the best overall football players in the WPIAL in Leo Loughery and Devin Falloon, these guys are big and strong and running behind a tremendous offensive line that will likely as not, continue to get better as the season gets older.

The defense for the Vikings is going to be an eye-opener for a lot of people around the WPIAL, four of the best linebackers around make the possibility of gaining ground by any means very difficult for opposing offenses. Leo Loughery, Niko Thorpe, Davis Urso, led the team to a shutout of Shaler in week one and maybe the best in the bunch Garrett Vrbanic missed the opener entirely with a health issue. His return will only add to what will be a very challenging situation for the North Hills Indians.

North Hills meanwhile got a lot done on the ground in week one as Jordan Blackmon rushed for 115 yards on 10 carries including a pair of touchdown runs of two and 21 yards. Also on the ground in a workmanlike 28-14 win over Penn Trafford the Indians got 85 yards on 10 carries and another pair of touchdowns from Tyler Reddick. The Indians will run a lot of Wildcat formation with those two guys taking a lot of snaps.

Defensively North Hills is led by senior linebacker Anthony Danko who logged 10 tackles in their season opener. The Indians also have a great kicker in Wayne Carney who consistently booms touchbacks on kickoffs, if you like big returns this will not be the game for you. The winner of this game becomes one of the top challengers to North Allegheny for the Northern 8 Conference championship. That makes this worth a listen, mix in Lanny and Todd Orkwis…this becomes a “can’t miss”.
AAA – Parkway Conference
#3 Montour Spartans (1-0)(1-0) at #1 Central Valley Warriors (1-0)(1-0) Thursday September 6th at Central Valley High School @ 7:00 pm broadcast on the MSA Sports Network and WVBP AM 1230 and WMBA 1460 AM by Bob Barrickman and Tom Hays

The Spartans and Warriors have quickly developed one of the best rivalries in the WPIAL in two short years. This is the third year of Central Valley football and they will be playing the Montour Spartans for the fifth time here in week two of 2012. The two teams have split the previous four matchups each winning a regular season game, Central Valley won the 2010 WPIAL championship game over Montour and the Spartans avenged that loss with a semi-final win over a previously unbeaten Warrior club last year en route to the 2011 WPIAL Championship. They enter this game with both teams ranked in the current MSA Sports Top Three in AAA. So yes, sometimes picking the big game in a particular classification is easier than others.

This game will feature two of the most highly touted and best wide receivers in the WPIAL in Central Valley’s Robert Foster and Montour’s Devin Wilson. Both teams lost tremendous quarterbacks to graduation but with these two guys to throw at, whoever plays quarterback for either of these teams has a great shot at being successful.

Nobody is happier than Montour head coach Lou Cerro to read the previous paragraph because he has a three-headed monster at quarterback so far for his Spartans. Tynen Greer, Max Rosinsky and Ryan Mihelcic all saw, and will continue to see, plenty of playing time at quarterback for the Spartans as the season progresses. The three combined to complete eight of 15 passes on opening night for 198 yards and three touchdowns without an interception in a week one win over Hopewell .

Wilson had a big night for the Spartans against Hopewell catching five passes for 180 yards and touchdowns of 33, 59 and 12 yards.

On the ground the Spartans will use Wilson as well he carried five times for 38 yards in week one, Kevin Klemmer led them in rushing in week one with 57 yards on five carries including a 34 yard scoring scamper.

Central Valley rolled New Castle 31-7 in week one rolling up 291 yards rushing in the process. Jordan Whitehead rolled for 136 yards on 15 carries. JaQuan Pennington added 109 yards on 11 carries.

Through the air the Warriors were paced by junior quarterback Nate Climo completing 11 of 16 passes for 108 yards and a score. Foster caught eight of those completions for 77 yards he also rushed for a touchdown on the evening.

This will be a great, great game look for Foster, who had an interception in week one, and Wilson also a tremendous defensive back to spend a lot of time with each other on Thursday night. That alone makes this one worth a listen.

AA  Interstate Conference
#9 Mount Pleasant Vikings (1-0)(1-0) at Greensburg Central Catholic Centurions (0-1)(0-1) Friday September 7th at 7:00 pm @ Greensburg Central Catholic High School broadcast on the MSA Sports Network and WLSW-FM 103.9 by T.J. DiStefano

The teams in AA are used to playing meaningful football games right out of the shoot, that doesn’t mean they are comfortable falling into a two game hole early in the season though. That is something Greensburg Central is in serious danger of after dropping a week one decision to Wash High 28-7. GCC is a perennial contender in the Interstate but of course they are dealing with several transfers and the loss of longtime head coach Muzzy Colosimo here in 2012. Mount Pleasant meanwhile comes into week two following an impressive win on the road thumping Waynesburg 38 -0 behind a great rushing attack featuring junior Tyler Mellors.

Mellors went off for 228 yards and scoring runs of five, 50 and 41 yards in 16 carries in week one. Those numbers were part of 496 total yards of offense for the Vikings against Waynesburg.
Junior quarterback Ryan Gumbita, 6’4’’ 205 pounds had an efficient night throwing, completing five of 10 passes for 104 yards and a 17 yard touchdown pass.

Those impressive rushing stats for the Vikings have to put a little fear into the hearts of Centurions fans that watched their club allow Wash High’s Shai McKenzie to roll for 211 yards and three scores in week one. That will make job number one for the GCC defense, and new co-head coaches Dan Mahoney and Matt Federico, finding a way to shore up the run defense.

The Centurions were playing short in week one with five players being suspended for a hazing incident, the potential of getting those players back will likely help the Centurions’ offense which managed only a Nate Stone three yard touchdown run in the second half in week one.

For the Centurions they need senior running back and defensive back Zach Guiser to have a big night. Guiser is one of the top players in Class AA. He ran for 599 yards last season and he has been a starting defensive back since his freshman year. He has 16 picks in his career.
A  Black Hills Conference
#8 Monessen Greyhounds (1-0)(1-0) at #4 Brentwood Spartans (1-0)(1-0) Friday September 7th at 7:30 @ Brentwood High School broadcast on the MSA Sports Network by Justin McKim and Steve Nagler

Two top-ten teams meet in Brentwood Friday night and, we will also get a look at a pair of the best football players in the WPIAL in this game.

Brentwood’s Justin Vickless had a monster week one in Brentwood’s 48-0 shellacking of Serra. Vickless opened the scoring with a 20 yard interception return for a touchdown, he also rushed for three first half touchdowns in the rout including a 63 yard scamper. Vickless, a 5’10’’ 170 pound junior has put on 20 pounds since emerging as a star last year as a sophomore it seems the sky is the limit for this kid. Head Coach Kevin Kissel says yes Vickless is fast but his moves are the best part of his game. The Spartans though, are more than just Vickless. They have a load of experienced players back from last year including quarterback Chris Shortley who is among 15 returning lettermen from last years club that went 9-2 falling in the quarters to Sto-Rox 40-0. The week one win is a good one and a confidence builder but there is a considerable step up in competition this weekend for Brentwood. The winner of this game becomes maybe the sole remaining team that could find a way to challenge the Clairton Bears for the Black Hills Conference Championship.

Monessen returns after a 6-4 season last year and a first round loss to Springdale. The ‘Hounds are a newcomer to the Black Hills after years in the Tri-County South. Monessen has a do-it-all guy of their own in quarterback Chavas Rawlins who ran for three touchdowns and threw for two more in a week one win over California 41-13.

Keith Davis, Clintell Gillespie and, Javon Brown all scored first week touchdowns for the ‘Hounds and will look to continue to be playmakers for Andy Pacak as the season progresses. One of the hallmarks of Monessen football is bruising physical defense and coach Pacak has the guys to put that defense out there again this season including Justice Rawlins younger brother of Chavas. Rawlins is 6’3’’ 235 pounds and can cover sideline to sideline he is getting plenty of D-1 offers in this his junior year.

Tags: Brentwood, Central Valley, Greensburg C.C.