George Guido: Tough season for A-K Valley football teams

By: HSSN Staff
Tuesday, September 25, 2018 | 6:36 PM

Ouch!

That’s probably the best word to describe the local high school football season at the midpoint.

A number of area teams continue to struggle.

At least one Alle-Kiski Valley team has made the WPIAL playoffs every season since 1959.

That streak could come to an end in 2018.

Thus far, local teams have a cumulative record of 17-43 — and some of those 17 were against each other.

Of the 13 schools in the Valley News Dispatch coverage area, only Kiski Area (3-2) has a winning record.

If the season ended today, only the Cavaliers and Knoch would be in the WPIAL playoffs.

From 1960-75, there was at least one Alle-Kiski team that made the WPIAL finals.

In 1968, four area teams made the WPIAL finals: Kiski Area, Burrell, Freeport and Oakmont.

Thus far in the 21st century, only three schools have played for the WPIAL championship: Springdale in 2003 and ‘07 and Knoch in ‘11.

It’s hard to put your finger on one or two reasons why local football is in the state it’s in.

Some say it’s parents reluctant to let their sons play football because of concussion possibilities.

But aren’t Beaver County kids susceptible to concussions? If the season ended today, 10 of the 14 Beaver County schools would be in the WPIAL playoffs.

It’s enough to make one go up on top of a hill somewhere and cry.

But first, we can’t escape this year’s mid-term evaluations:

• Class 5A (top five and a wild card make the playoffs)

Kiski Area is lookin’ good (3-2, 2-2) and has Penn Hills and North Hills out of the way. The Cavaliers will host Mars for the first time Oct. 19 in a big one.

Kiski Area is undeniably the most improved team in the area as Sam Albert seeks to lead a fifth school to the WPIAL playoffs.

Plum and Fox Chapel have played difficult conference schedules. Foxes’ Northern opponents are a combined 14-6, and Plum’s Foothills opponents are 15-4.

• Class 4A (top four make playoffs)

Highlands and Knoch have important Northwest 8 games at New Castle in their quests for the playoffs. Knoch is at Taggart Stadium on Oct. 19, and the Golden Rams follow on Oct. 26.

If there’s a tie for fourth place, Knoch holds the tiebreaker over the Golden Rams.

• Class 3A (top four make the playoffs)

Freeport has a major assignment Friday at home against Yough. The Yellowjackets have North Catholic, Elizabeth-Forward and Derry Area out of the way. A victory Friday could pave the way for a fourth-place finish.

Otherwise, Burrell and Deer Lakes play each other Friday. The winner stays alive, and the loser, though not mathematically eliminated, would have to seek impractical scenarios.

• Class 2A (top four make the playoffs)

Valley’s opponents over the past four weeks have a 15-3 cumulative record. It doesn’t get any easier Friday when the Vikings visit 4-1 Freedom.

Valley needs freedom from the harsh schedulemaker.

But the Vikings have an interesting game coming up when they return to Allegheny Conference play next week at Apollo-Ridge, another team looking to get traction on its season.

After that game, Valley and Apollo-Ridge can argue who has the toughest schedule.

Apollo-Ridge plays three of the top four teams in the Trib Total Media Class 2A poll then have a date at Freedom in the season’s second half.

• Class A (top two plus two wildcards make the playoffs)

Improved Leechburg, Springdale and Riverview are at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings.

As a nod to Little Anthony & the Imperials, who played at Greensburg’s Palace Theater recently, our local Class A teams are “on the outside looking in.”

George Guido is a Valley News Dispatch scholastic sports correspondent. His column appears Wednesdays.