Taking a look at this weekend's area football games after a 5-3 showing dropped my season record to 12-5:
Beth-Center at Charleroi
Attractive Black Hills Conference opener between two of the WPIAL Class A's nine unbeatens. Beth-Center is averaging an impressive 360 yards in wins over Jefferson-Morgan (20-7) and Geibel (47-12). The Bulldogs are led by Matt Stay, who rushed for 125 yards in last year's 23-17 loss to the Cougars. The Cougars' Jermaine Thurston, meanwhile, had 130 yards and a pair of touchdowns against the Bulldogs. Charleroi's defense has allowed only two touchdowns. Doug Haney has thrown for four of Charleroi's five touchdowns. The Cougars own three straight wins over the Bulldogs and haven't lost to Beth-Center since 1999. Adam Mudrick's foot could be the difference. Go with Charleroi by three points.
Frazier at Monessen
Quick now, when was the last time Monessen lost to Frazier⢠The answer is never. The Greyhounds are 11-0 against the Commodores in a series which started in 1994. If that's not bad enough, the Commodores haven't scored against Monessen since a 55-28 defeat at Perryopolis in 2000. Monessen is off to 0-2 start for the first time since 2002 when the Greyhounds rolled to a 41-0 win at Perryopolis. The Greyhounds' offense has been struggling averaging 140 total offense yards. The Commodores trying to rebound from a 40-7 home spanking to Fort Cherry. Greyhound assistant Dennis Popp is a former Commodores' coach while Frazier's 6-2, 270 pound senior lineman Lou Mavrakis transferred from Monessen. The Greyhounds end their skid by a touchdown in Tri-County South opener.
Uniontown at BELLE VERNON Area
With bad losses to Thomas Jefferson (41-0) and Peters Township (40-3), BVA is off to its worst start in more than a decade. Uniontown is playing its third straight road game and rebounded from a 34-14 loss at Class AAAA Connellsville with a gift 16-14 win at Elizabeth Forward. The Red Raiders could be missing their best offensive weapon since Quindell Dean sat out the second half with an apparent shoulder injury. The teams have been alternating wins the past five years. This year it's Uniontown's turn. The pick is the Red Raiders by 20 points in Keystone Conference opener.
Ringgold at THOMAS Jefferson
Would you believe the Rams are making their first trip to Thomas Jefferson since 1987?
It might not be much fun for Ringgold considering the defending WPIAL and Class AAA champion Jaguars are 2-0 with impressive victories over Belle Vernon Area (41-0) and Blackhawk (35-0). TJ has a strong ground game with Dan Giegerich, who ran for 202 yards against the Leps, and Nate Nix, who's averaging 100 yards a game. Ringgold's Robert Heller, who nearly transferred to TJ, had 84 yards on six carries in last year's 49-6 Jaguars' romp. The contest matches cousins in TJ's 6-2, 240-pound senior Anthony Jaskulski and Ringgold's 5-11, 204-pound sophomore Tyler Leach, who both wear No. 77. In another TJ blowout, the Jaguars by 35 points.
Carmichaels at California
Defending Tri-County South Conference co-champion Carmichaels is off to a typical 2-0 start, but struggled in victories over Burgettstown (9-6) and Bentworth (20-14). California, on the other hand, has had to look back on close losses to Riverview (21-14) and Charleroi (10-6). Last year the Trojans' Donte Valentno touched the ball five times for 120 yards including an 87-yard touchdown in a 35-7 defeat. California hasn't beaten Carmichaels since 1997 when the Trojans rebounded from an 0-2 start to win the Tri-County South. In a close one, go with Carmichaels by two points.
Yough at Greensburg Salem
Home opener for two-time defending Keystone Confer-ence champs. Under new coach Casey Cavanaugh, Greensburg Salem is off to rare 0-2 start with lopsided losses to Hempfield (41-14) and Frank-lin Regional (34-7). The Golden Lions have outscored the Cougars, 160-13, in their last five meetings but Yough came close last year in a 14-6 defeat. Yough hasn't scored in its last two trips to Greensburg. A shaky nod to the Golden Lions by two points.
CANON-McMillan at Elizabeth
The Big Macs have been hit hard by graduation after finishing second to Thomas Jefferson in the Big Seven Conference. Coached for the third-year by Guy Montecalvo, Canon-McMillan hasn't shown much defense allowing 97 points in losses to Class AAAA unbeatens Upper St. Clair (43-0) and Trinity (54-13). Last year the Big Macs rallied from a 20-10 deficit in the fourth quarter to drop the Warriors, 24-20. It's payback time for Elizabeth by eight points in the Big Seven opener.
Chartiers-Houston at Bentworth
Can the Bearcats stop Phil Henderson⢠Last year Henderson burned Bentworth for more than 200 yards and five touchdowns in a 45-21 Bucs' romp. A 6-1, 200-pounder, Henderson is drawing a lot of interest from colleges after running for more than 1,100 yards on a sore left knee in 2004. Terry Fetsko, a former California University and Washington and Jefferson College assistant after coaching at Class A Avella, is in his first season succeeding long-time coach John Haught. The Bucs are coming off a 31-16 loss to Mapletown after downing Cornell, 12-6. Bentworth dropped a 20-14 decision to Carmichaels after a last-minute 28-27 win over Mapletown. In a close one, the pick is Bentworth by four points in a Black Hills Conference opener.
Cal U at Mansfield
Two of the PSAC's premier runners collide. Mansfield junior Earnest "Poohbear" McNeal ran for 203 yards in the Mountaineers' opening 41-33 loss to West Virginia Wesleyan. Cal counters with senior Antoine Bagwell, who started with 183 yards in the Vulcans' 42-6 romp over Fairmont State. Last year California opened the season with a 63-6 romp over the Mountaineers. It will be the sixth annual Josh Palmer Pigskin Classic with the winning team being presented a trophy. Palmer was a former Mansfield gridder who overcame Hodgkins disease and returned to play after dropping to 110 pounds. The last time the Vulcans went to Mansfield, they returned a 14-7 loser in 2003. Not this time. Cal rolls by three touchdowns.
