By: Friday, September 20, 2024 | 12:42 AM

The buildup to facing a defending WPIAL champion was always going to be big, but undefeated records made it Monessen's biggest in quite a while.

"It's the biggest game since I've been here coaching," coach Wade Brown said. "And this is my fourth year."

Undefeated Monessen (4-0, 1-0) hosts defending WPIAL champion Fort Cherry (4-0, 1-0) at 7 p.m. The winner stays unbeaten and gets an early edge in the Class A Black Hills Conference standings.

The 4-0 start is Monessen's first since 2013.

"Being able to start off this well and you've got the defending champs coming into your home stadium, it's a pretty good feeling," Brown said. "It's always a great feeling to get that buzz around your program and around the city. I'm happy for the kids that they get to experience this."

Here in Week 4, the WPIAL's small-school classification will provide a couple of top matchups. There is also undefeated matchup in the Eastern Conference with Jeannette (4-0, 1-0) hosting Leechburg (4-0, 1-0).

The Monessen vs. Fort Cherry game, however, includes another wrinkle besides 4-0 records. It's a matchup between the WPIAL's current scoring leader, Monessen's TyVaughn Kershaw, and last year's top scorer, Matt Sieg of Fort Cherry.

Kershaw, a junior running back, already has 18 touchdowns this season. Sieg, a junior quarterback, rushed for a WPIAL-best 43 TDs in 16 games last season, when Fort Cherry reached the state finals.

This won't be the first time Sieg and Kershaw share the field. Their teams met in a high-scoring WPIAL playoff game as freshmen. Fort Cherry won, 56-42. Sieg scored five touchdowns and Kershaw had three.

"It's going to be very interesting to see," Brown said. "When they played as freshmen, they both did very well in the game."

Monessen started each of the last three seasons 0-2, putting the team in an early hole.

"That kind of kills the excitement quick," Brown said. "This is what you want as a high school football program. You want the buzz. You want the excitement around your program."

Battle of top-scoring teams

A look at the offenses says Highlands vs. Imani Christian could be a shootout Friday.

Highlands has averaged 51.3 points per game in its first three weeks, which gives the Golden Rams the highest-scoring offense in WPIAL 3A. Highlands' Menage Lucas has 10 touchdowns.

Imani Christian ranks second at 41.7 ppg.

But what has Imani ranked No. 1 in Class 3A is its defense, too, led by Penn State linebacker recruit Dayshaun Burnett. The Saints are allowing 8.5 points per game, which ties for best in 3A.

Highlands' defense has allowed 42 ppg. However, that includes two overtime games. One against Elizabeth Forward was a 53-52 win in three overtimes.

Rivals who rarely meet?

Beaver and Central Valley seem like perfect rivals since only five miles separate the high schools on opposite sides of the Ohio River.

But their matchup Friday night is only the third since Central Valley was formed in 2010. No. 3 Central Valley (1-3, 1-0) hosts No. 4 Beaver (3-1, 1-0) at Sarge Albert Stadium. It's still early, but the outcome could shape the Western Hills title picture.

The teams last played one another in 2016 and '17, when both were members of the Class 3A Beaver Valley Conference. Central Valley won, 42-35, in 2016. Beaver won the rematch, 24-22, in 2017.

They haven't played since.

The WPIAL had scheduled the teams to meet in the 2020 and 2021 seasons, but covid-related cancellations nixed both matchups.

Before Central Valley was formed, its predecessor Center was a longtime member of the Midwestern Athletic Conference with Beaver.

Homecoming festivities

This is a common time for homecoming, so Saturday's schedule is a little busier than usual. Shaler, Shady Side Academy and Seton LaSalle all have Saturday homecoming games this week.

Shaler, which traditionally starts its festivities with a 10:30 a.m. homecoming parade each year, hosts Woodland Hills at 1:30 p.m.

Shady Side Academy hosts Apollo-Ridge, and Seton LaSalle plays Carlynton.

A zero in the loss column

Will a few long-awaited perfect starts continue Friday?

New Castle, which hosts Knoch (1-2), is seeking its first 4-0 start since 2002. Greensburg Salem, host to Ambridge (2-1), chases its first 5-0 record since 1999.

South Allegheny hasn't gone 5-0 since 1977. The fourth-ranked Gladiators (4-0, 1-0) host No. 3 South Park (3-1, 1-0) in the Allegheny Conference.