5 Things to Watch: Showdown of unbeatens in Black Hills
It's hard to believe that it's the fifth week of the high school football season. There are still teams that have yet to play a conference game, but for the ones that do, tonight's action could foreshadow the rest of the year.
Here are five things to watch tonight:
Big test
Monessen enters this evening's contest in the Class A Black Hills Conference undefeated at 4-0. The Greyhounds rallied from a halftime deficit to edge Serra Catholic, 20-14, in last week's conference opener, but face a huge test when they host undefeated Fort Cherry.
The Rangers (1-0, 4-0) took care of business in their first conference game, defeating Chartiers-Houston, 42-6.
Fort Cherry hasn't had much trouble to start the season, and Tanner Garry's team has done this with star junior quarterback Matt Sieg limited because of a broken thumb.
Teammate Josh Silveira has filled in admirably for Sieg, hasn't been able to throw a football since being injured in the first game of the season.
Sieg's thumb should be ready to go against the Greyhounds.
Monessen is averaging 49.2 points per game, but the Rangers are putting up 40.7.
The scoreboard operator could get a workout tonight at Memorial Stadium.
Steel-tough?
Waynesburg pulled off the upset at Wash High last week in the Class 2A Century Conference opener.
The Raiders and Prexies have been bitter rivals over the years with many memorable games, but Wash High has had Waynesburg's number in the past 20 years.
Waynesburg is in nonconference play this evening at Steel Valley, who is 1-3. The Ironmen's lone victory was a 28-8 triumph over the Prexies in Week 1.
Another conference opens
Canon-McMillan is the lone Class 6A football team in the Observer-Reporter's coverage area, and the Big Macs' push to the postseason begins in Quad County Conference play at Mt. Lebanon.
Canon-McMillan won its first game of the season last week at Armstrong, while the Blue Devils are in search of their first victory this year.
The Big Macs' three losses have come against teams that are undefeated: Peters Township, Upper St. Clair and South Fayette.
Can the Leopards rebound?
Belle Vernon had its 11-game winning streak snapped last week in a 28-7 nonconference setback to McKeesport.
The Leopards' schedule doesn't get any easier this week when they host undefeated South Fayette (4-0). Belle Vernon begins play in the Class 4A Big Six Conference in two weeks at Thomas Jefferson (4-0).
The Leopards and Jaguars have a long history, which continued when Belle Vernon moved down to Class 3A the last two years, but the two are back in the same conference.
Nonconference play continues
In addition to Belle Vernon, South Fayette and Waynesburg, three other local teams will be in nonconference action as Peters Township is at West Allegheny, Trinity heads to undefeated Bethel Park and Ringgold hosts Southmoreland.
Jonathan Guth can be reached at
