Week Zero: Some teams will play, others won’t
To play or not to play.
That was the question facing each high school football program in the WPIAL when the district allowed a 10th game.
Programs that wanted to play a 10th game had to commit at the beginning of the year. Those teams that chose to play would go through the heat acclimation process and have a week of regular practice, which gets underway today at a football field near you. The following week, those teams go into game-preparation, which might mean a greater emphasis on film study and slightly backing off on the heavy conditioning regiments.
Eight football games involving area teams are on the schedule for Friday, Aug. 26, replacing what would have been a second scrimmage, and a ninth game will be held the day after. These games have been dubbed Week Zero games.
Teams that chose not to schedule a 10th game get underway Friday, Sept. 2.
Jefferson-Morgan will host Chartiers-Houston in the Week Zero game, one of three straight home games to start the season. The Rockets play three of their final four on the road.
“I think the kids enjoy the games a lot more than they do scrimmages,” said Jefferson-Morgan head coach Aaron Giorgi. “They get to run out onto the field and play a game in front of their friends and family. I’m back to work as a teacher that week so we practice the normal times and we treat it as a normal week.”
Chartiers-Houston head coach Terry Fetsko said he wouldn’t play the game if he felt the players weren’t ready.
“We do quite a bit of work over the summer through different camps,” said Fetsko. “We went to Waynesburg for camp, I took the team to Salisbury, Md., for a camp and we had a passing camp at our place. So one, we’re in shape. Two, we’re heat acclimated, and three, we do install a lot of offense and defense at these camps. So we feel we are ready to play that game.”
Some teams, such as Washington High School, chose not to play the nonconference game in order to avoid a costly injury. The Prexies have a second scrimmage, Albert Gallatin.
Washington opens the season at Charleroi Sept. 2 and the home-opener is the following week against Brownsville.
“I talked to some older coaches and coaches I respect and I just thought with football and the concern you have with concussions, I didn’t feel comfortable losing those practice days and playing a game,” said Washington head coach Mike Bosnic. “That’s just my personal preference. It would have been nice to do and I’m sure the kids would be chomping at the bit to play. I considered all the factors and just wasn’t comfortable putting our kids out there early.”
Other teams, such as Mapletown chose to play the nonconference game and its Week Zero game is against Serra Catholic. The Maples open the season with three straight road games. Mapletown’s home-opener is Sept. 16 against Avella.
McGuffey’s Week Zero game is part of the North Allegheny Football Classic. The Highlanders will play Frazier. The game is a road trip for both teams but NA is picking up most of the cost.
“We tried to play the local teams but they didn’t want to play us,” said McGuffey head coach Ed Dalton. “Frazier wanted to play us. We really wanted to play either Trinity or Washington but the both wanted to play a second scrimmage. And I respect that. I thought it would be a great opportunity because we have a good rivalry. They valued the second scrimmage more. Fortunately, Mike (Steeber) has a good team and wanted to play.”